|
<<< Return to article listing >>>
Water's Just Right for New Diving Program at OCCC
Written By: Oklahoma City Community College News
>
>Oklahoma diving coach Mark Butcher knows what it takes to make a good athlete. More importantly, he knows what it takes to make a good person. The 25 kids that make up his Dive Oklahoma team at the Oklahoma City Community College Aquatic Center are currently practicing five days a week.
>The team's numerous top 10 finishes, awards and medals are quite remarkable However, it's their character, good spirit and respect for others that impresses him most.
>"I want these kids to learn life lessons," said Butcher. "This sport teaches you to deal with obstacles, intense fears and time management. It is most important to me that my athletes become good people first and excellent divers second."
>Divers ages 7 to 15 are coming to the College from around the Oklahoma City Metro Area representing Tuttle, Midwest City, Edmond, Putnam City and Moore.
>Butcher said the program's open door policy fits in perfectly with OCCC's mission. "Our program is open to anyone - all levels of skill and all ages. The only thing we require is that they know how to swim."
>While the sport of diving is relatively small compared to other states, Butcher, 28, hopes to change that by this time next year.
>"Our purpose here is to bring the sport of diving to the community. Hopefully our program will double in size and we will see more elite top ten finishes at summer nationals."
>A good facility for the sport is key. Butcher said it is one of the main reasons he decided to take the coaching position at OCCC.
>The Aquatic Center, built for the 1989 Olympic Festival, is one of the top rated swimming and diving facilities in the country. The Aquatic Center and the support of the College and the OKC Diving Parent's Booster Club led Starz Diving, one of the largest diving organizations in the United States, to start a new division of the organization in November 2005. This organization consists of 100 percent Oklahoma athletes, and is registered through US Diving and the Oklahoma Diving Association. The team opened its doors to all athletes from the former Oklahoma City Regional Training Center and all new divers.
>Butcher, a product of the Starz program himself, began coaching his high school alma mater's diving team when he was 19 and began his own diving program at 20. He was trained in the Starz Coaches Diving Club and attended Grace College in northeast Indiana and Purdue University.
>For more information about Dive Oklahoma, call the OCCC Recreation and Community Services department at 682-7859.
Posted 7-10-06 |
|
|
