Dive into the work behind achieving perfect form
Diving is a sport of patience and calming of nerves. There are multiple factors that go into each dive, and every move is judged meticulously. The Ball State diving team demonstrates techniques used to execute the perfect dive.
FRONT ONE & A HALF TWIST
Diver: Jamie Denlinger // Junior
MAJOR: Landscape Architect
Dive Number: 5132D
Jamie Denlinger likes to model the dive before stepping to the board. She sets the fulcrum to 7.5 and looks toward the end of the board. She initiates her approach by stepping with her right foot. Pushing off the board, she swings her arms forward. While swinging her arms, she flips forward and goes into a pike position. “I’ll see my toes come up at the ceiling, and then I’ll initiate my twist by bringing my left arm to my back ribs and my right goes over my head,” says Denlinger. After she completes her twist, her arms move to a T-shape and over her head to complete the dive.
BACK ONE & A HALF TWIST
Diver: Madie zirzow // sophomore
MAJOR: speech pathology
Dive Number: 5233D
Madie Zirzow begins her dive by setting the fulcrum to just past 7 and walks to the edge of the board. She sets her feet in a semi-staggered position. “Then I put my hands down to my side to make sure I have good posture, and I count ‘1-2-3-1-2-3 go,’” says Zirzow. She does two to three oscillations and pushes her arms outward forming a T-shape. Pushing off the board and moving her arms in a circular motion, she places her right hand on the back of her head and her left hand on her waist. This causes her to twist as she flips through the air. After completing a full twist, she moves her arms into a T-position and pikes downward. Putting her hands together above her head she completes the dive.
INWARD ONE & A HALF PIKE
Diver: brittany penn // freshman
MAJOR: actuarial science
Dive Number: 403B
Brittany Penn begins her dive by setting the fulcrum to one. She walks to the edge of the board to set her feet while focusing on her posture. “In my head, I count to four,” Penn says. After her count, she does three oscillations before pushing off and starting her hurdle. As she swings her arms, she pushes forward toward her toes to achieve a pike position. After sensing one and a half rotations, Penn pushes out of a pike position to finish the dive.
BACK ONE & A HALF TUCK
Diver: quinn bixler // freshman
MAJOR: PRE-business
Dive Number: 203B
Quinn Bixler starts her dive by setting the fulcrum to 6.5 and taking deep breaths as she moves to the edge of the board. While on the edge of the board, Bixler sets her feet and moves her arms outward horizontally making a T-shape. She then oscillates the board three times and jumps outward while swinging her arms. Moving her arms to her shins, she brings her knees to her chest to form the tuck position. “I swing my arms around and grab into my tuck and hang on until I see the blue color of the board,” says Bixler. After she sees the board, she kicks her legs outward and pushes her arms toward the water to finish the dive.
LANGUAGE
- FULCRUM : The fulcrum is used to tighten or loosen the spring rate of the diving board. When set at a position of 1, the board is unrestrained and very bouncy. As the position number increases, the more rigid the board becomes.
- THE RIP : Entry into the water with no splash. If executed properly on a head first entry into the water, it sounds like someone has ripped a piece of paper, and the water looks as if it is boiling as air bubbles rise to the surface.
JUDGING
- Start to finish, a judge will look at how divers handle their body while on the board, flying through the air and entering the water. Judges decide a point value based on what they see during the five to seven seconds it takes for a diver to complete the process.
- ON THE BOARD : Divers are expected to have excellent etiquette at all times while on the board. Judging while on the board is based on aesthetics.
[quote]We look at their movement down the board, what their bodyline looks like, posture, balance, body control,” says Ball State diving coach Nick Gayes. “If they go into their hurdle and they lose balance and double swing their arms, I’m going to deduct for that even if they crush the dive. They had a lack of control.[/quote]
- AIRTIME : After leaving the board, divers are judged on the mechanics of the dive. This includes how they twist through the air, hand placement, leg positions, pointed feet, flexibility, broken position and head placement. Judges also look at the height of the dive and how close or far the diver is from the board. The average flight time for a diver is around two seconds.
- Water entry : After the dive has been performed but prior to water entry, judges look to see how high above the water divers are located. Judges deduct points for scrambling to finish the dive before entering the water. They consider vertical the entry. Points are deducted if the diver is long, meaning his or her body enters the water at an angle. Judges also look to see if air bubbles resulting from the dive are directly in front of the board, because bubbles to the side will result in a deduction.
Points system
[one_half]WOMEN DIVERS
Max points 265 : 1 -meter board
Max points 280 : 3 -meter board
[/one_half][one_half_last]MEN DIVERS
Max points 300 : 1 – meter board
Max points 320 : 3 – meter board[/one_half_last]
