NEW F.I.N.A. Degree of Difficulty Table

With the newer and increasingly more difficult dives being performed in international competition as well as the rumors of "super difficult" dives being attempted in the farthest corners of the world, it was time that FINA updated the Degree of Difficulty Tables.

Numerous new and incredibly difficult dives have been added to the DD Chart that just 20 years ago were unthinkable. When you think back to the 1980's, it was thought that the dives being done then were the most difficult that could ever be performed. Now -- those "hard" dives are the norm for both men and women and for those divers dreaming of Olympic and International glory, the difficulty bar has been raised -- not by inches, but by feet!

Click here to see the new and approved FINA Degree of Difficulty Tables for both Springboard and Platform.

So, what is now the dive with the highest degree of difficulty? It is a 309B -- Reverse 4 1/2 somersaults in the pike position from the 3M Springboard with an eye-popping 4.8 Degree of Difficulty. If your athletic ability will not allow you to do this dive on 3M -- you do have the option of doing it from the 10 Meter platform -- but you LOSE a tenth of D.D. -- it is only a "paltry" 4.7!

I wonder what dives we will be seeing 20 years from now? Kind of exciting just thinking about it!

NEVER GIVE UP!

While attending the 2009 United states Aquatic Sports Convention in Chicago, IL I had the honor and pleasure of sitting in on a forum hosted by Olympic Gold Medallist Laura Wilkinson (USA) and 2x Olympic Silver Medallist Alexandre Despatie (from Canada).

The two of them fielded questions from the packed house audience for a good 1.5 - 2 hours about anything and everything related to their diving careers. They answered every question -- whether about training, mental preparation, fear, exercise, competition, diet, burnout, sleep patterns, etc. with honesty and with a few funny anecdotes scattered throughout. (i.e. Alex going to "The Dark Place").

The underlying theme I took away from both of them was to NEVER GIVE UP. Everybody in the diving community knows the success these two have enjoyed but often times do not realize nor comprehend the amount of work, sacrifice, time and effort that went into those successes. Along the way, there were many set backs where they could have easily quit and just walked away. But great champions never quit -- they never give up. They keep working and working and working and as the old saying goes: "The Cream Always Rises to the Top"!

(The photo above shows Laura Wilkinson holding her Gold Medals from the Olympic Games; The World Championships and The World Cup -- the only female diver in history to win all three.)

What Happened to TEAM USA in Beijing?

I must confess that I had high hopes for TEAM USA in Beijing but I watched the 2008 Olympic Games with a heavy heart and a somewhat perplexed eye. After judging the Olympic Trials and witnessing some spectacular diving up close and personal throughout that entire event, I felt very confidant that the 2008 U.S. Olympic Diving Team would come away from Beijing with at least one medal if not a few. I looked very favorably upon the team that was selected to represent the United States at these Olympic Games. The divers looked to be in great shape; appeared to be injury-free and were diving very well both nationally and internationally. In addition, the coaches had worked so hard over these past four years getting their divers ready for "The Big Dance" and the administrative support that many felt was lacking in the past seemed to be in place. Based on all this and more, I really felt that USA Diving had turned a huge corner in their comeback from a very drastic free-fall in the world standing of the diving community.

Then Beijing -- no medals once again! Granted, our overall placing was much-improved from Athens but in the past THREE Olympic Games, the United States has won only ONE medal. To put that in perspective: Out of a possible 72 Olympic Diving Medals given during the last three Olympic Games (eight events x three medals per event x three Olympic Games), the US has a record of 1-72. OUCH!

What is the answer? Is it coaching? Is it lack of knowledge? Is it training (too much or not enough)? Is it lack of competitive fire? Is it facilities or lack thereof? Is it "delusions of grandeur" on the part of the athletes and / or the coaches? Are we missing "swagger"? Do we need to recruit and / or find better athletes? Is it experience or inexperience? Is it the age of our divers? Did the Chinese get over-scored at their home pool? Do our divers wilt under pressure at big meets? Were our divers simply tired from the travel and drastic time change? Did our divers peak too soon (i.e. Olympic Trials)? I do not know the answer but I look forward to talking with our Olympic Coaches as well as the athletes to get their take on what needs to be done.

I certainly am not giving up and I hope the coaches, divers and administrators are not giving up either. I think USA Diving has made HUGE strides in the past four years and I think we will continue to improve and continue to chip away and slowly but surely make our way back to the top. GO USA!

FINISH THE DIVE!!

This week, I had the opportunity and privilege to judge at the 2008 FINA Grand Prix International Diving Championships at the Hall of Fame Aquatic Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL. During the first of our daily judges' meetings, we discussed a number of things about the events from the previous day. One such topic that we discussed I felt was very relevant to diving at all levels from beginner to international elite and that topic was how some divers did very good dives but they did not FINISH them well and therefore the scores from the judges were not as high as they could have been.

WHAT IS THE LESSON?

The best divers know how to finish their dives.

REMEMBER: The dive is not over until your toes have disappeared underneath the water. Make sure your divers are taught and learn to stay TIGHT with legs straight, feet together and toes pointed all the way through the entry. The extra half point or point they could receive from the judges could make a huge difference in the final results -- it sure did at the FINA Meet!

2008 FINA Grand Prix Meet!

If you are in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area this week, be sure to stop by the Hall of Fame Aquatic Center located at the International Swimming Hall of Fame and Hall for the 2008 AT&T USA DIVING F.I.N.A. Grand Prix. This international diving competition will feature the best divers in the world in one of the last major competitions before the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Click here for a schedule of events.

While there, be sure to stop by the Springboards and More Booth (located on the 3M side of the pool) where you will find all kinds of diving related equipment, supplies and novelty items sure to please any diving enthusiast in your family.

The Springboards and More Booth will be open Wednesday May 7 - Saturday May 10 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!!