The Annex Gleaner - April 1998 Sports and Recreation Diving in: club trains all ages by Conan Tobias

With the arrival of spring, many water enthusiasts will soon be dusting off their swimming equipment, ready to hit the pools. But hidden in the University of Toronto's Athletic Centre is a water sports organization active all year round.

The Central Toronto Diving Club offers instruction to a variety of divers, from beginner level to competitive. Formed in 1997 by head coach Anna Dacyshyn, the program aims to provide a wide range of experience within the sport of diving.

Currently, the club (which practices at the Athletic Centre pool) has an enrollment of over 70 divers, ages six and up.

Originally from Edmonton, Alb., Dacyshyn moved to Toronto at the age of 18 to train at U of T. At that time, she said, the university had no developmental diving classes, only a high performance club. Upon retiring from competitive diving in 1992, Dacyshyn took it upon herself to become the local learn-to-dive trainer.

"When all the divers I trained with retired, there was no one to keep [the club] going," she said. "It was going to disappear."

During her 10 years of competitive diving, Dacyshyn represented Canada around the world, winning a gold medal in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, placing fourth in the 1991 FINA World Cup and claiming six national championship titles on the 10 metre platform. With a bachelor's degree in physical and health education and a master's in sport psychology (both from U of T), she has now turned her attention to coaching up-and-coming divers and instructing those who simply want to learn for fun.

"Our main focus is instruction," she said. "We give some free time at the end of all classes to play around, but most of the time is spent on instruction."  

Joining Dacyshyn is fellow coach Brian Anderson. Anderson also has 10 years diving experience at both the provincial and national levels. (Anderson also had a career as the mountain diver at Canada's Wonderland.) The club's other learn-to-dive instructors are all former competitive divers, certified by the Canadian Amateur Diving Association.

Between her day job at U of T's school of physical education and instructing the diving club Dacyshyn keeps busy. However, she hopes to continue teaching people to dive for years to come.

"I'd like to see the club continue to grow. I hope to be with the club a long time, but if ever I were to leave, I hope it would continue on."