Chris Heaton, head coach and program director, Dorothy McCraine, president of the Moss Farms Diving Board, and John Fox, an assistant coach at the Moose Moss Aquatic Center located in Moultrie, Ga.

Located in the middle of Georgia’s agricultural hub sits one of the nation’s most prestigious diving centers. The Moose Moss Aquatic Center, home to the Diving Tigers, has been part of the Moultrie and Colquitt County landscape for more than 50 years.

The start of what is commonly referred to as the Moss Farms Diving Center began when Robert “Moose” Moss, a local farmer dug a diving well for his children on his farm 12 miles from Moultrie. Moose, who was once a competitive gymnast, turned his attention to the sport of diving. He learned the sport from some of the best athletes and began coaching his children and others in the area.

The Moss Farms Diving Tigers began competing and winning at regional, zone, and national levels. Under the leadership of Moose, more than $1 million was raised in the early 1990s to build a diving complex in Moultrie. In 1993, the Moose Moss Aquatic Center was officially opened. It has hosted numerous regional, zone, and national championships.

The 2016 AT&T USA Diving National Championships was the largest event hosted at the center and brought a resurgence of attention to Moss Farms Diving and placed a national spotlight on Moultrie.

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