About Bradford Esprit Diving Club

City of Bradford Esprit Diving Club was founded in 1985 and was known formerly as City of Bradford Esprit School of Diving.

The Founding Coach Andy Banks now of Plymouth Diving set up the club whilst studying for a Human Movement Studies Degree at Carnegie in Leeds (now apart of Leeds Metropolitan University). This was a course to be duplicated by a number of coaches following in his career footsteps including Julian Bellan and Adrian Hinchliffe.

Andy became a full time Diving Development Officer in 1988 and took a number of divers on to become junior internationals; notably Mark Shipman who dives at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games and James Teal.

In 2002 the lure of a new venue took Andy to Plymouth which coincided with the arrival on the scene of Julian Bellan. Julian had completed his degree course from Carnegie the previous summer and after a short stint in London had moved north again.

Julian was the longest serving coach with the programme from June 1992 to April 2003. In this time a great number of coaches and divers passed through the club including Adrian Hinchliffe. Adrian started his coaching apprenticeship under representatives Andy Banks, but during his second year at Carnegie took up the Age Group Coaching position with City of Leeds.

Julian left Bradford to take up a Senior Position within British Diving, he ensure before he departed that an excellent replacement was found for the Club he had built upon and took to a high level. Julian is now Junior Talent Programme Manager for British Diving and continues to give so much to the sport.

Sally Freeman took over the role of Diving Development Officer for Bradford, and along with Fito Gutierrez continue to produce divers to elite standards.

Approaching its 20th year as a club, Bradford Esprit has coached many International Representatives at both junior and senior level, and also a great number of National Champions and Medal winners at both Novice, Intermediate, Age Group and Senior Level.

With the departure of Diving Coaches Sally Freeman and Juan Adolfo Gutierrez Munoz, who take up new positions with the Southampton Diving Academy, the search begins for a new Head Coach to continue the Club as one of the major diving clubs in North of England. 2006 will no doubt see many changes at the club however the aim of the club will remain key in delivering a diving program for all divers of all abilities.