The Otters welcome back Head Coach Ken Hansen! Ken is in his fourteenth summer with Oakton Otters dive team and has coached the Otters Winter Dive program for over 10 years.
Ken was an Assistant Dive Coach for Oakton High School for 12 seasons and was previously Head Dive Coach for Madison High School. He currently coaches for Dominion Dive Club. Ken was the top diver at Oakton High School in his senior year, placed 2nd at Districts, and was the only diver to qualify for and participate in States that year. He also broke the school's 11-dive record.
In 2008, Ken teamed up with coach Cheryl Meltz to compete in The Masters National Championships and win the Masters Diving National title in Mixed Synchronized Diving. Ken also was the 2008 Masters Diving Platform National Champion.
Coach Cheryl Meltz-Kroopnick helped launch the Oakton Otters Dive Team in 2005 and has been coaching the Otters since the team’s inception, including running the Otters’ Winter Dive program.
Cheryl is also the Head Coach of Oakton High School’s Varsity Dive Team and has coached at the Junior Olympic level with York Dive Club and Dominion Dive Club. As a former Division I college diver for Colgate University, she was conference champion on both 1 meter and 3 meter and a National Finalist for the “NCAA Woman of the Year”. Cheryl is also a 5-time Masters’ Diving World Champion, has won 38 US National Masters Diving Titles and set one American record.
Cheryl brings a wealth of diving knowledge as an athlete, as well as 30+ years of coaching experience at all levels of the sport. She is very excited for another wonderful summer dive season!
Jon Anthony Montel, affectionately known as JAM, our enthusiastic teenager turned junior diving coach! JAM may be only 17, but don't let his age fool you - he has loved diving since he was 6. He's been part of the coaching team at OSRC for 3 years, stepping into the Assistant Head Coach for the first time this summer. He will bring his boundless energy and a fresh perspective to our favorite team.
With his positive attitude and dedication, he is ready to inspire a love for the sport for the next generation of Otters.
In his free time JAM has learned a lot about computers, even spending countless hours studying on how to build his own and succeeding, it might even lead to his future job. JAMs passion for calisthenics, which is a form of exercising, is only matched by his love for diving, spending a couple years learning this form of training.
Get ready to dive in and have an unforgettable summer with JAM and the amazing coaches for Oakton Otters!
This is Isabelle's 8th summer as an otter and she is so excited to join the coaching team. This fall, she will be going into her junior year at Oakton High School. She dives for the Oakton high school dive team with Coach Cheryl and placed 4th at states in 2024.
She has received All-district and All-Region team awards both her freshman and sophomore season, as well as receiving the MVP award this past season. Throughout her time with the Otters, she has earned the High Point award 3 times, and won the All-Star championship last summer. She trains with Dominion Dive Club throughout the year, and has been competing at USA Diving meets throughout her seasons.
Aside from diving, she is a part of Oakton DECA, attending state and international conferences since she started high school. Isabelle loves diving with the otters, and is so excited for what this summer will bring!
