The Diving Otakou Coaches

Head Coach - Connie Deighton

Connie Deighton is the new Senior Coach for Diving Otakou as of November 2023. Her diving journey started around 14 years ago and since then has taken her around the world. She began diving with my twin sister at Crystal Palace diving club in London, England. After years of training and progressing, she won a national title at aged 17 on 1m. Later that year Connie was offered a diving scholarship to study in America at TCU. Four years in Texas competing and studying Psychology was such an amazing experience especially being able to compete and train with many world class divers. Connie began diving coaching at age 15 as a junior level coach which has developed into coaching national level althetes in gymnastics, trampolining and diving. She always want to create a positive environment on pool deck with no goals too far out of reach. 

Skills Coaches

Flynn MacGill-Brown

• Flynn has been diving for over 6 years and coaching for over 3 years.He loves seeing the progress and success that kids get to experience by overcoming their fears and pushing themselves out of their comfort zones. He is passionate about the sport and thrive to see people achieve their goals in diving.

Lucas Palmer

• Lucas has recently joined Diving Otakou in early 2024 and what an assest he is to the club. Lucas moved from Auckland where he was coaching the 11& under skills squad. Flynn and Lucas have been leading the skills squad this year.

Grade Coaches

Jessica Penno

• Jess has been coaching at Diving Otakou for 3 years and was an experienced diver herself. Jess works with her grade 1-2 and grade 3-4 divers and focusing on technique and building confidence on the boards

Lucia Luxton

• Lucia started diving in 2017 at Diving Otakou but shortly after moved to New York where she continued to dive. When she returned to Dunedin she dove more frequently and is now in the DNZ junior elite squad. She started coaching early in 2023 and works with our grade and skills divers. Lucia enjoys coaching as she enjoys helping the divers learn new dive and be proud of themselves.

Lyvia Nilsen

• Lyvia is a Junior Elite level diver and has been coachign with diving otakou since 2023. She takes our grade 1-2 class on a saturday and enjoys watching the divers learn new dives.

Archie Vorgers

• Archie is one our newest coaches to join the team. Archie is an age group diver who is the A/B squad and has represented NZ in Ausitralia. Archie is in the process of completing his level 1 hours. Archie enjoyrs coaching the grade divers and the adults.

Elizabeth Dearden

• Elizabeth is one of our newest coaches to join our team. She is an age group level diver who has represented NZ overseas and in the A/B squad. After completing her level 1 coaching course in March, Elizabeth has been coaching our have a go session where children first get introduced into the diving world

Adult diving Coach

Christine Wierda

• Chrisitne has been part of diving otakou for many years after being a diver herself and then leading onto her coachoign journey. Also, a qualified judge, Christine and Connie coach the adult diver looking to compete in master events across the country but also adults wanting to learn to dive.