‘Discover a Diver’ program will expand next year
The Mission Viejo Nadadores Diving Team is flying high after finishing a new community outreach program designed to serve kids in need.
The first of its kind in the nation, the “Discover a Diver” 10-lesson series was funded by a $3,000 grant from USA Diving, the national governing body for the sport. The program identified 10 underserved children in the area and taught them the sport of diving.
Children ages 7-13 applied to receive the free 5-week training and participated in one-hour lessons twice a week at the newly renovated Marguerite Aquatic Center. The class ended this month with a fun competition. Thanks to its success, the program will be replicated in diving programs across the country. Its founder offered to increase funding for Mission Viejo so that the club could expand classes in the 2019 season.
“This community outreach program was a huge success for the Nadadores Diving Team,” said Head Coach Michele Mitchell, a two-time Olympic silver medalist. “The kids and their families were thrilled with the coaching staff and availability of the facility. We were delighted to offer the joys of diving to more families in the Southern California area and look forward to expanding the program next season.”
