U.S. OLYMPIC FESTIVAL LOS ANGELES 1991 : Thriving at Diving : Deafness Hasn’t Stopped Eric Ognibene From Getting His Chance at the Olympics

Diver Eric Ognibene is hoping to qualify for the 1992 U.S. Olympic trials, and a chance to compete for his country in the Games next summer would be a dream come true.

But whether he’s spinning and flipping in Barcelona or just using a little body English on the sofa while watching his friends compete for those precious medals, he’ll be able to retire next summer knowing that he owes more to his sport than any gold medal-winning Olympian with a six-figure endorsement contract.

Ognibene’s mother contracted German measles when she was pregnant with Eric, and he was born with more than 70% hearing loss in both ears. After fighting with schoolmates who made fun of him and refusing to wear hearing aids because they made him feel different, Ognibene discovered diving.

And more important, he found self-esteem.

He began playing on a back-yard trampoline as a 4-year-old, then joined an age-group diving program near his home in San Antonio when he was 8.

Listening to him tell it, life has been one joyous free fall.

“I used to get into fights a lot, and I got beat up a lot because I was so small,” said Ognibene, who will be competing on the three-meter springboard in the Olympic Festival diving competition beginning today at USC’s McDonald’s Olympic Swim Stadium. “But after the self-confidence I got from diving, I was able to laugh it off. When you feel good about yourself, about your spiritual self, nobody can bring you down.

“My goal is to be the happiest person I can be, no matter what the situation. Being happy helps me accept the challenges of overcoming my hearing impairment.”

The 27-year-old Ognibene, who can hear pretty well when he’s not in the pool--through the use of hearing aids that remove background noise--likes to remind opponents that they’re at a disadvantage once the competition begins.

“It’s always very quiet at a diving competition, and even the slightest noise can be distracting,” he said. “But you can shoot a gun off behind me, and it won’t ruin my focus.”

Ognibene’s hearing loss is caused by permanent nerve damage, and because the middle ear is not affected, his equilibrium is not hampered. But the impairment is no advantage when it comes to learning a new dive.

Typically, when an athlete is learning a new dive, the coach will call out when it’s time for the diver to come out of his tuck and enter the water. Some coaches have tried whistles and other noise devices as signals for Ognibene, but they never work, so he’s left to rely on his eyes.

All divers “spot”--locate the water or the board or platform--during their twists and flips after they have a perfected a dive, but Ognibene has to spot his way through every aspect of the sport.

“It’s a real disadvantage for him,” said Ron O’Brien, former coach of the Mission Viejo Nadadores who worked with Greg Louganis for many years and is now Ognibene’s coach on the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Hall of Fame diving team. “It takes more courage on his part. He works under that handicap, and yet he stays very enthusiastic and maintains a great level of motivation.

“He’s a real inspiration for every member of our team.”

Ognibene has a long list of accomplishments. He’s been a seven-time finalist in the U.S. Senior Nationals, a two-time All-American, a four-time Big Eight Conference champion at Nebraska and a member of the U.S. national team in 1985, but he realizes that he’s a longshot to make the ’92 Olympic team.

He smiles again and says he views that challenge as just another in a series of obstacles.

“I’m very excited about my chances,” said Ognibene, who is hoping for a confidence-building medal during the Festival’s three-meter springboard event, which concludes Saturday. “This meet is very important because all the top divers in the country are here, and it would be nice to have momentum going into the Outdoor Nationals (Aug. 14-18 at Bartlesville, Okla.)

“But whether I make the trials or the Olympic team or not, I can retire and be very happy with my career in diving. It’s been a great character builder and will help me to accomplish many more things in the future.”

One of his goals is to teach that lesson to youngsters facing the same disadvantages.

Ognibene received a bachelor’s degree in education from Nebraska with an emphasis in therapeutic recreation. He served an internship last year at the Good Samaritan/Phoenix Children’s Hospital, working with emotionally disturbed children.

“I think one of the most important things I learned was that you can’t be afraid to ask for what you need,” he said. “That’s a big thing with all handicapped people, especially children who desperately don’t want to be different. But you’d be amazed how willing most people are to go out of their way to help if you just ask.

“I want to be a diving coach someday, and I would love to see more hearing-impaired kids involved in the sport. Personally, I think one of the most important aspects about diving is overcoming your fears. And as soon as you accomplish one step in that direction, you’re one step closer to feeling good about yourself.”

When an opponent recently attempted to psych him out by saying, “I’m gonna beat your (butt),” Ognibene flashed that smile and said: “Sorry, I can’t hear you, I’m deaf.”