Huge interest in diving after TV's Splash! with Tom Daley
INTEREST in diving at the Life Centre has increased by 100 per cent since the first broadcast of Splash!, figures show.
The prime-time celebrity diving show, which features Tom Daley, has only been on for two weeks, yet the number of people inquiring about diving sessions has doubled, according to operator Everyone Active.
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People have been inspired to dive not only from Plymouth, but all over the South West, with people willing to travel for over an hour to give diving a go.
The Life Centre has seen inquiries from Somerset, Truro and Torbay.
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On Sunday, the day after the second episode of Splash! was aired, the Life centre received 16 inquiries from those who wanted to give diving a go.
Sally Freeman is diving lessons manager at the centre and represented Great Britain at the Sydney Olympics.
Sally, from Beacon Park said: "A lot of people want to try diving out so we have the children doing taster sessions and also a rise in enrolment at the adult classes.
"Fifty per cent of the inquiries aren't from Plymouth, we've had interest from as far as Somerset.
"Following Christmas there's usually a bit of a lull. The Olympics gave us a big surge so it's nice to have a rise in interest again.
"The only problem is finding enough teachers but now we have divers who want to become teachers which is really good.
"Those that come along do tend to come again. They know that Tom's here every week and quite a lot of people watch Tom training or stay on after their own sessions to watch him training, it encourages them to keep coming."
Sally added: "In terms of the celebrities we've had coming down, the training sessions are quite interesting. "They are complete beginners but they have come along a treat considering they have hours not weeks of training.
"Eddie the Eagle was brilliant and some of the girls are really impressive, you might think that the men would be better but a few of the girls have done really well, doing summersaults and turns."
Judge on the show and Plymouth Diving head coach Andy Banks said: "There was a big surge after the Olympic Games and with 6.2 million viewers on a prime time Saturday night show we've seen another increase in interest.
"Splash!shows how hard the sport can be but it also shows that anyone can have a go.
"It's lucky for Plymouth that we have some of the best facilities in the world, but I think diving's taken off all around the country.
"With the celebrities, I'm really pleased how they've taken the bit between the teeth and really given it a go."
"Some people pick it up a bit quicker than others but they all gave it their all and have shown a lot of determination.
"It is a tough sport and it hurts when it goes wrong but it's nice to see people wanting to give it a go."
"From my point of view it's great to be involved with, it's great for the sport, great for Plymouth and it's great for Tom."
Comments
by cooperman23
Saturday, January 19 2013, 12:41PM
“why are so many people jealous of tom ? is it because he is so good at diving ? because he is on tv ? his really good looks and body ? please leave the lad alone he is FANTASTIC ! and a credit to the city of plymouth. lots of us love you tom and enjoying being kept up to date with the news. and your fan website is brill !!”
by Winstonsmith0
Saturday, January 19 2013, 11:35AM
“Congratulations to Plymouth Diving who, following the marketing campaign attached to the opening of a brand new state of the art venue and a bespoke TV Celebrity-based 'reality' series featuring a well-tanned local lad with a pushy agent has managed to justify the expenditure of MILLIONS of Plymouth-taxpayer pounds on a life centre (run by a commercial profit-taking organisation) by DOUBLING the number of enquiries . . . from 16 to 32!
16 additional enquiries is equal to DOUBLE the interest in diving???
Is it any wonder UK Sport is reducing its funding for diving? Can the cost to Plymouth for diving facilities be fully justified or will it prove to be just another Viv Pengelly driven whim like the sale of Citybus?
Can somebody remind me what happened to all that public money?
Ah, the true face of business!”
by Sue_Lipson
Friday, January 18 2013, 10:31PM
“@jabbathebutt you forgot to say ,I hope they remember to buy speedos and some fake tan,and dont forget the false smile too”
by jabbathebutt
Friday, January 18 2013, 9:03PM
“Would these be the same kind of people who rushed out to buy a pushbike because of Bradley Wiggins ( already consigned to the garden shed ) or a football shirt and look ridiculous in it ?
I hope they remember to buy speedos and some fake tan .. to really look the prats they are .
"Hi,,,I watched splash! on the telly and I want to try at diving " Very sad" .”
by Jonas131415
Friday, January 18 2013, 1:09PM
“Congratulations to Plymouth Diving for successfully increasing interest in the sport. I look forward to visiting the Life Centre for the British Diving Championships. It's remarkable for a minority sport to have its own TV program. I wish the program every success.
Have to say I don't understand contributors whose hobby is to write negative comments on articles in which they have no interest. I will not be taking up this hobby as it is valueless and I cannot see what pleasure anyone gets from it. Still, each to his own.”
by Sue_Lipson
Friday, January 18 2013, 12:21PM
“Give it a rest Herald.
Your reporting about Tom Daley everyday is now getting really BORING”
by marc1964
Friday, January 18 2013, 11:53AM
“well all 3 of the last coments must be true as all people can think of is give a negative down arrow and not say anything positive about the media tango man . any comments from now on are just wasted as we have highlighted the facts ha ha ha aha”
by karenroth
Friday, January 18 2013, 11:47AM
“There are many of us who do want to hear about him, along with any other local success stories. I hope the updates keep coming.”
by marc1964
Friday, January 18 2013, 9:31AM
“Well dun herald quoter now achived this week, Your weekly love of the non celeb diver is laughable. I wonder if he has shares in the rag. There are far more worthy stories out there than tango man's daily movements etc”
by sidewinder
Friday, January 18 2013, 8:58AM
“The Daily Daley”