Update -- December 17, 2007

Dear Divers, Parents, and Supporters,  

Blustery days are upon us...but at least the rain seems to be going away :)  And have fun as the holidays approach!  This is likely the last Update Letter until the New Year, so Mele Kalikimaka, Happy Hanukkah, Peaceful Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa to everyone!

We had a little of both on Saturday at the HDA Winter Championships, at which we were ably represented by Emily, Samantha, Cristin, Ashley, BJ, and Jeff (registered divers Tate and Aleia couldn't make it -- Tate had a relapse of a bad illness that kept her out of the water last week as well, and we hope she feels better soon, and Aleia battled bad weather delaying her flights out of Florida...but finally arrived and joined us for workout today at Kaiser High, where we had fun playing with fronts and twisters).

Highlights of the HDA Winter Championships:

Emily -- nailed her 200A 1M for the meet's first score of "8" (and set a nice trend -- two other TLDT divers earned 8s as well, and EVERYONE earned at least one 7!).  She also overcame adversity early in the morning with a 401C gone wrong...after a short break and some refocusing, she got back on the board and did a solid job for the rest of the day.  Way to step it up!  

Samantha, did a great job in her debut contest.  She learned quickly when she saw what was being rewarded by the judges (coincidentally, the things that her coach was telling her to do :)  She hit her 401C 1M for 7-7.5s (best one I've ever seen her do!) and her 201A 1M for 6.5s (again, best I've seen her do!) and showed good control on her 3M list as well.

 Cristin -- Her whole 1M list was pretty spectacular, working the "smooth" angle we've been trying for all week, but her 201B 1M for 6.5-7s was the best of the best.  She also proved ready to do her 104C with all the great tops she was getting on her 103C (soon, Cristin...soon!).  

Ashley nailed her 401B 1M for 6.5-7s and is getting better and better with her 403C 1M, earning solid 5.5-s and 6s.  She also did her newly-relearned (on Friday!) 104C 1M for 5s.  She also hit every dive on her 3M list for 5s and better :)  She is actively figuring out her individual "competitive style" and learning how to get "psyched up" for her dives even with long waits between rounds.

 BJ had quite a meet -- first time he has competed his: 5132D all three boards (4.5s 1M, 5s 3M, and 5-6s 5M), 203A 3M (pretty and smooth, but slow for 3.5s), 403B 1M (strong and "animal-like" for 6s), and 201B 5M (unexpectedly controlled and clean for 7-7.5s).  BJ also earned his first-ever 8 on his 001D 5M.  He also outscored Coach Jeff on their back-to-back 301Bs 3M, and pushed Jeff to do a spectacular 403B 3m because his was so high and strong!

Jeff's best dive was his trademark 101A 3M for 8s, he also impressed on his 612B 10M for 7.5s (hadn't done that dive since 1996 until just before the competition -- lucky for him Aleia wasn't there, or he would have done several more 10M dives he hasn't done in 5-10 years!), his 5134D 3M for 7.5-8s, and his 5233D 3M for 7.5s.  After missing every other back entry of the day,  he finally hit one on his final platform dive, his 201B 5M for 7s :)

Out with the Old and In with the New

This meet concluded the 2007 competitive calendar, and it was a nice way to go out.  Sunshine Diving did an awesome job in hosting a smoothly running meet and we thank them ever so much for their work!

The 2008 Season may start in January, but I am not sure if the tentative meet is going to happen, or if it will be put off to a later time.  I am also not sure if any of you (other than high schoolers, who have to compete all through the winter anyway) will be WANTING to compete (or even do water workouts) in these cold months...

USA Diving Registration

Regardless, it is time to re-register for USA Diving, if you have not already.  As discussed in the last update letter, there are now the  "Competitive Blue" and "Competitive Gold" membership categories.  They went into effect on Wednesday, December 12.  Here's a link to let you read more about them:  usadiving.org news.  Please register as a Competitive Blue or Competitive Gold athlete for 2008 BEFORE the 31st (including faxing in the required waiver -- or doing the electronic waiver that now seems to be in place), or you will not be allowed to dive in the 2008 season until you do.   Remember, the Competitive Blue price is only $20 for the whole year,and allows you to compete on the Junior level in Invitationals and Association meets!  Competitive Gold price is $75 and allows you to compete on the Regional, Zone, and National level to which you qualify.  So please get on this right away!  New members to the club who have not yet done so also need to register to be covered by insurance, so please review the instructions on "How to Join USA Diving" and get to this right away!

TLDT Competitive Schedule for 2008

In addition to our local Hawaii meets, those of you who learn competitive lists will be traveling to the Regional and East/West Championships in Spring (March/April and April, respectively), and the Regional, Zone, and National Championships in Summer (June, July, and August, respectively).

We will attend the Spring Region 9 Championships in Scottsdale, AZ, April 5-6 and, if you finish in the top 6 in any event, the West Championships in Columbia MO, April 25-27.

We will attend the Summer Regionals in either  Tucson, AZ on June 13-15 or Santa Clara, CA, June 20-22 (depends on affordability and how we are feeling with school having just gotten out :)  Those who place in the top 15 will move on the the Zone Championships in Los Angeles, CA, July 10-13 and those who place in the top 12 at the Zones will move on to Nationals in Rockville, MD, August 12-15.

For a look at the complete schedule for 2008, please see the HDA Calendar of Events.

Oh, and by the way, in order to be eligible to go to the Regional level, TLDT Divers must have a complete Junior List in the events they plan to compete.  For the 12-13, 14-15, and 16-18 age groups, this includes doing optional dives that have an average degree of difficulty of 2.0 or higher, which basically translates to front doubles, 1 1/2s in every other direction, and twisters with at least 1 1/2 somersaults or 1 1/2 twists.  So, if you are interested in getting to this level, let's take advantage of all the trampoline and dryland work we will do over the next few months to get us ready!

Yay for Dryland!

The 3:30 group will be doing all dryland for the next couple of months -- be prepared to work hard at tumbling, trampoline, strength, and form skills!!!  The 4 PM group will have the option of getting into the water or staying on dryland over the next few months, but those competing high school will have to be in the water at least some of the time, since your competitive calendar id basically Jan-Feb :)

High School Diving: 

Still have not yet heard back from the Pac-5 coach about the private school/home school issue.  Again, I leave it now in the hands of the families of those divers to follow up and get things in motion if you'd like to try to compete for the High Schools.  I know the public schools must have a roster of athletes presented to the OIA by January 10, and I imagine the private schools have something similar...so keep that in mind! 

The OIA diving coaches are meeting with the OIA Diving Coordinator tomorrow night and I will post the OIA Schedule as soon as I get the info.  As I mentioned in the last letter,  I am going to have "open practice/mock meets" held either just before or just after the OIA meets, depending on the sites of the OIA meets, so there still will be weekly proto-competitive opportunities for those who are not able to be involved with interscholastic competition (i.e., public school middle schoolers, home-schoolers who do not get something worked out).  The snag in this will happen if our OIA meets happen at Central Oahu Regional Park, as I have no workout times or authority there.  Will keep you posted about this as well.

REMAINDER OF DECEMBER WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Mon, Dec. 17, 3:00 - 5:00 PM at Kaiser High School  

Tues, Dec. 18, 3:30 - 6:00 PM at Schofield

Wed, Dec. 19, 2:15-5 PM at HCDB (Trampoline) -- Schedule may change to 4-6 PM due to a new possible UH event.

Thurs, Dec. 20, 3:30 - 6:00 PM at Schofield

Fri, Dec. 21, 10:00 AM - Noon at Kaiser High School 

Fri, Dec. 21, TBA, UH or Schofield workout (newly added -- will discuss on Th)

Sat, Dec. 22, 10:00 AM - Noon at Kaiser High School 

Sat, Dec. 22, 1 PM - 2:30 PM at UH (tentative)

Sat. Dec 22,  3:30 - 6:00 PM at Schofield

Break from Sunday, Dec., 23 - Sunday, Dec., 30 (Coach Jeff visiting family on the mainland)

Mon, Dec. 31, 10:00 AM - Noon at Kaiser High School 

ASL CORNER

As always, this reference is here so you all can learn to communicate with our deaf diver/s: check out the ASL Corner,  do the lessons as you want to, ask me for help as you need.

Okies, That's all for now! 

Jeff