Southend Diving is part of the Southend-on-Sea Swimming Club, located in the centre of Southend at the Warrior Swim Centre. Currently the Club Committee is considering a new name to include both Swimming and Diving in the title - in recognition of the tremendous success of the divers over its 25 years plus History.
Current Head Diving Coach, Bill Clark, has produced three Olympic Team members (and another who narrowly missed selection under a highly contentious selection procedure). Additionally there have been many Junior International Divers and regular National Age Group, Junior and Senior Medallists.
Bill stresses that the consistently high level of results is the culmination of a great many factors. Not least is the long line of talented and skilful divers and many other invaluable Coaches and Teachers and Assistants all working together over many years to help so many athletes, of all levels of ability, fulfil their potential.
Kim White, the current British Diving Program Manager, was also a coach at Southend Diving for many years. Joining us when departing from Crystal Palace, Kim already had an amazingly successful Age group squad. Most notably were Olympians to be Hayley Allen and Toni Ally - and Film star Jason Statham! During the Club’s `Golden Period’ with the two World Class coaches working in harmony Southend diving went from success to success. When winning the Dawdon Team Trophy in 1986 the Southend National squad consisted of 12 divers - 10 of them went on to International representation, 4 of whom became Olympians - an amazing record yet to be matched!
In 2007 Bill continues to head up the Club, with Steve Briggs as his assistant and Rick Gardiner, Tracey James, and Sheila Thompson running the learn to dive classes.
Olympic Platform specialist Karen Smith retired in late 2005, Junior Olympic squad member Danny Osborne, and National Junior Champion Faye Ratcliff retired from competitive diving in 2006. Currently the new generation of divers are developing and working their way through the rankings tables.
In 2007 four young divers competed in the national Age Group Championships and two in the Elite Junior National Championships. At the Junior/senior British Championships Lottie Thompson became the Junior British 3m Springboard Champion winning a magnificent statue dating back to the early 50’s.
