You have now learned what to do to get ready for a competition, but what do you do when you actually get to a competition?  The Santa Clara Diving coaching staff will help guide you through the process, especially if this is your first competition.  There are a couple of very important details that you need to follow in order make sure your dives are correct and you are ready for the competition.

The first thing you should always do when you arrive at any pool is to locate your coach.  Most often he/she will be on the pool deck somewhere.  You should check in with your coach upon arrival to receive further instructions that could include registration, practice times, etc.  It is a good idea to have your coach’s cell phone number in case you need to reach them during the competition or have any questions during the weekend.  The coach will always be the first person you go to if you have any questions.

After you have located your Santa Clara Diving coach and received any special instructions, you should go to the registration table to check-in.  The registration table is very important because you will have the chance to check the accuracy and order of your dives.  Make sure that you have the correct dive number and position listed for each event because the registration sign-off sheet is the final deciding factor if there are any controversies regarding the dive you are to perform.  You will be able to change any dives that want in addition to the order of your dives.

You will most likely participate in a practice at the pool after you have registered.  The open practice time at the pool can be a bit chaotic because this is the time when all the teams and divers can be at the pool at the same time.  It is important for you to be sure that you have your place in line for the diving board.  Some divers will jump the line ahead of you and get to dive more.  Also be sure to get your coach’s attention prior to starting your dive.  You may have to yell at them to get their attention because there can be several Santa Clara Diving divers at the pool that he/she is coaching at the same time.  Good Luck!

Two of the most forgotten elements of a competition are nutrition and rest.  Nutrition and rest should be at the top of the list when you travel to a meet.  The training ends when you arrive at a competition, but the rest and nutrition never stop.  They allow you to be at your best and perform at your best when it matters the most: competition.  Here are some simple guidelines from Santa Clara Diving to competition foods and a little bit of rest and relaxation.

1. Carbohydrates are very important when storing and generating the energy needed to maintain a high level of performance when traveling to and competing in a meet.  They are found in foods such as breads, pastas and apples.  You should try to avoid fatty fried foods when traveling or competing.  These foods can make you feel heavy and slow.
2. Sports drinks during a competition can help to maintain and replenish a quickly needed energy supply.  They contain carbohydrates and electrolytes, both of which add to the energy and hydration of divers.  Water is always a good solution, however, it does not act fast enough or provide enough nutrients to help the diver during the competition.   
3. Rest is just as important as nutrition.  It is important to get an adequate amount of sleep before a competition.  As mentioned in a previous blog, a normal routine is much more effective than altering the everyday life.  Therefore, I would recommend getting between 6-8 hours of sleep, but it should be close to the amount of sleep the diver would ordinarily get during a normal night at home at Santa Clara Diving.
4. Wake up before you leave to go to the pool to compete.  A diver should wake up about 2-3 hours prior to competition and/or warm-ups.  This allows the diver’s body to “wake up” and get the body moving.  Waking up early allows the muscles to get loosened up for proper movement and the brain to focus on the upcoming events.

These are just a few guidelines and tips about nutrition and rest when it comes to competition time.  As a general rule, carbohydrates and sports drinks will give you needed energy while proper rest and wake up time allows the body to be fully prepared to go for the gold with Santa Clara Diving!

Everyone has probably heard the old saying, “Practice Makes Perfect.”  Not many people would refute this statement, but some, including the coaches at Santa Clara Diving, would say something a bit different such as, “PERFECT Practice Makes Perfect.”  Practice is all well and good, unless you are just going through the motions and not trying to give 100% effort every single time you step onto the diving board.

There is only one single way to make something effective, and that is to perform it correctly multiple times in a row.  Just doing a dive does not make it better.  You have to do the movements of the dive correctly every time to make it better.  The correct movements may sometimes be hard to achieve, but focusing on them and giving your full effort will increase the likelihood that the dive will be successful at Santa Clara Diving.

Elite level athletes train like they need to be the beat the best every time set step into practice.  This motto should be followed into diving practice everyday.  In order to beat the best, you need to train like you need to beat the best.  This includes making every dive count in practice like you need to receive perfect 10’s on every dive to win.  Winning is certainly not the most important aspect of a competition, but training like you want to win will give you the confidence in your ability to give your best effort.

Every dive in practice should be done with 100% effort from the diver.  Holding back will only hinder the success of the dive and ultimately their ability to be a better diver.  Giving 100% full effort every single dive can be tough mentally and physically for a young diver.  However, this is how a competition would be; giving a full effort on every dive including the warm up.  If this is what you have to do at a competition, why not prepare your self even better by doing this in your everyday practice at Santa Clara Diving?

Practicing like you need perfect 10’s on every dive will make you that much tougher mentally when you are in that type of situation during a competition.  You will know exactly what it feels like and what you need to do for a positive outcome.  A successful performance starts with a successful practice, so just remember “PERFECT Practice Makes Perfect!”

Routines are a part of the everyday life.  Routines are something that a person can rely on and come to expect as normal.  The same can be true for diving routines.  They are as important as remembering to wear a swimsuit at Santa Clara Diving.  Diving routines can be the calming effect during a long and tough competition.

Routines help create consistency, which is the staple of a successful diver.  The consistency created from a routine helps to prevent the mind from wondering or worrying about adverse affects such as not making the dive or not scoring well on the dive.  A consistent diver tends to place higher than that of a diver who could possibly do well, but you never know.  Consistently scoring in the 5 ½ – 6 ½ range on all dives will always do better than a diver that may score 7’s on one dive and then 3’s on another dive.

A specific diving routine gives the diver a more relaxed state of mind and a focal point during a competition.  The routine replaces the negative thoughts with dive specific thoughts at Santa Clara Diving.  There are one or two things that a diver must think about on each dive in order to make it successful.  These dive specific thoughts should be the only thing a diver should be thinking about right before and during the execution of the dive.  This will prevent fear and nerves from entering the mind and altering the success of the dive.

The diving routine should be implemented and rehearsed during the everyday practice at Santa Clara Diving.  This will train the mind the block out the negative thoughts and bring in the dive specific thoughts.  You need to train the mind just as you would your physical body.  It takes practice to make this effective, but will certainly heighten your performance to achieve a more successful outcome.

Perfect practice makes perfect, so why not include the routine as part of the perfect practice?  Creating a diving routine begins at the place where the diver spends the most amount of time: PRACTICE.  It is important to establish the diving routine as a normal part of the training practice in order to make it an effective tool during a competition.

Diving can be considered one of the most mentally challenging sports out of all of them.  One small single error can cause a chain reaction of problems during a dive.  Unfortunately fear plays a very pivotal role in the development of a diver because of this reason, but there are ways to overcome that fear and achieve your goals.

The first step to overcoming fear is to understand where the fear is stemming from.  It can be the fear of smacking the water, hitting the board, etc.  Each diver has a different fear for each dive.  It is important to know what is the cause of the fear in order to be able to work towards overcoming it at Santa Clara Diving.

Once there is an understanding about the fear, the diver and coach can work together to physically and mentally put the mind at ease.  It is very important that the diver communicates with the Santa Clara Diving coaching staff so there is a better understanding for the type of training that the diver should be performing.  This may require more training on the entry of the particular dive, more lead-up progressions for the dive, etc.

One of the most common ways of overcoming fear in diving is performing many lead-up progressions before the execution of the dive.  This can be something as simple as an entry from the diving board or more complicated such as a back double somersault on 1-meter in preparation for a back two and half somersaults on 3-meter.  Skill progressions are a natural way to prepare for a dive, but the fear of the doing the actual dive may require that more progressions be performed.  

Another way of overcoming fear is mental visualization and self talk.  Many studies have suggested that mental imagery increases the athletic performance of an athlete by calming the mind of negativity such as fear.  Self-talk is also another way many divers can overcome the fear.  Divers can talk themselves through the dive so they know exactly what they must do in order to achieve a positive outcome.

No matter what the dive, there will always be some sort of mental confrontation.  The important thing to remember is that Santa Clara Diving will always be there to help you overcome your fears and achieve your dreams.

5 – Part Series to Enhance Your Training & Go for the Gold

Diving is an individual sport where every diver must rely on himself or herself to perform well.  There are several things that a diver can do leading up to a competition that can enhance the training cycle and give the diver a better chance at performing well during the meet.  Over the next five weeks, Santa Clara Diving will be providing you with information regarding the different areas that are important to the success of a diver.

Part 1: Ways to Overcome Fear in Diving              

We will discuss the different methods of training and ways to overcome the fear in diving.  Diving is a very mental sport and requires a lot mental stamina as well as courage.  There are several different ways to overcome fear and prepare yourself for the challenging dives that are ahead of you at Santa Clara Diving.

Part 2: Diving Routines: Consistency Creates Improved Success

Routines in diving are the most effective way to become a consistent diver.  A consistent diver usually finishes better in a competition than a diver who is sporadic in their performance.  Establishing a consistent routine of correct movements during practice will create a consistent performance in a competition.

Part 3: Practice Like You Need Perfect 10’s

Perfect practice makes perfect.  Practicing for hours on end does you no good if you are practice the wrong things.  Every dive must be done with 100% effort and mental focus.  This can be tough sometimes during a long practice or a very hard practice, but there are ways to help regain that focus and strength needed in order to be the best you can be.

Part 4: Nutrition and Rest Cannot Be Forgotten       

Proper nutrition and rest are often an after-thought when athletes are concerned about their athletic performance.  Eating right and getting the rest needed can elevate any athletes performance ahead of the rest of the competitors.  This section will discuss what foods are important for divers and the amount of rest needed to maintain a high level of performance.

Part 5: What Do I Do When I Get To A Meet?

A new or first-time competitive diver can often feel confused and intimidated when they first arrive at a meet.  This section will provide Santa Clara Diving members an inside look to a diving competition including the warm-up, meet formats, judging, and other important areas.

“SMACK!”  “Ouch…that hurt!”  “Oops!”  If you have been around diving at all, you are fully aware of what can happen at the pool: the belly flop, the back smack, the instant tan (reddening of the skin after hitting the water wrong such as a sun burn).  These are what we call the “oops moments” at Santa Clara Diving.  They are the things we try to avoid the most, yet inevitably always seem to happen.  

Any diver that has been diving for an extended period of time can tell you that they have smacked or hit the water wrong at least one time.  Even the best athletes in the world have experienced the smack at some point. Unfortunately, some tend to do it more than other.  The worst part about it is that you don’t know when it’s going to happen.  Your brain is a mysterious wonder when it gets in the way of doing what you want.  It is not uncommon for divers to forget what they are doing or their brain just blanks out.  This tends to be the most common reasons for the smack.

There are certainly ways to overcome the fear after having experienced a smack.  It is most important to understand why the smack occurred.  If you can pinpoint why it happened, it gives you a skill to practice so it doesn’t happen again.  You can always practice the    skills and progressions again and again so your brain completely knows what to think about the next time you attempt that particular dive again.  Mental imagery is a good way to picture in your mind what the dive should look like and how it should be done.  You can also watch divers perform the same dive in order to visually see the dive and how it should look at Santa Clara Diving.

No matter what happens during the dive, just remember that it happens to even the best athletes in the world and perfect practice make perfect at Santa Clara Diving.

Diving can be a complicated mess when it comes knowing exactly what dive to do according to the number you are told.  There is a rather simply method to the madness once you know how it is set up.  Santa Clara Diving is going to give you a quick tutorial so you know what is going on the next time you are at a dive meet.  

Dive numbers are described by either three or four digits followed by a single letter.  Here is what all of the numbers mean:

1. The first number indicates the direction of the dive: 1 = forward, 2 = back, 3 = reverse, 4 = inward, 5 = twisting, 6 = armstand.
2. The second number will either be a “1” or a “0” and indicates whether the dive is performed in a flying position for the forward, back, reverse and inward categories.
3. The third number will tell you how many somersaults are to be performed in the dive.  The somersaults are counted in ½ rotations (i.e. 1 = half, 2 = 1 full flip, 3 = 1 ½ flips).
4. The fourth number is only for the twisting and armstand categories.  This number indicates the number of twists by ½ rotations.  The counting of twists is the same as it is for the somersault counting (i.e. 1 = ½ twist, 2 = full twist, etc.).

Now that you know what the numbers mean, there is one last part to the dive number: the letter.  The letter at the end of the dive number tells you what position the dive is to be performed in.

Here are the letters with their corresponding position: A = straight, B = pike, C = tuck, D = free.  The “free” position is used for dives that include a twist.  This position can be a combination of positions such as straight and pike or tuck and straight.

So next time you are at a Santa Clara Diving meet, you will now completely understand what is going on.  Good Luck!

Breaks are usually a time to get away from the pool and rest up physically and mentally from diving, but it can also be a time to lose some of those hard-earned skills and physical attributes.  Santa Clara Diving has provided some helpful tips to make sure you come back from winter break ready to be an amazing diver.

1.  Commercial breaks are your friend, don’t Tivo – Commercial breaks are a great opportunity to keep your flexibility while you are catching up on your favorite television shows.  Plop a squat on the floor and stretch your legs, back and shoulders during each commercial break.  Stretch a different muscle group during each commercial break, and you will maintain your flexibility by the end of your show.   

2.  So you want to beat that new video game – Video games are fun and time can certainly fly by when you are enthralled in an intense video game.  Unfortunately the video game won’t help you much at the pool.  Let’s make this game a bit more interesting by adding some consequences to your video game.  Every time you lose a life or die, you have to do 10 pike-ups or kick outs.  You will train your mind to be more focused when the stakes are higher, but also train your body when you lose (unless you are just that good to beat the game without every losing a single turn!).

3.  The car ride to grandma’s house is not boring – A mental routine and practice can be just as beneficial as actually doing to the dives themselves.  Close your eyes and picture yourself performing each of your dives for perfect 10’s.  This mental image will keep everything you are supposed to remember for each dive fresh in your mind.  Just as in real diving, it may take some practice to get perfect 10’s on every dive, but remember that perfect practice makes perfect when you are with Santa Clara Diving.

There are hundreds of more ways to maintain your diving skills while you are away from the pool.  Just get creative and utilize every bit of time that you have.  Nothing is to be wasted when you are preparing for greatness with Santa Clara Diving.

Synchronized diving is still a relatively new event within the sport of diving.  It is often considered one of the hardest events to perform, but is also the most fun events for most divers.  Synchronized diving teams consist of only two divers performing the same exact same dive simultaneously in all aspects throughout the entire duration of the dive.

It has only been around for a few decades and was first introduced into the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia in 2000.  As of right now, the synchronized diving event is only performed from the 3-meter springboard and the 10M platform.  It was recently added at the junior level for divers ages 14 and older at the Junior National Championships for the United States.   Santa Clara Diving has added the synchronized diving event to the Far Western Championships held in July for divers of all ages. 

What is involved in a synchronized dive?

Divers competing in the synchronized diving events must learn how to time every aspect of their dive perfectly with their partner in order to receive good scores.  Most teams use a signal cue such as a count as they are about to begin their approach for the dive.  This assures that both divers are ready and know when to begin walking.  Santa Clara Diving athletes use a 1-2-3-Go count method when performing synchronized dives.  The divers must start their dive at the same time, jump off the board at the same time, rotate and spin in the air at the same rate, and land in the water at the same time.  All of these things must occur in addition to being the same distance away from the board and entering the water at the same angle.

How is it scored?

Synchronized diving events have the most number of judges than any other event.  The number of judges can vary between 7, 9, or 11 judges.  Santa Clara Diving uses the 7 judge panel for the Far Western Championships to score the synchronized diving events.  Judges are separated between into three distinct categories.  One set of judges score the dive performed by Diver 1.  Another set of judges score the dive performed by Diver 2.  The final set of judges score the synchronization of two divers.  All of these scores are calculated and result in the final total award for the team.