Coaches

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.

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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
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2014 Windy City Coaches and former WC divers

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)diving_1
  • 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)
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  • 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