THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Diving Club has increased its number of athletes by 50 per cent since 2022.
“We want to bring diving to as many youth who might have an aptitude for it or an interest in it," said Crystal DePeuter, president of Thunder Bay Diving Club.
“The more numbers we have, the more classes we're able to provide at different times, making us more accessible and it just allows us to keep going.
“The growth, especially in our recreation numbers, is important because it's introducing people to the sport,” she said.
MPP Kevin Holland celebrated the 50 per cent growth at a media event on Tuesday. “That's really encouraging to see a group that is providing such a good, valuable service to our youth and actively is able to use those funds to really recover from COVID and drive up their memberships again,” Holland said.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation awarded the Thunder Bay Diving Club with a $77,800 Resilient Communities Fund Grant over 24 months, to build its resiliency from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DePeuter said the board was thrilled to learn they will be receiving the grant back in 2022. “It was like pretty life sustaining for us. We had very low numbers coming out of the pandemic. This grant was really a way over two years to start to rebuild. We're really seeing the fruits of all that labour and that funding right now,”
The funding allowed the club to purchase new equipment that allows both recreational and competitive divers to enhance their skills before getting into the water, said DePeuter.
Members of the diving club have been enjoying the new equipment, and are appreciative of the funding.
“I’m small, the old belt wouldn’t fit around my waist properly. I had to wear a towel and sometimes I would slide up and down. But now, the new belt fits me properly, and I don’t have to worry about sliding,” said Abigail Tjong.
“For the funding we did get lots of new equipment. It helps us to be able to rent out the pool, and were able to pay our coaches, since they do a lot of hard work for us,” said Lilah DePeuter, Crystal's daughter.
Crystal DePeuter said the funding also made it possible to hold “try diving sessions."
“We hold these regular free ‘try diving sessions’ that people can register for. We found that those are fairly successful and really important because diving is a sport some people are not quite sure about."
DePeuter found that the sessions have really helped introduce people to diving.
“If they like it, then they can register. We found that that has been a really solid use of our funding,” she said.
Diving club member Elise Lawr said, “I love diving because it’s a good chance to meet lots of people and you make lots of friends. It also helped me learn to get over my fears and it’s so cool because I learn so much.”
Sara MacMaster added that, “when you go to the pool with your other friends that don’t do diving, you get to show them everything you learned. And you can improve your skills all the time."
“We are seeing an incredible program that starts kids very young and then moves them through a progression," said MPP Lise Vaugeois.
“They've got excellent coaching to help them really aspire to be very great. If they choose not to be continuous divers, they've still got the social aspect, the physical aspect. It's a really good thing happening here and it's an honour for me as an MPP to get to be part of it,” Vaugeois said.
For many years, the Thunder Bay Diving Club didn't have athletes that were ready to compete, DePeuter said.
“This past year, we've been able to send people. It's just another thing that we can offer in Northwestern Ontario to youth who saw it on the Olympics and thought, ‘that looks like something I'd love to do.’
“They can come here and they can try it and maybe they'll be there next,” she said.
More information on the Thunder Bay Diving club is available on their website.
