Team GB may have scooped a historic bronze medal in high diving thanks to the superb acrobatics of Tom Daley off the 10 metre platform, but an award-winning Angus coach fears the feat may never be emulated with new municipal pools ceasing to provide sufficiently deep water for training.
As a new pool for Montrose nears completion, the young divers in the Montrose and District Seals Club are counting down to their final training session, and coach Carol Cooper is angry that the inspiration provided by the Olympic games is set to come to nothing.
”I feel it’s absolutely terrible. We were promised a replacement pool for our existing facility but the maximum depth of the new pool is only two metres and that is not deep enough for diving.
”Apparently the money couldn’t be found for the extra depth needed. It’s too late now but I feel it was shamefully shortsighted of Angus Council.
”With so many of the new municipal pools going the same way, you have to wonder where the next generation of divers is going to come from. Certainly, the way things are going in Scotland, it will soon be we have nothing at all for divers.
”There’s not even a diving pool in Glasgow. The only one suitable is at Wishaw. There’s nothing in Aberdeen, and not even in Stirling.”
A new £9 million swimming pool and sports complex in Montrose’s Marine Avenue is due to open in October, when the existing pool in North Esk Road will close.
The deep end in North Esk Road is 3.6 metres and with three springboards, the 50-year-old Seals club has attracted young divers from a wide area.
Several have gone on to represent the club in the Midlands and District regional squad and further, with Paul Wilkie of Ferryden being a past star at national level.
Though a back operation in 2004 put paid to her own diving, Carol has continued to coach from the poolside, giving up six nights a week sometimes to help the club’s competitive hopefuls in both swimming and diving. She is also routinely in demand as a judge at events up and down the country.
Two years ago her dedication was recognised with the award of a rosebowl from the Scottish Swimming Association for 40 years’ service.
Though a new pool in Dundee will have diving boards, she fears the demise of the Montrose Seals group is inevitable.
”Dundee City Aquatics have offered to accommodate some of our divers, but their training starts at 9am on a Saturday morning and understandably parents might find it difficult to get the children there, especially as we are coming up to winter.
”It’s sickening really when our current class is so full of promise. They are all so determined and enjoy competing. One or two certainly could have been developed to a high level.”
Fiona Sword confirmed her son Campbell was regretfully counting the days to his last training session.
She said: ”He is sad to have to give up diving. But he also has football and running to and from Dundee would be too much travelling for the family.”
A spokeswoman for Angus Council said: ”The project is on time and on budget and will provide an excellent new facility for local people and an attraction for visitors for years to come.
”As stated by the council during the planning and consultation phase, unfortunately the provision of deep water facilities would have cost an extra £1.7 million, money which was simply not available and which could not be justified for 4% of pool usage.”
Photo by Stephen Pond/PA Wire