By Linda Delmonico-Prussen
Catching up to these athletes was tough. Keeping up with their
schedules was almost impossible.
North Merrick's Matt Abbruzzese, 15, is ranked number one,
not only in the Town of Hempstead's 14- to 15-year-old boys division, but also for Long Island in the grades seven to 12 scholastic division. His number-one Long Island ranking earned Abbruzzese an upcoming trip to the Empire Games July 23 to 27 in Buffalo, N.Y.
Abbruzzese captured the top spot in the three-meter springboard with dives like his front double twisting one and a half. Put another way, for the dive, he flips or rotates twice while also twisting sideways one and a half times. Abbruzzese said he likes to twist better than flip. Abbruzzese is also working on a triple twisting one and a half and a three and a half front, for which he must twist three and half times before entering the water headfirst. He hopes to have both dives competition ready before season's end in August.
A member of Veterans Memorial Park swim team in East Meadow since age 5, Abbruzzese switched from swimming to diving when he turned 7 because, he said, "The diving team looked like more fun."
An athlete and a scholar, Abbruzzese who will be a junior at Mepham High School in September, maintains a 94 average in school and has a passion for learning. He's considering teaching Italian someday.
Abbruzzese hopes to continue diving in college and said he's looking at Syracuse and Maryland as possible college choices. He also wants to become a town diving coach.
During the year, Abbruzzese trains from 6 to 7 a.m. for the Mepham High School diving team, along with teammate and number two-ranked Town of Hempstead diver Tom Penna. After school, the team meets from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, and Thursday evenings from 8 to 10 p.m. year-round, Abbruzzese trains with a private diving club team based at Hofstra University.
During summer, he trains with his team at Veterans Memorial Park from 8 to 10 a.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m. Abbruzzese said, "You have to be serious in this sport," but he noted that he takes occasional breaks or vacations to get his mind off diving and avoid burn out.
Abbruzzese broke the points record for his age group during last year's Town of Hempstead championship meet, and this year he hopes to repeat the accomplishment.
A good friend of Abbruzzese, Tom Penna, 16, also a Mepham junior in September, hopes to improve his number-two ranking at last year's Town of Hempstead championship meet by finishing first in this, his first year competing in the 16- to 17-year-old division.
Inspired by the Olympics, Penna's been diving since the second grade. During summer, Penna competes with the town's Newbridge Road Park diving team and trains during summer from 9 to 11 a.m.
and 1 to 3 p.m.
Penna said he wants to continue diving after high school and is looking at Indiana State as a possible college. Penna, who prefers flipping over twisting, likes doing his two and a half flip, which has a headfirst entry into the water, as well as his triple flip with a feet-first entry. This summer Penna is making the most of his expertise in the water working as a lifeguard and a swim instructor at Safe-T-Swim in East Meadow.
Kennedy High School senior Zach Rosen, of Bellmore, took third last
year in the boys 14- to 15-year-old division championships, and this year, with a move to the boys 16- to 17-year-old division, he hopes to improve that ranking.
Broad shouldered and solidly built, Rosen flips and twists with long clean lines and impeccable form. Rosen's warm, funny personality makes it easy to see why he's friends with nearly everyone who walks
through the Newbridge Road Park pool gates.
Rosen met Penna through the Newbridge diving team, and the two have since become good friends. Rosen got his start diving when a Newbridge team diving coach spotted the then 11-year-old trying some dives and recruited him onto the squad. Rosen now executes a wide range of front flipping and back flipping dives.
Making the most of his ability to flip and twist, Rosen holds a
part-time job at All-American Gymnastics in Bellmore, where he's a favorite instructor of many students.
None of these three athletes has ever had an injury keep them sidelined from diving. But they have their fears and they've had more than their share of pain.
"Everyone's afraid," Abbruzzese said, adding, "When you smack the water, it doesn't feel good." Smacking the water, Rosen explained, is an entry that's less than vertical, with the back or chest and abdominal muscles striking the water on impact.
All three execute dives on the low board and the three-meter board. Penna and Abbruzzese prefer the high board, while Rosen likes the low board. Completing multiple flips on the low board increases the difficulty rating of the dive.
Team members compete for individual honors, but the rivalry between the Newbridge team and Veterans Memorial Park team is a tradition that's fun to follow. Newbridge was first last year in the town. We'll find out soon which squad will take home the top honor in 2003.
Upcoming town meets
The following provides a schedule of this summer's meets for Town of Hempstead diving teams, including the Newbridge Road and Veterans Memorial squads. The start time for all meets is 4 p.m., except the championships.
¥Friday, July 11, Newbridge at Veterans
¥Monday, July 14, Echo at Veterans
¥Wednesday, July, 16 Veterans at Newbridge
¥Friday, July 18, Echo at Oceanside
¥Monday, July 21, Oceanside at Newbridge
¥Wednesday, July 23, Veterans at Echo
¥Friday, July 25, Oceanside at Veterans
¥Monday, July 28, Oceanside at Echo
¥Wednesday July 30, Newbridge at Oceanside
¥Friday, Aug. 1, Echo at Newbridge
Junior championships are Monday, Aug. 4 at Newbridge Road Park, and senior championships are Wednesday, Aug. 6 at Veterans Memorial Park. Championships begin at 2 p.m.
