WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — For the last 19 years, Purdue Diving has been under the leadership of the gold and black faithful Adam Soldati.
With an abrupt change facing the program, Soldati and his protégé, walked Sports 18 through the transition.
“My goal coming in here was to try to use this sport to help people grow as people…help them become the best athletes they can become,” Soldati explained.
Purdue’s 19 year head coach, Adam Soldati’s goal, was just a puddle compared to the waves of success he’s brought to the program.
“It’s hard to put into words what Adam has done with the program. Made Purdue Diving one of the strongest programs in Purdue Sports history.”
Cultivating Olympians, NCAA and Big Ten champions, All-Americans etc. Soldati is passing the torch to protégé and Olympic Champion, David Boudia, after recently being diagnosed with ALS.
“Definitely not how we planned to transition into me being head coach. So, for me to step in as head coach and takeover… just his legacy. It’s kind of a big burden. At the same time there’s an excitement to continue what he’s done,” Boudia said.
Boudia began his coaching career after the 2021 Olympic trials. Trusting his teaching and experience, Boudia talks through his thought process in his new role.
“Just like an athlete, you have to filter out the lies you’re believing and one thing that I think has made us successful at Purdue Diving is planning and knowing what it takes to reach the top,” he said.
Still on the pool deck, Soldati speaks on his thought process to help better the athletes.
“For me as a coach, getting my mind right before I come to the pool and understanding that I want to bring my best if I expect them to bring their best. So, everybody develops their own routines by themselves to figure out how they come prepared to do their best every day,” Soldati to Sports 18.
In his short time leading the team, Boudia reveals what has been the most rewarding part of this stage of his coaching journey.
“I would say one of the most rewarding things is seeing a diver — if you’re diving from a 10-meter platform and you’re learning a new dive or trying to perfect a dive, it all happens on the lower stages. So, seeing those little changes and eventually they get up to 10 meters and they’re able to do it for close to perfect 10s. Seeing that transition from something that was good to make it great and to make it the best is probably one of the most fulfilling parts,”Boudia exclaimed.
With big shoes to fill, Boudia believes he’s equipped for the task.
”So, I’ve had a great mentor from Adam and Vince Panzano who used to be the Ohio State coach years ago. Just a lot of people that poured into me and helped me to see clearly on how to move our program forward.”
Closing things out, Coach Soldati discusses his Purdue experience.
“From my experience here, I mean God has used it in a massive way to continue to grow me. Year after year, every athlete that comes in brings a special, unique gifting of strengths and weaknesses. As they grow, I grow. It’s just been, when I think of Purdue, it’s just been a place that’s been used so powerfully in my life to help me realize more of who I am, what God’s created me for and excited in whatever this next season looks like for me. I get to take everything that I’ve learned from here, move it into the next season.”Soldati told Sports 18.
According to Purdue Sports, as Boudia ascends to Purdue head coach, Soldati will move to the role of director of diving for the short term. A GoFundMe has been established to help the Soldati Family cover the fees associated with the challenges that come with combating ALS and adapting to life with it.
See link: https://gofund.me/5c5b9379
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