Our Mission
Our mission is to provide instruction for young athletes to learn to dive to the best of their ability though the use of strength and conditioning activities and training on diving board and platforms.
Our COACHES
Kris Hoffman
Owner - Head Diving Coach
After earning state championship diving honors in high school, this native Oklahoman signed with the Kansas Jayhawks where he studied Health and Physical Education. While competing on the University of Kansas’ Swimming and Diving Team, Kris claimed 2 Big 8 titles, and he was a 2 time NCAA qualifier, placing 17th on 3 meter in 1996. After college graduation, Kris taught physical education and tumbling for three years in Oklahoma City Public Schools while coaching at the Oklahoma City Diving Club. In 2001 he was hired at USA Diving’s Regional Training Center in OKC where he coached for 4 years prior to moving to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2005.
While living in Lincoln, Kris owned and coached the Nebraska Diving Club for 15 years, and served as the volunteer coaching assistant at the University of Nebraska from 2008-2021. After taking over Nebraska Diving Club in 2005, NDC had over 30 NCAA Division I Athletic scholarships offered to athletes in the club. Individual highlights include 4 Olympic Trial Qualifiers, 5 National Champions, 1 Pan Am Platform Champion, more than 60 individual event Junior National Qualifiers, and three athletes on the USA Diving’s High Performance Squads.
During its first year in existence, Kris has led Knight Diving Academy to earn some impressive honors in New Jersey and throughout the nation. KDA had four divers qualify for the New Jersey High School State meet, all placing in the top five spots to include the state championship title. The club was ranked eighth nationally in women’s at USA Diving’s National Championships. Five divers qualified to compete; four of the five divers made finals in one, two, or three events. Kris expects many future accomplishments for the athletes at Knight Diving Academy.
Natalya Chikina
Co-Owner - Diving Coach
Natasha Chikina, Scarlet Knights’ Diving coach and two-time Olympian, is co-owner and coach at Knight Diving Academy. Natasha has a host of personal and coaching accolades to her credit.
Natasha began her diving career in her native Kazakhstan earning a multitude of awards prior to a stellar international and collegiate career including Goodwill Games, World Championships, World University Games and the FINA Grand Prix. Between appearances at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta and Sydney, Natasha earned a pair of NCAA All-American honors at USC, her alma mater. Prior to graduation, Natasha was an undergraduate assistant at USC. After earning her degree, she was an assistant coach with the Trojan Diving Club, Los Angeles, CA, and at USA Diving’s Regional Training Center, OKC, OK. During these years, she coached state champions, Junior Olympic National qualifiers, and future Olympians.
Natasha’s collegiate coaching career includes fifteen years at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, helping the Cornhuskers achieve unprecedented NCAA and All-American distinctions. Currently, Natasha proudly serves as the Scarlet Knights’ Diving Coach for Rutgers University Swimming and Diving Program.
Kris and Natasha welcome anyone interested in learning to dive or to further their diving skills.