California Diving Academy - Walnut Creek, California

Sophie Taubman

I have had over a half dozen coaches during my years diving in high school and college, and nobody compares to Coach Eric. I learned so many amazing practices and wish I could have started working with him sooner. If you are considering diving, California Diving Academy will make sure you become the best diver you can all while having fun and meeting great people!

leah birkett

We started at California Diving Academy 3 years ago in the summer class program and then joined year round. Both my kids love diving and have been excited to go to practice since they started. It is their favorite activity. I feel so fortunate to be a part of California Diving Academy. The coaches are excellent. Coach Eric and Coach Paul clearly have a lot of experience and are fantastic instructors. They give each student their attention and feedback. The classes are structed and fun. The kids are learning many new skills and practice dives they have learned. They are learning that patience and hard work pay off. It has been wonderful to see my son and daughter active and doing something they really enjoy. I highly recommend California Diving Academy.

Maria Teresa Hernandez

We cannot praise enough the coaching team of the California Diving Academy. They are so very thoughtful about the needs and aspirations of each child/adolescent. Our teen had to manage a broken foot (not diving related) in the middle of the junior and senior years and Coach Eric has been instrumental in bringing him back into diving and providing a challenging and also motivational training program. CAD does a wonderful job of creating a warm and supporting community among families and among the team.

Kim Fisher

My 16 year old daughter has been diving at California Diving Academy for five months now and absolutely loves it! She was a high level competitive gymnast before this and it has been such a perfect transition. She has been able to build on the strength and skills she had from gymnastics and under the care and guidance of coach Eric, progress quickly in her new sport. She is a highschool junior and coach Eric beleives she can be recruited to dive in college. As she loves her new sport, she is very excited about this and wants to continue as long as possible! Coach Eric has spent considerable time with her not only training her in diving, but helping her understand and navigate the college recruiting process as well. He has also found college camps and other amazing opportunities for her this coming summer. My daughter is excited each day to head to practice and we are so incredibly grateful to have found California Diving Academy!

Kristen Moore

My daughter belongs to another club in Southern California and was having difficulties with a couple of dives. The problem was with fear and a lack of access to dryland equipment to help her through the motions. I started looking for a location with an experienced diving coach with access to a well equipped dryland facility that would be able to give her private lessons.

I came across CDA in a Google search and saw that the dryland facility had many, if not all, the same equipment as my local university. After an in-depth conversation and sending videos to Coach Eric, he deduced the problem was with fear and that he could teach her different techniques to help mange it. She had a 2 hour private dryland lesson in a very professional dryland facility and a 2 hour dive session with his team every day for 3 days.

I was very impressed with Coach Eric's experience, knowledge, professionalism and care when he was teaching my daughter. It was a great learning experience for her as she felt that she learned so much in such a short period of time and that Coach Eric is "an awesome coach". His focus on fundamentals and fear management helped her become more comfortable with the dives.

Nichole Beaudry

My 14-year old daughter absolutely loves being on the California Diving Academy team and we couldn’t be happier with the environment that Coach Eric and his team of coaches have created there.

She began with their Try It Out Program and worked with three different groups of kids during the trial. It was clear to us immediately that CDA fosters a friendly, inclusive and welcoming environment. She was greeted with friendly faces at every session. She had some concerns going in that it would take some time to get comfortable, but that turned out to be not the case at all!

What struck us most about Coach Eric and his team is the emphasis they put on the whole athlete. We admire the way they take a holistic approach to coaching, making sure that divers are not only learning proper diving techniques, but that they are doing it with a healthy mindset.

We wondered if CDA could give individual attention to each diver since they have a robust club, with divers at every level, but we are amazed by the way the coaches work with each diver individually and know how to offer constructive corrections, motivate and praise them for their work.

Coach Eric’s emphasis on being safe, having fun and growing skills correctly makes him a true gem.

Khira Griscavage (John Griscavage)

Highly Recommend. We joined California Diving Academy a couple years ago when our daughter was looking to transition from gymnastics. They offered a great Try-It-Out program that allowed her to get water and dry-land based experience before committing. Along the way, we have always found the coaches kind and encouraging when she is trying something new, and they give her time and drills, if she is afraid. During COVID, they have been creative while maintaining safety protocols, which has allowed the kids to stay active in the water and in the gym. The booking system is flexible and easy to use, helping us schedule more time for her to learn. And the coaches are very responsive and supportive to questions/concerns. Our daughter has thoroughly enjoyed her time so far at California Diving Academy.

Teresa Kong

It's a magical experience watching expert coaching in practice. Coach Eric and his team are invested in their students, no matter what level. My 12-year old is a complete beginner and Coach Eric took an extra half an hour after class to work with her so she nails the muscle memory and the physics behind a simple back dive. He does it with patience, humor, and perseverance. Cal Dviing provides the coaching, culture, and space for kids to learn to struggle through discomforts and difficulties, leading to reach growth and confidence. What more can a parent ask for?