"Northern Unity Awaits": Explore Our Cultural Haven Online
Dive into Club Life with Julia Westlake and Philipp Schmid
In recent weeks, the North German Broadcasting Association has launched a new program called "VEREINt im Norden". This action aims to highlight volunteers who dedicate their time to clubs in the north, focusing on those clubs that embrace water - be it lakes, rivers, or seas. For this purpose, our culture portal was seeking a club that delves in, on, under, or above the water, and their search led them to the "Wasserspringerclub Rostock e.V."
On June 19, as a result of vivid applications, Julia Westlake and Philipp Schmid will venture to the "Wasserspringerclub Rostock" to immerse themselves in the club life. In a pre-visit interview with Philipp Schmid, club manager Annette Röseler discussed sporting accomplishments, major renovation projects, and her personal experience with the tower dive.
Annette, give us a quick rundown of your club.
Röseler: We are the Wasserspringerclub Rostock. Established 25 years ago, we have approximately 600 members, ranging from the youngest learners we teach to swim, to senior members who use swimming noodles for rehabilitative exercises. Our main focus, however, lies with our 200 performance divers who train at a competitive level.
The term is often referred as "diving", but how would you classify it correctly?
Röseler: The correct term is "Wasserspringen". While "diving" refers to both artistic diving from boards and tower diving, "Wasserspringen" encompasses both and is the all-encompassing term.
Despite the fun aspect, diving is a serious sport. How much work does it entail?
Röseler: It involves a significant amount of work - but without joy, it wouldn't be sustainable. Our youngest, usually from the first grade, train four times a week, while our elite athletes undergo over 20 hours of training weekly.
Apart from board and water training, what else constitutes a diver's training regime?
Röseler: We have an adage - "Divers are made on land." Dry training, such as acrobatics, stretching, and strength exercises, accounts for about half of their training sessions. The rest is real diving from the board or tower.
Is it common to dive from the ten-meter board?
Röseler: The ten-meter dive is indeed considered the king's discipline, much like the decathlon in athletics. Both physical and mental strength are essential for tower diving - not everyone can handle it, just like board diving..
The club has achieved remarkable success. Can you share some of your athletes' accomplishments?
Röseler: Jette Müller represents our flagship; she participated in the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris. We also excelled at the Junior World Championships 2024 in Rio, as Finn Awe managed to secure two gold medals. Notably, we emerged as the most successful German club in synchronized diving from both the tower and board.
Do you have a personal favorite board to leap from?
Röseler: I suffer from a fear of heights, so anything more than ten centimeters off the ground makes me uncomfortable. I've jumped off a five-meter diving board only once in my life, and let me assure you, it was excruciating!
Philipp Schmid and I are looking forward to our visit to your club on June 19. You, however, have a pressing concern.
Röseler: Exactly, because we are facing a temporary loss of water. The Neptune Swimming Hall in Rostock requires extensive renovations, and from summer to approximately April 2026, the 25-meter pool with the diving pool will be completely closed for renovation. This presents a considerable issue for us, as we won't have a training facility and will suffer a disadvantage in competitions. Sadly, there are no suitable alternatives in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This means we must travel to cities like Berlin, Dresden, Halle, or Leipzig for training, at a great cost in terms of money, time, and energy for a small club.
We hope to generate some attention for your predicament. We are excited about our visit, despite my own preference to stay poolside.
Röseler: You might find it intriguing to know that this week, the national team is training here under head coach Christoph Bohm. Naturally, we've notified them about the unusual circumstances. Regardless, you are likely to witness the German water sports elite in action.
That sounds fascinating. Thank you, Annette Röseler - see you on the 19th!
This conversation was held by Philipp Schmid.
Get in the Water with "VEREINt im Norden"
Join us in celebrating local clubs, from urban gardening groups to village football teams, taking the plunge in the north's lakes, rivers, and seas.
Struggling Swimming Hall Renovation Threatens Rostock Divers
With the Neptune Swimming Hall's renovation planned from the summer of 2025 to April 2026, Wasserspringerclub Rostock faces a trying period without a training facility, potentially impacting their competitive edge and finances. More information regarding the renovation plans is forthcoming.
In the interview, Annette Röseler revealed that the Wasserspringerclub Rostock is not just a club for water sports enthusiasts, but also a hub for home-and-garden activities, with approximately 600 members ranging from the youngest learners to senior members who use swimming noodles for rehabilitative exercises.
Remarkably, the club has a flourishing sports-analysis section, with notable athletes such as Jette Müller who represented the club in the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, and Finn Awe who secured two gold medals at the Junior World Championships 2024 in Rio.
