Dive Team Terminology

  • Announcer - the person with the microphone who speaks clearly and communicates information with personality
  • Approach: Step(s) forward to the end of the board before the hurdle and the takeoff. 
  • Backward Dive (200 group): Takeoff from the end of the board with back toward the water. Direction of rotation is away from the board. 
  • Balk: An illegal movement by the diver: (1) a false start in which a diver makes an obvious attempt to start the dive but stops the dive motion before takeoff; (2) takeoff for the hurdle from both feet. 
  • Concession Workers - servers, and sales people of food and drinks
  • Concessions - food and drinks for sale
  • Cracker Jack Meet – is a developmental meet for divers who are not competing in Divisionals.
  • Degree of Difficulty(known as DD): Rating ranging from 1.2 to 3.7 for executing a specific dive according to how hard it is to perform. The DD is multiplier-factor used with the judges’ scores in figuring the score for a dive. 
  • Dive Judge - the calm, unbiased person who scores the dive
  • Dive numbers: In competition, the dives are referred to by a schematic system of three- or four-digit numbers. The letter to indicate the position is appended to the end of the number. The first digit of the number indicates the dive group as defined above. For groups 1 to 4, the number consists of three digits and a letter of the alphabet. The third digit represents the number of half-somersaults. The second digit is either 0 or 1, with 0 representing a normal somersault, and 1 signifying a "flying" variation of the basic movement (i.e. the first half somersault is performed in the straight position, and then the pike or tuck shape is assumed).  101A – forward Dive Straight 203C – back one-and-a-half somersaults, tuck 305C – reverse two-and-a-half somersaults, tuck for example.
  • Dive Team Representatives – the person that organizes and lead the summer dive team, communicate with the team members, plan the meet sheets meet with the other pools on a weekly or more basis, work with the coaches, ribbons, t-shirts, receive and listen to feedback, and depend heavily on the support and participation of every individual diver and family
  • Divisionals –a meet attended by the top scorers within the division; all pools within the division participate
  • Dryland - Dryland training is any exercise performed outside of the pool to improve swimming skills.  Some exercises include working the core, plyometrics, flexibility exercises and also games that involve running/jumping, etc.
  • Entry: The conclusion of a dive as a diver makes contact with the water. May be either head or feet first. Upon entry, the body should always be near vertical in a straight position with toes pointed. In a head first entry, arms should be stretched above the head in line with the body and hands close together. 
  • Fall-in-Dives (001 or 002 group): A front dive or back dive in which the diver does not have to have a takeoff. 
  • Folder in the Box - the manila folders in the file box at the front desk that is used for all swim/dive communications
  • Forward Dive (100 group): Takeoff from a standing or running approach, facing the water. Direction of rotation is away from the board. 
  • Free Position: A combination of straight, pike, or tuck positions. To be used in twisting dives only as listed in DD tables. 
  • Hurdle: The final segment of a diver’s approach to takeoff. Consists of a spring to the end of the board, taking off from one foot, and landing on two feet at the end of the board. 
  • Individual All Stars - the final dive meet of the season attended by the top scorers within the league
  • Inward Dive (400 group): Takeoff from a standing position at the end of the board, with back to the water. Direction of rotation is toward the board. Revised April 2017 18 
  • Jumps (Designated as 100 or 200 group): A movement in which the diver starts the motion just as in a front or back dive, but enters the water feet first without any rotating or twisting motion. 
  • Pike Position: A dive position in which the body is bent at the hips, legs straight at the knees, and toes pointed. Feet should be held together and position of arms is optional. 
  • Referee – the person in charge of the meet, who runs the meets, and ensures the rules and regulations are followed
  • Reverse Dive (300 group): Takeoff from a standing or running approach, facing the water. Direction of rotation is toward the board. 
  • Scratch - to withdraw a competitor from an event
  • Set Up - prior to a meet, moving all tables, chairs, umbrellas, and tents to the needed locations, readying concessions for sales
  • Somersault: A movement in which a diver rotates the body on an imaginary horizontal axis through the hips. A dive can be performed in a variety of combinations. 
  • Springboard: An adjustable diving board that regulates “springiness.” Either 1-meter (3’3”) or 3-meters (9’9”) above the water. Projects at least five feet beyond the edge of the water. 
  • Straight Position: A dive position in which the body is straight without bending at the knees or hips, feet together and toes pointed. Formerly called the layout position. 
  • Table Workers – the individuals who computes the official score of each dive based upon the judges’ scores and the degree of difficulty as well as determine the order of results and manage award ribbons
  • Take Down - after a meet, moving all tables, chairs, umbrellas, and tents to their original positions, putting away leftover food and drinks, and cleaning up the concessions area
  • Takeoff: A diver’s lift from the board prior to the execution of the dive. May be done from a forward (running or standing) or backward position. 
  • Tuck Position: A dive position in which the body is bent at the waist and knees, with thighs drawn to the chest and feet kept close to the buttocks. Feet and knees should be kept together and toes should be pointed. 
  • Twisting Dive (500 group): Any dive with a twist. There are four types of twisting dives; forward, back, reverse, and inward.