Board of Directors
Dr. Chelsea Ale
President, U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association (US PDCA)
Instructor of Sport Management, The University of Alabama
President@prodivingcoach.org
Dr. Chelsea Ale is a nationally recognized diving coach, educator, and sport business professional with over 28 years of experience in diving and a strong track record of leadership across the sport and hospitality industries. As President of the U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association (PDCA), she leads key initiatives focused on coach education, athlete well-being, and the long-term sustainability of the sport—from grassroots programming to the Olympic level.
Dr. Ale earned her Ph.D. in Sport Management from Florida State University, where her research centered on athlete motivation, marketing, body image in diving and gymnastics, and the future of Olympic and non-revenue sports. She also holds a Master’s degree in Sport Administration with a certificate in Collegiate Coaching from FSU and a Bachelor’s in Sport Management from North Carolina State University, where she was a Division I scholarship diver, NCAA ACC finalist, and NCAA Zone qualifier.
She has coached divers of all levels—from beginners to Olympians—while serving in leadership roles at Western Kentucky University, Ohio University, RipFest Diving Academy, Montgomery Dive Club, and Tomahawk Diving Club, where she oversaw programming, athlete development, and operations. Some of her accolades include C-USA Male Diving Coach of the Year, 10x Masters National Champion, 3x Grand Masters National Champion, and Masters World Champion.
Outside the pool deck, Dr. Ale brings extensive experience in hospitality operations, event planning, and organizational management, having led large teams and restructured departments in premium sales, catering, and concessions at major event venues. She regularly writes about leadership, business structure, and sport operations, driven by her passion for helping organizations run more effectively and sustainably.
At The University of Alabama, she teaches a wide range of sport management courses, including Social Issues in Sport and Entertainment.
Aaron Hintz
VP – Membership, U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association (US PDCA)
Owner/Head Coach, Carolina Diving Academy
aaronhintz.cda@gmail.com
Bio coming soon…
Courtney Gills
VP – Events, U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association (US PDCA)
Owner/Head Coach, Atlantic Coast Diving Jax
events@prodivingcoach.org
Bio coming soon…
Dr. Tom Quinn
VP – Education, U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association (US PDCA)
Assistant Professor of Physical Education, SUNY Cortland
education@prodivingcoach.org
Bio coming soon…
Steve Voellmecke
Treasurer, U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association (US PDCA)
Owner, Springboards and More
Treasurer@prodivingcoach.org
Bio coming soon…
Josh Larcom
Secretary, U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association (US PDCA)
Head Diving Coach, Florida International University
secretary@prodivingcoach.org
Josh Larcom has been the Head Diving coach at Florida International University sine May 2022.
Larcom concluded a strong third season with FIU in 2024–25, guiding the diving program to an impressive showing at the 2025 AAC Championships. The Panthers earned four medals across the 3-meter, platform, and team diving events—marking the program’s best-ever diving finish at the AAC Championships.
He coached freshman Brooke Megdall to a silver medal in the platform event, the highest finish by an FIU freshman at a conference championship since 2019. Megdall also captured silver in the team diving event, alongside teammates Av Osero and Kristina Keenan.
Keenan, a sophomore, delivered a personal-best score of 245.45 to claim bronze in the platform event, while Osero added another bronze medal in the 3-meter competition.
Larcom qualified four Panthers for NCAA Zones—Keenan, Ruska Lehtonen, Megdall, and Osero—and the team collected five weekly conference honors during the season. Megdall earned four AAC Freshman Diver of the Week selections, while Osero was named AAC Diver of the Week.
In his second season in 2023-2024, Larcom and the Panther earned the 2024 AAC Championship in their second season in the conference. The diving program resulted in many positives on the season earning three medals at the AAC Championship, including being named the AAC Co-Diving Coach of the Year. He coached graduate student Paige Burrell to a gold medal in the 1-meter, marking an AAC Championship meet record (316.90) in the prelims. Burrell took home bronze with a personal best in 3-meter and bronze in the team diving event.
The diving program sent three Panthers to NCAA Zones with Larcom named a Division Zone Representative for Zone B, while Burrell qualified for the NCAA Championships at the meet. Burrell posted top-25 finishes in both the 1-meter and 3-meter, improving 17 spots in the 1-meter event. In addition, Larcom coached Burrell to the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials, becoming the first Panther in program history to qualify for the trials, placing 15th. FIU captured four AAC Diving of the Week honors with Burrell winning a pair of times and Ruska Lehtonen winning twice.
Larcom oversaw one of the best seasons in FIU dive history. Under his tutelage, the Panthers set a American Athletic Conference Championship record for team points and individual points at 300.10 and 296.1, respectively. He coached Maha Gouda to a NCAA Championships appearance where she finished 14th in the Platform Dive and earning Second Team All-American honors.
Larcom brings four years of collegiate coaching experience to FIU and joins the program after spending the 2021-22 season at West Virginia University (WVU), where he worked with both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams as a Diving Graduate Assistant.
Larcom also spent two years as an assistant coach with Wings Diving Club in Buffalo, New York. In his 3rd year, he was promoted to head coach for the 2020-21 season. He coached a program-record five divers to the USA Junior Nationals, including an All-American on platform. Larcom also helped six divers secure commitments to NCAA D-I diving programs.
With the Mountaineers, Larcom helped qualify seven athletes for NCAA Zones and also guided one male athlete to the NCAA Championships. Larcom assisted the WVU head diving coaches with practices, recruiting, scheduling, and official visits. Larcom’s responsibilities also included organizing team meals and running DiveMeets software for live event results.
Prior to his stint at WVU, Larcom worked as a volunteer assistant diving coach for the 2020-21 season at the University of Buffalo (UB), where he assisted the head coach in day-to-day practices and recruiting. During his time with the UB Bulls, Larcom worked under 2021 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Diving Coach of the Year, Russ Dekker, and helped the program secure a MAC Championship for the first time in school history. Larcom also coached Victoria Franz at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Before arriving at UB, Larcom spent two seasons as the head diving coach at Niagara University between 2018-20. With the Purple Eagles, Larcom produced the first female finalist at the MAAC Championships since 2016, and coached only the third ever NCAA Zones qualifier in program history. At Niagara, Larcom was at the helm of recruiting prospective athletes, directing practices and drylands sessions, and organizing trips for winter training. Larcom also oversaw video analysis and breakdown for current athletes and recruits.
Larcom also spent over three years as an assistant coach with the Wings Diving Club in Buffalo, New York. At Wings Diving Club, Larcom coached a program-record five divers all the way to USA Junior Nationals and helped six divers secure commitments to NCAA Division I diving programs. Larcom coached divers from ages eight to 18 at Wings Diving Club and was responsible for creating workouts, designing dry land sessions, and running social media for the club.
Larcom started his coaching career as a volunteer at Deer Park High School, where he helped coach the boys and girls junior varsity team and the girls varsity swimming and diving team from 2011-14.
Collegiately, Larcom was a member of the Canisius College diving team for four seasons between 2014-18. In 2017-18, Larcom was an NCAA Dive Zones qualifier.
Born and raised in Deer Park, New York, Larcom graduated in 2018 from Canisius College with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and a Minor in Strength and Conditioning. Larcom also received a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from WVU in June of 2022.
Larcom has been certified as a USA Diving Competition Coach since January 2021 and a AAU Diving Youth Coach since August of 2021.
