The Auckland Diving Community Trust (ADCT) is delighted to have received a grant from The Lion Foundation for $15,000 which will be used towards the cost of pool hire at West Wave in Henderson.
There are only two diving pools in Auckland, West Wave and Glenfield, however these pools are also used for other sports including water polo and synchronised swimming which means that availability of the diving boards is not guaranteed for the city’s two clubs - North Harbour Diving and Diving Waitakere.
As well as its regular diving training sessions, Auckland Diving runs a variety of programmes for schools and the community aimed at kids aged 8-18, as well as a programme for adults that want to dive.
Auckland Diving holds regular ‘Have A Go’ days for kids aged 8-18 and takes ongoing registrations on its website. The free two-hour session is an introduction to the sport of diving with an opportunity to learn some of the sport’s basic skills and have some fun on the boards. In fact, Tokyo 2020 Olympic diver Anton Down-Jenkins first tried diving at a Have A Go day with Wellington Diving, going on to become New Zealand’s most successful Olympic diver to date.
“Our programmes are designed to support divers of all levels and stages - from beginners that just want to learn a few cool skills on the boards to our performance squads that are training to compete in major world events including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics,” says Head Coach, Steve Gladding.
“Whether doing it just for fun or to compete, diving is a sport that teaches deep water safety and skills, builds confidence and develops a mindset for overcoming obstacles and challenges. We are so grateful for this funding from The Lion Foundation as it means we can secure more pool time and offer more kids the opportunity to give diving a go.”
The Lion Foundation is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most respected Charitable Trusts. Since 1985 it has returned over $985 million back to the community, supporting thousands of good causes all around New Zealand.
ENDS