About New Mexico Diving Academy

Long before he was head coach at New Mexico Diving Academy, Abel Sanchez was busy collecting medals and accolades on the competition circuit. A two-time United States silver medalist in 2000, Abel used his success as a springboard into the head coaching position of the women's diving team at the University of New Mexico.

At New Mexico Diving Academy, though, Abel and his staff fine-tune the fins of much-younger divers, teaching students as young as 7 how to navigate the twists and turns of a successful dive. They help even the most inexperienced students learn the basics while emphasizing proper safety measures, such as not filling up on food or marbles before practice. The academy's efforts have propelled students into a number of competitive fields, with alumni taking on rivals at local, regional, and national meets.