March 19, 2008

Two USA Diving coaches are finalists for USOC awards

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has announced the finalists for its National, Developmental, Volunteer, and Paralympic Coach of the Year honors as well as the finalists for the "Doc" Counsilman Science Award, and two diving coaches are among the finalists.  The awards will be presented on April, 15 during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit in Chicago, Ill.

Each year, 43 Olympic and Pan American sport organizations select their nominations for the National, Developmental, Volunteer and/or Paralympic Coaches of the Year as part of the USOC Coach of the Year Recognition Program.  Five finalists were selected in each of the categories with the exception of Paralympics which included three.  The first "Doc" Counsilman Science Award was given posthumously to its namesake in 2003 and five finalists were tabbed for this year's honor. 

Bob Gunter (The Woodlands, Texas) is one of five finalists for the USOC's Developmental Coach of the Year, and Bill Walker (St. Petersburg, Fla.) is among the five finalists for the Volunteer Coach of the Year award.

Gunter's Woodlands Diving Academy divers had an excellent year in 2007, winning nine junior national titles and 12 Junior Pan American Championship medals. Gunter had three divers, more than any other coach, named to the 2007-08 Olympic Medal Program Tier II level, which identifies younger divers deemed to have future Olympic medal potential.  One of those three divers, Michelle Cabassol has qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Diving at age 14, making her the youngest diver qualified for the meet.  Gunter's Woodlands Diving Academy won the overall team title at the 2007 Speedo Junior National Championships, claiming nine of 18 possible national titles. 

As the diving coach at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, Walker has achieved success. He also offers assistance to several other clubs and schools in the area.  Four of the eight divers Walker works with advanced to the 2007 Florida State High School Championships finals, and another won a 2007 district title.  Walker places paramount focus on fundamental skills and incorporates conditioning and weights into his training.  Even though coaching other clubs makes it harder for his divers to win, he gladly passes on his knowledge to all that want to learn.  In 2007, in addition to coaching, Walker trained two individuals to coach diving with the purpose of building grassroots diving in the area.

The other Developmental Coach of the Year finalists for 2007 are Jon Cooper (Ballwin, Mo./Ice Hockey), Jimmy Kim (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Taekwondo), Joanne P. McCallie (Durham, N.C./Women's Basketball), and Paul Yetter (Baltimore, Md./Swimming). 

Maryilyn Deister (Kansas City, Mo./ Synchronized Swimming), Matthew (Matt) S. Dubois, DDS (Grosse Ile, Mich./Sailing), Sherman Nelson (Washington, D.C./Taekwondo), Jock Oubichon (San Diego, Calif./Table Tennis), and Bill Walker (St. Petersburg, Fla./Diving) round out the finalists for the 2007 USOC Volunteer Coach of the Year award. 

More USA Diving News