Update -- September 3, 2007

Dear Divers and Parents,

Happy Labor Day!  I hope you are all enjoying the day off (if you have it off).  I did Bikram yoga (the "hot" one, in a heated room) this AM and it was great, if quite a demand on my old body.

And I will be seeing the Monday workout group at 4 PM today, to end the afternoon on a great note with new dives being learned and skills being perfected :)

INTRASQUAD 1

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Intrasquad meet on saturday.  Everyone learned a lot about how a meet is run, and the divers had a chance to show off their skills and dives.  Plus, we had a fun play session afterward.

We divided the team into two:  Thunder and Lightning.  Thunder consisted of Emily, Jace, Linnet, Alena, Ashley.  Lightning consisted of Braden, Joanna, Matthew, Amanda, and in absentia (to try to make even teams of 5 each), BJ.  Lightning took the team total event, while BJ's spirit won the individual event (but no by too much!), as we took the average of his dives from Friday's practice.

Invidivual Results:

1.  BJ, Lightning, 138.30

2.  Ashley, Thunder, 130.25

3.  Alena, Thunder, 129.30

4.  Jace, Thunder, 128.95

5.  Linnet, Thunder, 128.55

6.  Braden, Lightning, 114.60

7.  Emily, Thunder, 114.10

8.  Joanna, Lightning, 111.60

9.  Amanda, Lightning, 110.20

10.  Matthew, Lightning, 92.30

Individual Highlights:  Matthew ended his list with a great 200A 1M for 5-5.5s that showed smoothness, control, and clean lines.  Amanda performed a very solid 100C 1M for 5-5.5s and a nice debut 002D (straight) 3M for 5s, both of which showed good control and a nice sense of the lines of the skills.  Joanna did a nice 200C 3M for 5.5-6s and a 101C 3M for 5-5.5s, both of which jumped strongly and showed good movements in and out of the tuck.  Emily continued her streak of great 200As 1M with 6-6.5s, and made a great correction on her 201A (kept her head back on the entry) for 4-4.5s.  Braden competed very well, showing consistency and poise on all his first four skills (100A, 100A, 001D, and 002D), earning 5-6s on all.  He also did a fantastic 001C 3M with tight legs and toes for 5-5.5.  Linnet was actually in contention for the title, with two skills (100A 1M and 200A 1M) and one dive (101C 1M) going for 6s and better, but a broken position on her 401B (bent her knees) dropped her down in the standings.  Jace performed an incredibly solid list, with at least one 5 counting on six of his seven skills and dives.  His biggest highlight was his 401C 3M for 5.5s, on which he showed more control than usual.  Alena hit both her 100B and 200B 1M for 6-6.5s, and followed up with a 101C for 5.5s and a 201A for 5s.  Ashley also had a nice consistent list, going all 5s and better on six of her seven skills and dives.  Her biggest highlights were her 100A which showed a good hollow body line and her 101B, which had the toepoint and smooth transitions between positions needed for the big scores.  BJ gets no highlights, since his list was theoretical :/

SEPTEMBER WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Mon, Sept 3, 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Schofield  

Tues, Sept 4, 3:30 - 6:00 PM at Schofield 

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

Fri, Sept. 7, 4:00 - 6:30 PM at Schofield

Sat, Sept 8, 3:30 - 6:00 PM at Schofield 

Mon, Sept 10, 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Schofield  

Tues, Sept 11, 3:30 - 6:00 PM at Schofield 

Thurs, Sept. 13, 3:30 - 6:00 PM at Schofield

Fri, Sept. 14, 4:00 - 6:30 PM at Schofield

Sat, Sept 15, 3:30- 6:00 -- INTRASQUAD PRACTICE COMPETITION/PARENT TRAINING SESSION FOR MEET ADMINISTRATION (See below :)

Mon, Sept 17, 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Schofield  

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

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

Fri, Sept. 21, 4:00 - 6:30 PM at Schofield

Sat, Sept. 22 or Sun Sept 23, 7 Am to Noon  at Schofield -- TROPIC LIGHTNING FALL INVITATIONAL

TROPIC LIGHTNING FALL INVITATIONAL

I am still awaiting final word from the pool management, and am going to request that we change the date from Sunday to Saturday, based on feedback from many parents regarding the conflict with religious services on Sunday Morning.  Things with the Amrny sometimes take a bit of time, and it can be difficult to make changes last minute, so please, folks, if you foresee a potential conflict, with something I propose, let me know ASAP so I can try to get the wheels in motion to make things work for all of us!

As I said in the last update letter, the timeline will be similar to the meet we experienced on August 18,  in terms of Warm-ups starting at 7 AM and first event at 9 AM.  We will do 11 and Under Future Champions 1M events at the same time as 12 and Older Future Champions/8 to 10-Dive List 3M events (cuts down on the number of people trying to use a board at the same time) and then switch.  We will follow these events with an all-inclusive platform event (and we will work on platform skills and dives over the next month to prepare you all!).  Depending on the number of entrants, I estimate we will be finished by about noon or so.

I will serve as Meet Director, and will train all the enthusiastic parents and siblings and supporters in how to run the tables, etc.  As a start, I have put together a guide to "Running a Diving Meet A-Z" as well as one for "Running a Scoring Table."

We have had one intra-squad competition and will have another one September 15 at 3:30 PM.  It is really important for parents to attend the September 15 intra-squad if at all possible, as your volunteeruing at to help run the table at the Tropic Lightning Fall Invitational is one of the main factors that will help things run smoothly!

For more information, you can refer to the tentative Meet Information as well, but remember that this is pending approval from the pool management, as well as the possible change from Sunday to Saturday.

DIVING MECHANICS EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

As you might have seen recently, I added a section on Diving Biomechanics (entries and springboard approaches and basic dives have been added so far, and I will add somersaults in each direction this week).  I also found a great trove of YouTube Videos that have one of the most successful college coaches in the country discussing the techniques he advises (which, I must say, mostly mirror mine :)  All this information can be found in the Diving Bio-Mechanics Discussions section of the website.  

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