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Gateway
Cup International, June 15-17, 2001 Results
Schavone
Kisses the Cup!
Doug Beavers
and the St Peters Rec-Plex in St Peters Missouri was host
to an innovative competition that could, over the next several
years, alter the direction of Senior Diving in the US. The
Gateway Cup International Meet was held June 15-17, and included
the Etobicoke Diving
Club (Montreal, Canada), The
Woodlands Diving Team (Houston, Texas), Stanford
Diving (Stanford, California) North
Shore Diving (Chicago, Illinois), US
Elite Diving Academy (Columbus, Ohio) Schroeder Dive Team
(Brown Deer, Wisconsin), and the Lightning
Diving Team (St Peters, Missouri)
The Team
Award went to Rick Schavone and the Stanford Team, beating
out the home team of Lightning Diving by 100 points. As is
the tradition at the Gateway Cup, Schavone savored the victory
by planting a big wet kiss on the Cup, a stay-at-home trophy
that is engraved with each year’s champion. The Cup remains
on display year round at the Rec-Plex, while Schavone got
a smaller version to take home with him.
But what
really made the meet different? First and foremost was Rob
Siracusano’s Diving for Dollars Event. Diving for Dollars
followed US Senior Rules with a few major exceptions. Most
notably were the “Bonus Dives.” All entrants were
given a list of high DD dives that would be eligible for bonus
points. For example, if a female contestant performs a 107B
on 3M and keeps three judges awards of 5 or higher, she gets
20 bonus points toward her final score. Bonus points are instituted
to encourage the use of the more difficult dives. To add to
the incentive these Open Events offered the top four male
and female divers travel stipends worth up to $1500.
Concern
for eligibility is solved by allowing the divers the option
of having their winnings held in an escrow account which would
be paid out to them upon college graduation. How did we arrange
all of this? It helps to have Rob Siracusano, a Financial
Advisor for Paine Webber, backing the event. While some of
the winners elected not to take the money until everything
could be officially cleared through their Compliance Officers,
they were all encouraged to work with Rob to maintain eligibility
and have the money waiting for them at the end of their college
careers.
In addition
Rob gave a very informative seminar on fundraising for athletes
on Saturday night. Rob described his strategies for gaining
over $30,000 in sponsorship in 1996, while a member of the
US National Team.
While we
would have liked to have more Senior Divers for the Event
(Especially you GUYS!), Diving for Dollars appears to be a
concept whose time has come. Picture this: 5 meets spread
across the country over the season, each with a total purse
of $20,000 or more. Each meet is formatted to reward the successful
use of higher DD dives with cash awards. The cash awards are
distributed in such a way as not to endanger the eligibility
of our NCAA athletes. All of our top men and women would attend
these meets, offering post-collegiate athletes a way to pay
the rent and continue to dive. This is only the beginning,
and it is thanks to the vision of former diver Rob Siracusano
that this type of meet will become a reality. Kudos to you,
Rob, for taking the ball and running with it.
Senior Divers and Coaches mark your calendars:
The Diving for Dollars Event will be held June 14-16, 2002
at the St Peters Rec-Plex in St Peters Missouri. Total purse
to be announced!
Diving
for Dollars Results:
Men:
1)
Michael
Oxman, Schroeder
2)
Adam
Peterson, Stanford
3)
Matt
Bisordi, Stanford
4)
Burkely
Showe, US Elite
5)
David
Heraly, Unattached
6)
Landon
Marzullo, US Elite
Women:
1)
Kimiko
Soldati, Woodlands
2)
McKenze
Murphy, Stanford
3)
Kristi
Wanner, Unattached
4)
Ashley
Rosenthal, Stanford
5)
Lauren
K., Etobicoke
6)
Katura
Perinchief, Etobicoke
7)
Kelli
Wind, Lightning
8)
Kelci
Bryant, Lightning
9)
Sara
Clark, Stanford
Note: Not all of the top four accepted stipends.
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