An Examination of the Experiences of an African American Male Diver on a Power Four Swim Team: An Elite Interview

Authors

Steven N. Waller Ph.D., The University of Tennessee- KnoxvilleFollow
Tiffany M. Quash Ph.D., Institute of Mixed Methods ResearchFollow

Disciplines

Exercise Science | Health and Physical Education | Leisure Studies | Sports Management | Sports Sciences | Sports Studies

Abstract

Despite the incremental increase in the number of Black people who are learning to swim, the number of Black divers has not kept pace. In the NCAA Database, swimmers and divers were not segmented; thus, they all appear in the category of “swimming” by race and sex. When viewing the 2024 Division I NCAA Demographics Database, 89 (.02%) of 4307 student-athletes participating in swimming were Black women. For men, the data is equally dismal, revealing that 81 (.03%) of 2,608 student-athletes who were identified as swimmers were Black. The purpose of this research note is to examine the developmental experiences of an elite Black, male intercollegiate diver through the ‘expert’ lens of David Banks (pseudonym). The focal points of the interview are two-fold: (a) to determine the pathway to success for a Black American diver who participated in an elite junior development program as well as a highly ranked intercollegiate swimming and diving program at a ‘Power Four’ research goal institution; and (2) to chronicle his ascent into becoming one of the first Black head diving coaches in the Power Four conferences. This elite interview is important because we know little about the development of elite Black interscholastic and intercollegiate diving athletes. Five key themes emerged from the data: 1) Family Experiences; 2) Opportunities; 3) Becoming an Intercollegiate Diver; 4) When Race and Sport Collide, and 5) The Journey. One of the key conclusions was that Black males participate far less in swimming and diving than White males. This is especially true when it comes to elite divers. Moreover, the continuing argument that the swimming gap must be strategically addressed if a wave of elite swimmers and divers are going to be produced (Waller & Norwood, 2011).

Recommended Citation

Waller, Steven N. Ph.D. and Quash, Tiffany M. Ph.D. (2025) "An Examination of the Experiences of an African American Male Diver on a Power Four Swim Team: An Elite Interview," International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education: Vol. 15: No. 1, Article 10.
Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare/vol15/iss1/10