Sharyn Bord has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2020.
The Cambridge Dive Team President and Swim England East Region Diving Committee member has been recognised for voluntary service to diving in Cambridgeshire. “I’m very proud,” said Sharyn. “I feel a bit embarrassed by it to be honest because there are so many people that do such a lot of hard work. “I know I’ve been around a long time, but on the way there have been lots and lots of people that have helped me immensely so in a way it’s not me, it’s a collection of people.
“But I am extremely proud and getting used to the feeling of it at the moment.”
Having initially been a swimmer, Sharyn switched to become a diver when the original Parkside Pool opened in Cambridge in 1963. She started coaching and in 1967 became volunteer head coach of the diving section of Granta Swimming Club, which amalgamated to become City of Cambridge Swimming Club in 1985. The new Parkside Pools opened in May 1999, and with 10 club divers the priority became to rebuild the diving section. Membership swelled, with record numbers competing in national championships. Sharyn founded the Cambridge Diving Development Centre in 2001, providing community Learn to Dive lessons, and in 2003, after a fundraising campaign, a professional diving programme was facilitated and the club’s first professional full-time coach appointed. In 2004, the Cambridge Dive Team was founded. The centre continued to grow with the appointment of more professional coaches plus a development programme for divers to become junior coaches.
Sharyn was administrator and treasurer for 10 years before becoming president, and is a judge, referee, county diving secretary. As club president she uses her experience to provide leadership and offer advice on club, county and regional issues, to represent the club and to provide support to coaches and other club officers.
Sharyn added: “Over the years I’ve had a few awards, long service in particular, but I hadn’t ever thought it would be a Queen’s Birthday Honours’ list, it had never crossed my mind.”
