|
Scott Donie- His Story in His Own Words |
|
|
| Back then |
| Born: |
October 10, 1968 in Vicenza, Italy |
| Hometown: |
Somerset, New Jersey/ Houston, TX |
| Club Diving: |
|
| Coaches: |
- Jimmy Pohl from Pohl's Pool Plungers in Bridgewater, NJ
- Jim Stillson from Morningside Muggers in NYC and SMU
- Terry Faulkenberry
- Jeff Shaffer from Mission Viejo Nadadores
- Ron O'Brien from Mission Bay/ Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Randy Ableman University of Miami, FL
|
| Elementary School: |
Somerset, NJ |
| High School: |
Houston, TX, Mission Viejo, CA, Boca Raton, FL |
| Major: |
Advertising |
| Graduated: |
1990 |
| Retired from Competition |
1996 |
| Family: |
Wife- Kaili, Daughter- Lucy and Dog- Rocky |
| Diving Accomplishments |
| College |
- 1989 NCAA Division 1, 10 meter Champion
- 1990 NCAA Division 1, 3 meter Champion
- 1990 NCAA Division 1, 10 meter Champion
|
| National Diving Titles and Accomplishments |
| |
- 11 times US National Champion
- 1985-1996 USA Diving Senior National Team Member
|
| Olympic Games |
| |
|
| Special Awards |
| |
- 1989-90 WhoSam Award
- Phillips Performance Award
- Multiple High Point Winner at US Nationals
- NCAA Diver of the Year
- Multiple NCAA All American
- SMU Table of Champions
- High School All American National Champion
|
| Coaching Accomplishments |
| |
|
| Other |
| |
- Graduate of New Actor's Workshop 2 year acting conservatory
- Performed at Williamstown Theater Festival on Main Stage
- Produced and starred in NYC production of "Geography of a Horse Dreamer" by Sam Shephard
- Performed Improv Comedy in various NYC Comedy Clubs
- Performed as singer in Ellen's Stardust Diner in NYC
- Member of the NYC2012 Board of Directors
|
| Scott Donie's Story in his own words - From a diver's perspective. |
| |
|
| What other divers and coaches have you kept in touch with throughout the years? |
| |
I'm terrible at keeping in touch. I wish this list was a lot longer- I made so many friends all over the world that I would love to reconnect with some day. But here are a few of the people I have been in touch with since I retired... Brian Ramos, Dean Panaro, Edward Morse, Lee Michaud, Heather Cleevely, Jim Stillson, Ron O'Brien, Randy Ableman, Terry Faulkenberry, Julia Cruz, Dario DiFazio, Gordon Spencer |
| At what age did you start diving? |
| |
I was eight years old. I had been on the swim team for a couple of years already and used to sneak out of swim practice to dive off the boards. One day the swim coach said, " Why don't you just join the diving team?" It was the same year we got a trampoline in our back yard and I started taking lessons on tramp too. |
| What was your favorite dive? |
| |
1 meter - 305c
3 meter- 305b
10 meter - 305c |
| What was your hardest dive? |
| |
10 meter - 307c |
| Who was your favorite Coach? |
| |
They were all perfect for me at each stage of my career. I could never say enough about how important
- Jimmy Pohl was when I first started. He showed me how to have fun and gave me my passion for the sport that carried me through my whole career.
Terry Faulkenberry is a brilliant coach who passed along something that was absolutely magical. He gave me my fearless confidence as a competitor.
- Jim Stillson is an incredible motivator who introduced me to the 10 meter platform and gave me my courage and my toughness.
- Jeff Shaffer showed me that I could compete with anyone and brought me to the US National Team when I was only 15.
- Ron O'Brien is a technical genius and the most complete coach I have ever seen. He gave me the great honor of becoming my teacher when I was only 16 years old. He also gave me the opportunity to train side by side with legends like Greg Louganis, Megan Neyer, Wendy Wyland, Ron Merriott, Jim Gray etc. The list goes on and on. I used to challenge Jim Gray to one dive challenges when I was still in high school. Back then, he was legendary- the only man other than Louganis to break 700 on 3 meter. Those are experiences that most high school divers don't get. Watching Louganis every day-- It was like watching a great artist in his prime-- unbelievable. Ron O'Brien took me to the top of the world and to the Olympic podium. He gave me my dreams. Thanks for believing in me Ron!
- And last but not least... Randy Ableman. I've never seen anyone make daily excellence and being the best coach in the country look so easy. Check out his record as a coach. Awesome. And he still finds plenty of time to be a real life mentor, a true friend and go fishing every weekend. He's one of the most genuine and generous people I know. He gave me my second life as a diver and he is the coach I strive most to emulate every day. Thanks Randall.
|
| What is your favorite part of diving as a sport? |
| |
The way that conquering fear in one area of your life can transform you as a person. |
| In those days, did divers receive any money or compensation after winning a big meet? |
| |
Ther were a few meets toward th end of my career where there was prize money. I bought my first guitar after I won the HTH classic in 1991! |
| If so, do you think it is better to be paid to train like the top divers in the US and some other countries are now, or is the Prize money a better incentive? |
| |
Divers need to be able to spend a lot of time training and still be able to support themselves. I always had a part time job while I was training. I think you can be a more well rounded person that way. But if you can find someone who will pay you to train, take it! Prize money can be nice, but passion, hard work and confidence are the real keys to success. |
| Back then, what was better in the sport of diving? |
| |
No synchro. I'm sorry synchro fans. I think our sport is enough without synchro. I think it cheapens the sport. It is beautiful and exciting, but it belongs in diving shows. I'm glad that we have been able to increase our number of Olympic events. Thank you for all your efforts Tom Gompf. I'm just a purist at heart. |
| What do you think is better now? |
| |
The rest of the world's diving programs. The US has always had great coaches and divers. Now there are great programs everywhere in the world. |
| What did you miss the most when you retired from the sport of diving? |
| |
Getting nervous. Performing for a crowd. The people. The travel. |
| What is the best part about making the Olympic Games? |
| |
Life in the Olympic Village. Every country... every sport... 24 hour dining halls... meeting Magic Johnson... the best 307c of my life...nights on the beach in Barcelona... |
| What was the worst part about making it to the Olympic Games? |
| |
Coming down after it's all over. |
| Did you attend any Olympic Games after retiring? Where and what are your feelings about them? |
| |
Not yet, but I would love to go to Beijing. Can anyone get me a job |
| While member of the USA Diving Senior National Team, what attire did you receive? |
| |
Suits, Towels, Sweats, Bags, Sammies, Shirts, Shorts, Shoes, Robes, Sandals... I think we got Parkas one year. |
| What could or should be improved in the Diving World as we know it today? |
| |
Marketing the sport to a broader audience. I would love to help bring our sport to the masses. I have been studying broadcasting and hope to become a broadcaster that can help the average sports fan understand and appreciate our sport. |
| What is your best memory about your years in diving? |
| |
So many... I may have to write a book someday. Some of the best memories were the competitions themselves. That feeling that I used to get where you just knew that you were about to do something great. And you felt that everyone who was watching knew it too. Hearing the roar of the crowd that was so loud that you could hear it from the bottom of the pool. Also, there were so many fun things that I got to do. The travelling of course, the Olympic Trials after parties, having my picture in Sports Illustrated-- 3 times!, being interviewed by Howard Stern, meeting Presidents! |
| Did you get to travel internationally? |
| |
Yes. The best education I have ever received was the travelling I got to do through the sport of diving. Seeing other cultures and becoming friends with people who are so different from ourselves changed my view of the world. |
| Where did you get to travel for diving? |
| |
Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Cuba, England, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden |
| Do you think that travelling is important to young divers? |
| |
Absolutely. There is no substitute for the experience of travelling to another culture. It is one of the greatest benefits of sport. Sport brings the world together in a way that nothing else does. |
| If you had the chance to “do it all, all over again”, would you? What would you do different? |
| |
I wouldn't change a thing. The entire experience- all the good and the bad, made me who I am today. Made me into the coach that I am. Made me into the person that my wife fell in love with. Made me into the Father that I am to my daughter. |
| What is the most important “feature” a diver needs in order to “make the Olympic Team” |
| |
One word- DESIRE. |
| What would be the best advise you could give young divers today? |
| |
The sport of diving was invented for one reason. It's fun!!! Remember that every time you dive. |