Rose Bowl Diving: End of Year Banquet
The 2025 Rose Bowl Diving Banquet was a night to remember — a true celebration of an extraordinary year of growth, achievement, and community. With over 120 guests in attendance, the evening highlighted not only the success of our athletes but also the passion and commitment of the families, coaches, and supporters who make Rose Bowl Diving possible.
This year marked a turning point for our program. In just 18 months, our team has grown from 27 to 95 divers, more than tripling in size and showcasing the incredible momentum behind the sport in our community. Alongside that growth came the launch of our brand-new Learn to Dive program, which introduced more than 160 young athletes to diving this season, as well as the expansion of our lessons program and a record-setting Rising Stars Summer Camp, which welcomed 135 campers across eight weeks. Many of those new faces are already proudly wearing the Rose Bowl logo on deck, making clear that our pipeline for the future has never been stronger.
The evening program highlighted major competitive milestones, including our strong showing at both AAU Nationals and Junior Nationals. Rose Bowl divers competed against some of the best in the country, reaching finals, standing proudly on podiums, and ultimately placing 19th out of 91 teams at AAU Nationals and 45th at Junior Nationals — achievements that confirm Rose Bowl Diving’s place among the top programs in the nation.
A big theme of the night was celebrating the investments we’ve made in our athletes’ future. Through over $45,000 raised and contributed this year by donors, the Booster Club, and our partners at RBAC, we installed new diving boards, resurfaced existing ones, repaired fulcrums, and built a brand-new dryland training space. These improvements are already changing the way our divers train and will support generations of athletes to come. Another milestone came with the return of competitive diving to the Rose Bowl as we hosted our first home meet in years, welcoming over 130 divers and strengthening connections with programs across the region.
Of course, no celebration is complete without recognizing the athletes who embody the heart and spirit of Rose Bowl Diving. Our 2025 Divers of the Year — Benjamin Kim, Kayla Hawkins, Ethan Aberin, Matilda King and Alice Shanas — were honored for their consistency, leadership, and commitment to excellence. The Breakthrough Athletes of the Year — Isa Oberholzer, Sean Kim, Gianna Urrutia, Pargev, and Audrey Jee — were celebrated for their resilience, courage, and ability to overcome challenges and transform setbacks into success. These athletes exemplify the Rose Bowl motto: Don’t Settle.
The night concluded with the presentation of the Roland/King Award, given in honor of legendary coaches Roland King and Van Austen. This award, which celebrates dedication, leadership, and love for the sport, was presented to graduating seniors Chloe Wong and Michael Wong. Chloe, a 5x Junior National Qualifier, will be continuing her academic journey at Brown University, while Michael, also a Junior National Qualifier and mentor within the program, will be attending Pasadena Community College. Both leave behind a legacy of commitment, growth, and pride in representing Rose Bowl Diving.
The banquet also provided a chance to reflect on the challenges of the year, including the impact of the Eaton Fire. While difficult, it was a reminder of the resilience and togetherness of our community. Just as our divers face fear and obstacles on the boards, our team leaned on one another and came through stronger — proof that Rose Bowl Diving is more than a program, it is truly a family.
As the evening closed, one message stood out: this is only the beginning. The energy in the room reflected a program on the rise, driven by athletes who inspire, families who believe, coaches who give their all, and a community that refuses to settle for anything less than excellence.
Here’s to celebrating the achievements of the past year — and to the bright future ahead for Rose Bowl Diving.