Parts of a dive and judging basics
Ready when: Higher jumps and first dives (i1) started.
What you are learning
The six parts of a dive (start, approach, hurdle, take-off, flight, entry) and how judges watch all of them, not only the splash. Knowing what judges look for helps a diver know what to practise.
Words on this card Entry, Straight, Approach, Hurdle, Take-off, Flight
- Entry
- The moment the diver goes into the water.
- Straight
- The four body shapes in the air. Straight is the body long; tuck is knees hugged to the chest; pike is legs straight and folded at the hips toward the face; free is any mix, used in twisting dives.
- Approach
- The walk or steps along the board before the take-off.
- Hurdle
- The last jump onto the end of the springboard with one knee lifted, which makes the board bounce.
- Take-off
- Leaving the board or edge.
- Flight
- The time in the air between take-off and entry.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Walk along the chalk board and name each part as you reach it: start at the back, approach along the board, hurdle near the end, take-off at the tip.
- Point into the air for the flight and at the floor for the entry.
- Watch one dive on a video and say one thing about each part.
Your part while they practise
Name the parts (start, approach, hurdle, take-off, flight, entry) and ask the child to order them.
Step by step
- Say the six parts in order.
- Point to where each happens on the chalk plan.
- Watch a dive and name each part as it happens.
How much: 6 parts, twice 5 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Judge a video
Watch 5 dives, give each a mark out of 10 for the whole dive, then compare with the real judges.
Who plays: the child against you, both judging the same dives.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Watch a dive from a competition video, with the scores hidden
- Both of you write a mark out of 10
- Show the real judges' marks
- 5 dives
- Fair play
- The grown-up must also name the shape of each dive (straight, pike, tuck or free) to score.
- Points
- 2 points for a mark within 1 of the judges' middle mark; 1 point for within 2.
- Fouls
- No points for that dive
- Marking only the splash and not the rest of the dive
- Changing the mark after the scores are shown
- Winning
- More points after 5 dives.
- 3 points for 1 star
- 6 points for 2 stars
- 9 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Three parts only.
Add the four flight positions: straight, pike, tuck and free.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child names only the entry
Judges watch the whole dive
Start to entry, all of it. - the child confuses the tuck and pike
Tuck hugs knees; pike keeps legs straight
Show both shapes.
Self-check
The child lists the 6 parts in order.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains vocabulary, judging understanding.
Intermediate is done when the coach signs off this level.
awiseathlete.com/sports/diving/diving-i3