2020 Coaches
A Special Note from Coach Mike Darland...
As a parent and long term coach, I believe a very important decision in your child's life is "which athletic endeavors to choose" and just as important, "who to choose as your coaches". With this in mind, I have assembled an impressive group of coaches to help coach my team. Some of them are well know and accomplished at the highest levels of national and international diving. I also have coaches with the personalities that kids love. I look forward to you getting to know this group.
Owner & Head Coach Michael Darland
Head Coach Mike Darland with 5 time Olympic Coach Kimball
Diving & Coaching Background
-Competitive U.S. Diver on 10-meter Platform, 3 and 1-meter springboard (Coached by Olympic Coach Dick Kimball)
-University of Michigan Diving Team (1975-1979) & Varsity Letter Winner
-Coached for over 8 years by Olympic Coaches Dick Kimball & Ron O'Brien
-Safety Certification Trainer for U.S. Diving Coaches since 2008
-FINA Certified International Diving Judge since 2009 - Qualified to Judge World Level & Divers in International Competitions
-Chairman - AAU Metropolitan Diving
-Chairman - U.S. Diving - Southern N.Y. Diving Association
-Diving Director of Future Stars Summer Camp since 2007
-Diving Safety Certification & Lifegaurd Instructor
Education & Business Career
-University of Michigan-BGS Degree, Business & Communication Concentration 1979
-Northwestern University - M.B.A. - 1989
-Marketing Executive: Corporate Companies worked for included Procter & Gamble, The Quaker Oats Company, Con Agra, Alberto Culver & Del Labs
Associate Head Coach Billy McGowan
15 Years Diving Coach Experience - College & Junior Olympic
College - Iona College since 2017, University of Illinois 2003-2006, Pace University 2007-2009, Stony Brook SUNY 2001-2003
US Diving - High Dive Champions 2006-2007, Founding & Head Diving Coach of Marlins Diving Club 2007-2011
Coached over 25 USA National Qualifiers
Coach of National Champions, Including Carolina Sculti
Coach - Jessica Kugelman
RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) NCAA Diver 2017-2020
NCAA Division III Region 3 Finalist on 1-meter & 3-meter in 2018, 2019 & 2020
Voted Most Valuable Diver at RPI and coached there by one of U.S Diving's top diving coaches, Maria Coomaraswamy Falkenstein
Lead Coach of High Dive Summer Camp 2020 with Coach Mike Darland
Lead Coach of Future Stars Diving Camp with Coach Mike Darland 2019
High Dive Champions Diver 2013-2016
Staff Coach Cassie Keenan
High Dive Champions Developmement Coach since 2019
High Dive Champions High School Diver - Beginning 2013
Purchase College Swim Instructor & Lifegaurd since 2018
Guest Coach - Ken Vigiletti
University of Michigan and Kimball Diver
High School State Diving Champion - Michigan
High School All American
University of Michigan Letter Winner
Big Ten Diving Championship Finalist
NCAA Division 1 Diving Championship Finalist
Coach of Summer Diving-All Ages
Olympic Coach Dick Kimball - Guest Coach
Olympic Coach –1964,1980, 1984, 1988, 1992
Coach of 5 Olympic Gold Medalists, 5 Silver Medalists & 3 Bronze Medalists
Coach of 68 National Diving Champions
International Hall of Famer
University of Michigan Diving Coach 1960 – 2002
Coach of the Year – Multiple Years for Senior Diving & Age Group
NCAA Diving Champion in 1957 (1 & 3 Meter)
1963 World Champion - Professional Diving Championships
Future Stars Diving Coach since 2008
High Dive Special Guest Coach for Kimball Cup week since 2004
Guest Coach - Theo Bodor
Columbia University Collegiate Diver
High Dive Champions Diver 2004-2011
U.S. Diving Regional Champion 14-15 3m - 2008
YMCA Nationals Finalist - 16-21 Boys 1m - 3rd Place
Kimball Cup Winner 1 & 3m -2008
Wendy Wyland Invite Winner - 3m & Platform - 2008
2 Time High School All American
High School Sectional Champion, County Champion & Record Holder
New York High School State Championship Finalist - 5th Place
Guest Coach - Jen Ullman
James Madison University Diver
Suffern High School Diving Record Holder - 20+ years
NY State High School Finalist - 4th Place
High Dive Champions Junior Olympic Diving Coach Since 2014
N.Y. Section 1 & Suffern H.S. Coach since 2010
Has coached along side and gained experience from Olympic Coaches John Wingfield & Dick Kimball since 2011
Suffern High School Hall of Fame Recipient 2017