'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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.