'Hoping to bring my Canadian spirit': Regina divers sign Division I scholarships

Abby Ounsworth and Chelsey Dorosh of the Regina Diving Club have signed NCAA Division 1 Scholarships with Georgia Southern University and University of Nevada, Las Vegas for the 2023-24 collegiate year.

“I signed with Georgia Southern University mostly because of the coach. I was talking to him earlier in the recruiting process when he was at another school then he moved to Southern and I had a great relationship with him,” Ounsworth said.

“Then I met the team and they were all just so welcoming and excited for me to be there.”

“I signed with University of Las Vegas Nevada because I connected with the coach so well and when I went to visit in October, I connected with the team really well and I loved the atmosphere,” said Dorosh.

The two have been diving from a young age however both ended up in the sport on a different path.

“I started as a gymnast actually and I did that from ages 3-10. I was watching the Olympics one summer and I was like ‘Wouldn’t that be so cool to do?’ and then a few months later I switched over,” Ounsworth explained.

“I’ve been diving for 11 years. I started doing ‘learn to swim’ at the Lawson (pool) and I told my mom ‘diving looks so much cooler, I kind of want to try it’, so she put me in and that was kind of it for me,” Dorosh said.

The two high school seniors are in their final season before they will head off to begin their collegiate careers and are excited for the different diving world they are about to embark on.

“It’s funny because diving is an individual sport but at the university level you’re a part of a swimming and diving team so it brings together a bigger team aspect, which I’m excited for,” Ounsworth said.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts sent to your device

Their recent signings are no surprise to their coach, Laura Desautels, who has trained them since they began competing at the high school level.

“They’re both really hard workers. They come in, they get their work done, really good attitudes. They just always have a really positive outlook and I’m really looking forward to what is next.”

Both hope to bring their unique skill set to the NCAA level next year.

“I think I can bring my level of difficulty because I’ve been diving for so long. I have some hard dives so I’m excited to bring those there and get them even better than they are right now,” said Dorosh.

“I’m hoping to bring my Canadian spirit,” Ounsworth laughed.

“It’s kind of exciting because now the recruiting pressure isn’t there and I can go full force. I’m also a football player so across the board I feel like that gives me a different mentality to bring to the team.”

However before they move on to their new world of diving, the two have some time to soak it up as teammates for a little while longer.

“I’m definitely excited to graduate with her (Ounsworth) but it is sad seeing us like part ways and to not have a friend by my side like Abby,” said Dorosh.

“It’s kind of fun because we had each other to lean on through the experience but it’ll be crazy to kind of be across the world from each other,” Ounsworth said.

The high school senior’s train between 15-20 hours a week and their final diving season will get underway in February.