The Coaching Staff strives to create an atmosphere where each diver will be able to achieve his or her own potential in a positive and nurturing environment.
Head Coaches Susan and Donna
have been involved in diving for over 25 years either as a diver or coach. Both coaches have competed and coached at the age group, high school, collegiate and national levels.
Susan Bromberg
- Windy City Diving Program Director
- Diving Coach at University of Illinois at Chicago 2008 to present
- Certified FINA Judge 2006-2014
- Illinois Diving Association President
- Current Chair of the Coaches Advisory Committee for USA Diving
- USA Diving Past Committee Work – Governance, Membership, CCE
- MVC and MAC Diving Coach of the Year – 2023
- Horizon League Diving Coach of the Year – 2012, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
- Lake Forest College Diving Coach 1999-2008
- NCAA D3 Coach of year 2006
- Highland Park High School Diving Coach 1986-1996
- 4 yr collegiate diver at University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign
- Missouri State High School Diving Champion
- Jr. National qualifier
Donna O’Brien
- Windy City Diving Coach 1997-2023
- Fremd High School Girls and Boys Diving Coach ’18 to present
- Lake Forest College Diving Coach ’08-’17
- Certified FINA Judge
- Palatine High School Girls Diving Coach ’82-’11
- Harper Jr. College Coach 1988-1991
- Schaumburg Diving Academy Coach 1986-1996
- Junior Diving Chair for IL Diving Association
- ISA Diving Coach of the year 2002
- 4 yr. collegiate diver at Iowa State
- 3 time Collegiate National Qualifier
- IHSA State Finalist Diving & Gymnastics
Assistant Coaches
Curt Bendell
- Assistant Coach for Windy City Diving Team (Dryland Training Center Director)
- Palatine High School Girls Coach 2012 –
- Fremd High School Boys Diving Coach 1992 -2002
- Conant High School Girls Diving Coach 1997- 2002
- Assistant Coach Iowa State University 1989
- Assistant
- Coach: Schaumburg Diving Academy, Palatine Park District
Brian Bottcher
- Assistant Coach for Windy City Diving (UIC Training Site)
- Former USA Diving Safety Certification and Spotting Certification Instructor for Illinois
- West Virginia Men’s and Women’s Head Diving Coach 1995-1997
- WVU Diving club 1995-1997
- Talawanda High School Men’s and Women’s Diving Coach 1994-1995
- Coached two teams in the Fairfield County Country Club league 1992-1996
- Assistant Coach Northwestern age group program 1991
- Letter winner Miami University, Ohio 1990-1994
- NISCA High School All American 1990
Abbey Bernardo
- Assistant Coach for Windy City Diving Team (UIC Training Site)
- Head Diving Coach for the University of Chicago 2014-2018
- Gymnastics Coach at Viking Gymnastics 2017 to present
- Volunteer Assistant Coach for the University of Illinois at Chicago Diving Team
- Oakton Diving Head Coach 2009-2012
- Northwestern University Volunteer Assistant Coach 2011-2012
- Fenwick High School Diving Coach 2010-2011Urbana High School Diving Coach 2008-2009
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign collegiate diver 2004-2007
- Academic All-Big Ten Honors 2006-2008
- IHSA State Qualifier 2000-2003
- Former member of Windy City Diving Team
Matt Demirs
- Assistant Coach for Windy City Diving Team (UIC Training Site)
- Assistant Coach at SWIFT Aquatics (2019), ZAP Diving (2017-2018)
- Westmoreland Country Club (2020-2021) Corinthian Yacht Club (2015)
- Niles West High School Girls and Boys Diving Coach (2018-2022)
- Lake Forest College Diver
- MWC Championship 1M & 3M Finalist (4x)
- NCAA Region 3 Qualifier 2015
- Academic All-Midwest Conference
- Massachusetts High School State Finalist (2012-2014)
Flex Lafortune
- Assistant Coach Windy City Diving Team (UIC Training Site)
- Letter winner at Univerity of Illinois-Chicago, 2018-2022
- Horizon League Diver of the year, 2020, 2021, 2022
- NCAA Academic Honorable Mention All American, 2020, 2021, 2022
- Former member of Club de Plongeon de Gatineau, Canada
- 3-time member of Team Quebec
Melissa (Holbach) Morris
- Associate Coach for Windy City Diving Team (Arlington Heights and Palatine Program Director)
- Letter winner at University of Akron, 2003-2007
- MAC Conference Academic All- American
- Illinois High School State Diving Meet Finalist 2002, 8th place
- West Junior National Qualifier 2000
- Illinois High School State Diving Meet Qualifier, 1999 -2002
- Illinois High School State Gymnastics Finalist, Floor Ex., 1999-2002
- Former member of the Windy City Diving Team
Amy (Bromberg) Phillips
- Assistant Coach for Windy City Diving Team (Arlington Heights and Palatine Training Site)
- Niles North High School Diving Coach
- St. Charles East High School Diving Coach 2010-2012
- Letter winner at Ohio University 2006-2010
- scholar athlete at Ohio University
- Honorable Mention, MAC All- Conference Academic Team
- IHSA State Meet Qualifier 2005
- Former member of Windy City Diving Team
MacKenzie (Mac) Tweardy
- Assistant Coach for Windy City Diving Team (UIC Training Site)
- Volunteer Assistant Coach for the Purdue University Diving Team (2016)
- Purdue University collegiate diver (2011 – 2015)
- USA National Team Member – 10m Platform (2013 – 2014)
- 10m Olympic Trials Finalist (2016)
- NCAA Platform All-America (2013 – 2015)
- CSCAA Scholar All-America (2013 – 2015)
- Distinguished Big Ten Scholar, Academic All-Big Ten (2013- 2015)
- OHSA State Meet Runner Up (2011), State Qualifier (2009 – 2011
Laura Ryan - Assistant Coach for Windy City Diving (UIC Training Site)
- 7x U.S. National Champion – Synchronized Diving
- 2x NCAA Champion (2014- 1m & 3m, 3rd place Platform, University of Georgia)
- U.S. National Team Member 2010-2016
- U.S. Olympic Team Trials 2016- 4th place (3m), 2012- 11th place (10m)
- World Cup team member – 2012, 2014, 2016
- World Championships Team Member – 2015
- World University Games Bronze Medalist 2013
- Junior Pan American Championships Bronze Medalist 2010
- 2014 FINA Mexico Grand Prix Bronze Medalist
- 2012 AT&T USA Grand Prix Bronze Medalist
- NCAA & SEC Diver of the year 2014
- NCAA All-American 1m, 3m, Platform
- 2x SEC Champion and SEC record holder 3m (2013, 2014)
- Big10 Platform Champion (2011, Indiana University)
- MN State high school champion 2008
Caiming Xie
- Lead Coach for Windy City Diving (UIC Training Site)
- Head Diving Coach, University of Notre Dame (1995-2020)
- Co-Head Coach, Double Dragon Diving Club (1996-2021)
- Head Diving Coach, University of Toledo (1992-1995)U.S. Diving Technical Consultant (90’s)
- National-Class Senior Diving Coach, China
- Olympic Diving Coach, China 1980 (Moscow, boycott)
- Head Coach, Sichuan Province Diving Team, China
- Diving Coach of the Year, BIG EAST Conference, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006
- Diving Coach of the Year, MID-AMERICAN Conference, 93-94, 94-95
- Best Diving Coach of the Year, ALL-CHINA, 1986, 1987
- Medals of Honors of All-sports, ALL-CHINA, 1982, 1986, 1987
- 1 ST place on 3-M Springboard, the 7 TH Asian Games, Tehran, Iran, 1974
- 1 ST place on Platform and 2 nd place on Springboard, at third All-China National Sports
- Games, Beijing, China 1975
- Numerous others 1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd places in Chinese National Championships, 1972-1976
Ping Tong
- Assistant Coach for Windy City Diving Team (UIC Training Site)
- Co- Head Coach, Double Dragon Diving Club, Indiana 1996 – 2020
- Volunteer Diving Coach, University of Notre Dame 1999 – 2011
- Head Diving Coach, Saint Mary’s College, IN 1997 -1999
- Head Diving Coach, Saint St Joseph High School, IN 1997 -1999
- Chinese National Team Coach, China 1981 – 1985
- Sichuan Province Diving Team Coach, China 1976-1981; 1985-1992
- Medals of Honors of All-sports, ALL-CHINA, 1991
- Numerous top 3 – 6 places in Chinese National Championships, during 1972-1975
- Chinese National Team Member, China 1971 – 1974
