Tightening tradition
BUTLER TWP — The diving programs at Clarion University and Butler High School sport a tight relationship.
It just got a little tighter.
Golden Tornado senior Jon Hansotte signed a letter of intent Tuesday to continue his academic and diving career at Clarion. It is the alma mater of Butler diving coach Ken Bedford.
Bedford was a three-time national diving champion and eight-time All-American at Clarion.
“Jon is the first diver we've sent there since Heath Calhoun (2011),” Bedford said. “I'm very excited about this.
“Jon can add to the legacy at Clarion. Dave Hrovat is one of the best diving coaches in the country. He'll get a lot out of him.”
Calhoun, now the diving coach at Westminster College, won a national title in diving at Clarion in 2014.
Hansotte did not begin diving until late in his sophomore year. His top score in a meet was 270.3 — posted last year — and his best finish in the WPIAL meet was 11th.
He never qualified for the state meet.
His potential could be reached in college.
“My first year, I want to enjoy it and improve my diving skills as much as I can,” Hansotte said of college. “I never seriously considered any other school. I was going to Clarion.
“I know the Butler history that's up there. I've gone camping up that way in past years and I love the area. And when I visited the school, it felt like home.”
Hansotte plans to major in business management.
“He is such a strong kid,” Bedford said. “Jon is athletic and he works so hard. The difference in where he's at as a diver now compared to when he started is night and day.
“He will be able to work on his diving so much more in college. He'll be in the pool a lot more. They practice early morning, in the afternoon, then in the evening. We just don't have that kind of pool time at Butler.”
Hansotte said he decided to try diving “because it looked like fun.” He had a cousin, Sean Murphy, who was in the program and was coached by Bedford.
“He introduced me to the coach and it just took off from there,” Hansotte said. “I'm looking forward to working with Coach Hrovat. I know he'll make me better.”
Bedford marvels at how quickly Hansotte took to the sport — and at where the sport may take him.
“For someone to get into diving as late as Jon did and to wind up at a program like Clarion's is a tribute to his talent and drive to improve,” Bedford said.
