Springboard diving on the rebound: five steps to a safe and successful program.

After years of statistically inaccurate injury data and subsequent facility deficits, springboard diving is on the rebound. Across the country youngsters and parents are realizing the excitement of this age-old aquatic activity. And aquatic directors and parks and recreation groups are realizing new revenues and uses for the "diving" end of their pools.

The major components of a successful diving program represent a minimum "start-up" posture and should lay the groundwork for a long-term program that is both user- and aquatics coordinator-friendly.

STEP ONE: SELECTING A COACH

Perhaps the most critical component of a successful diving program is the selection of a qualified coach. It must be understood that diving requires an extremely high level of motor skill and often is fraught with fearful situations during the learning process. The coach must have an intimate knowledge of the appropriate skill progressions and application of those progressions if he or she will be able to move participating individuals forward and recruit new divers. A solid understanding of "boardwork," the physics and biomechanics of the various aerial tricks used in competition, and the rules governing competitive events is a must. Experience with instructional equipment such as spotting belts, trampolines, and dry-board are invaluable.

The coach must be both an educator and mentor. To excel in these roles, he or she must have the ability to communicate well with a wide "age" range of individuals. Developing a genuine trust with both the participating young persons and their parents requires refined interpersonal skills. In a successful diving program, the coach often is perceived by the divers as a sort of parental figure. The coach should have a history of exemplary behavior and respect the values of the community within which the program is being conducted.

No job is finished until the paperwork is done. Indeed, that well-known concept is appropriate with any diving program. The coach must pay particular attention to the proper registration of athletes, filing of club applications, and the accurate application of liability waivers.

Regardless of weather, the coach is employed by the facility or managing organization, and he or she must approach the job as if organization belongs to him or her. The establishment of monthly participant fees, the disbursement of facilities and assistant coaches payments, and the implementation of marketing strategies which encourage a steady annual flow of new participants is often the responsibility of the coach.

All facilities use groups and parental organizations that interface the program must be accurately informed of all policies and procedures practiced by the coach. Meet travel and other pertinent logistical concerns also must be entertained by the coach or, in some cases, delegated to the parents group.

Selecting the Right Coach

The mechanics of the selection process may vary depending on the type of diving program desired as well as the structure of the managing organization. For example, the Tualtin Hills Parks and Recreation group in Portland, Oregon, recently hired a full-time age group diving coach. The organization's procedure included the formation of a selection committee made up of parents from the diving group. This committee then advertised the job and accepted and reviewed applications to narrow the field of qualified applicants to three. These top three candidates were ranked in order of qualification and interviewer preference and subsequently packaged as a recommendation to the parks and recreation board of directors. After a review by the board, the candidates were brought in for personal interviews. A final post-interview review of candidates by the selection committee and the board of directors resulted in offering employment to the candidate who most met the needs and goals of the program.

In the university setting, the selection committee often is comprised of athletic and academic representatives. In the event that an age group diving program is to be conducted or administrated by the collegiate coach, a parents group usually is formed after the hiring and usually is not part of the selection process.

STEP TWO: FACILITY INTEGRITY

The type and arrangement of the diving hardware will have a significant impact on the type of program that can be implemented. Smaller, less well-equipped facilities require more flexibility in scheduling than those pools with a separate diving well. Remember, many of the finest programs in the country began with little more than one-meter and three-meter boards. Creative scheduling and a commitment by both the coach and aquatics coordinator to a long-term upgrade of facilities can overcome what may at first be perceived as a facilities deficit.

For liability reasons, it is appropriate to review the physical structure at the pool and access its conformity to accepted safe standards. United States Diving uses the FINA standards when evaluating potential competitive sites.

Particular attention to pool depth minimums is a must. Recent studies by John Wingfield at Ball State University reinforce the need for adequate pool depth to reduce the potential for severe injury. Eleven feet under the one-meter board and 13 feet under the three-meter are the published minimums for competitive sites. Practice may be performed in pools with shallower depths provided appropriate risk reducing skills are performed. United States Diving's Diving Safety Position Paper outlines such strategies.

Regardless of the number of diving structures currently in the facility, the boards should be of the "Duraflex New Model B" variety. The stands best suited for the competitive and maintenance situation are manufactured by Duraflex International of Sparks, Nevada. An on-deck trampoline or dryboard arrangement with spotting rigs are invaluable to any springboard program. Proper post practice security of the tramp or dry-board are a must for liability reasons. And an ongoing maintenance inspection program of all facilities is imperative. Fulcrum lubrications, board hinge refurbishing, and board surface cleaning should be performed monthly or as often as necessary. Records of such maintenance should be kept on record by the facilities coordinator.

Lighting

Diving is a visual sport for spectators and competitors alike. And adequate lighting is necessary for both, as is a clear and glare-free view of the water surface. Properly positioned "direct" and "bounced" lighting will minimize potentially unsafe distractions for the diver. The Illuminating Engineering Society of America (IES) recommends a minimum of 50 foot candles. And the preferred indoor situation for diving would be 60 or 70 foot candles. Window configured or sunlight facilities often adversely affect diving performances. Some provision to block and/or manage the intrusive and glaring effect of window emitted sunlight should be pursued.

Gymnastic type runway's, low impact crash pads, and movable porta-box structures have in recent years helped tremendously with both skill progressions and the physical training regimen. Typically, the allocation of resources for dryland equipment occurs after good boards, stands, and trampoline or dry-board are installed.

STEP THREE: FACILITIES COORDINATOR'S ROLE

The facilities coordinator needs to be involved from the program's inception, although the level of that involvement changes over time. The coordinator needs to be actively involved in selecting the coach, setting policy and procedures, establishing fiscal responsibilities, and arranging the practice schedule. Once the program is up and running, the role of the facilities coordinator should be diminished to a level requiring only an occasional review of the programs' progress and problems.

Systematic meetings on a monthly or bimonthly basis with all coaches and program directors should help to identify and address all concerns within the facility. It should be noted that a laisse-fare policy by the facilities coordinator is most beneficial to both the parental group as well as the coach. Policy and fiscal autonomy is not only appropriate but necessary to whatever extent it can be implemented safely.

STEP FOUR: THE PARENTS GROUP

Inherent to many successful springboard diving programs is a well coordinated parental organization. Involving parents of participating youngsters requires a delicate balance between surrogate parenthood and the autonomous nature of coaching responsibilities. Typically, the parents group exercise auspices over such issues as organizing home competitions and the hospitality associated with those events.

In many situations, the parents group is able to structure an effective volunteer program to help handle the various behind-the-scenes tasks. The LaSalle Dive Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for example, delegates all meet coordination and meet operation tasks to the parents group. And the Northern Virginia Dive Club has in place a parents board which meets once a month and has clearly defined areas of coordination such as: meet information, meet coordination, travel, hospitality, publicity, newsletter writing, and fundraising. The Montgomery County Dive Club in Maryland requires each parent to agree to volunteer to a set number of hours of annual service to the program. Each hour of non-service to the club results in a billing of one dollar for each of those unworked hours. And the Princeton Dive Club in New Jersey attaches a significant financial responsibility to those parents who do not share equally in coordinating and conducting home competitions.

The area of fundraising also finds its roots in the parents group. And these groups have used many successful strategies to generate funds for facilities upgrade, coach/team travel, coaches salaries, and other items. The Tualtin Hills Parks and Recreation parents board in Portland, Oregon, for example, generates enough income from their "Bingo" gaming operation to pay coaches' salaries. The Northern Virginia Dive Club parents group raised enough funds through corporate sponsors and other means to do a $100,000 upgrade of the Fairfax County Parks and Recreation Diving facility. Elsewhere, concession sales, raffles, car washes, and other activities all have been successfully managed by the parents group for fundraising.

It should be emphasized that parental involvement is vitally important but only to the extent to which it has a facilitating influence and not a dictating role with regard to any aspect of operation handled by the coach.

STEP FIVE: CONTINUING EDUCATION 

It is incumbent on all coaches and facilities coordinators to be properly certified in any and all activities which may be conducted in the facilities. United States Diving offers a comprehensive safety certification program, as well as a "start-up" program called U.S. Diving Dive Safe which is for new coaches working with new divers. Both programs include a provision that qualifies the coach for liability insurance. CPR and first aid certifications also help to minimize potential exposure to liability. And emergency procedures should be reviewed routinely by the facilities coordinator with the diving coach, lifeguard staff, and parents group.

In addition to safety certification, the coach should be afforded the opportunity to attend the various junior and/or senior national competitions so as to become acquainted with the regimen and style of the top divers and coaches in the country. In addition, United States Diving conducts a coaches "mentoring" program which helps fledgling age group coaches improve all areas of their program.

DIVING INTO SUCCESS

Is springboard diving really on the rebound, or is it being bounced out of existence by the litigious misrepresentations of the past? Based on the strong and steady growth in membership with U.S. Diving, it is surely making a healthy comeback. And with the advent of the Coaches Safety Certification, the U.S. Diving Dive Safe program, liability insurance opportunities, and an understanding that competitive springboard diving has never resulted in any catastrophic injury, more facilities coordinators are finding fiscally rewarding uses for the diving end of their pools.

The highly challenging yet low impact nature of the sport makes it particularly attractive to those parents and youngsters who have had a less than satisfactory experience with gymnastics programs. All in all, a creatively priced diving program can provide a facility with not only another fiscally viable group but perhaps one of the more aesthetically exciting aquatic activities available today.