Diving FAQ
Your most common diving questions answered in plain English.
From scoring mysteries to competition rules, we've got you covered.
📋Understanding Dive Sheets
“Okay, so I'm looking at my daughter's dive sheet and it says '103C' - what does that even mean?“
Great question! Think of dive numbers like a secret code that tells you exactly what your daughter is going to do. The '103C' breaks down like this: The '1' means it's a forward dive - she'll face forward and rotate forward. The '03' means she'll do one and a half somersaults. And the 'C' means she'll be in tuck position - knees bent, pulled tight to her chest. So '103C' is a forward one-and-a-half somersault in tuck position.
“Why does her easier dive sometimes score lower than a harder one, even when it looked better?”
This is probably the most confusing part for parents! It's all about the Degree of Difficulty, or DD. Think of it like gymnastics - a simple cartwheel can't score as high as a back handspring, even if the cartwheel is perfect. If she does a beautiful dive with a 1.2 DD and gets perfect 10s from all judges, that's only 30 points. But if she does a good dive with a 2.5 DD and gets 7s, that's 52.5 points. The math rewards taking on harder challenges.
“How do coaches decide which dives to put on the dive sheet?”
Coaches are basically playing chess with dive sheets! They need to balance several things: making sure your diver can consistently perform each dive well, meeting the minimum DD requirements (usually 11.5 total for girls, 12.0 for boys), including one dive from each of the five groups, and avoiding banned dives. Plus, they want to build confidence - starting with dives your kid feels good about and saving the challenging ones for when they're warmed up.
⚖️Scoring & Judging
“What are the judges actually looking for when they score a dive?”
Judges break it down into three main parts. First, the approach and takeoff - how your diver walks out, gets their rhythm, and leaves the board. That's worth about 20% of the score. Then comes the flight and form - how they control their body in the air, stay in proper position, and execute the rotations. That's the big one at 40%. Finally, the entry - how cleanly they cut through the water. That's also 40%. A perfect entry can save a messy dive, but a belly flop will kill even a beautiful flight.
“Why do they throw out the highest and lowest scores?”
Smart question! When you have five judges, they toss the highest and lowest to prevent any one judge from having too much impact. Maybe one judge is having a tough day and scoring low, or another is feeling generous. By dropping those outliers and using the middle three scores, you get a fairer result. It's like throwing out your worst test grade - it smooths out the bumps.
“My son got a 6.5 on what looked like a great dive to me. Is that good or bad?”
A 6.5 is actually pretty solid! Think of it this way: 5.0 is satisfactory, 6.5-7.0 is good, 7.5-8.5 is very good, and anything above 8.5 is excellent. So your son did better than good! Judges are pretty conservative with scores - they're not giving out 9s and 10s unless something is truly spectacular. A consistent 6.5-7.0 diver will beat someone who gets 8.5 one dive and 4.0 the next.
🏆Competition Rules & Formats
“What's the difference between a 6-dive meet and an 11-dive meet?”
Great question! Most high school meets are 6-dive - your diver does one dive from each of the five groups (forward, back, reverse, inward, twisting) plus one extra dive from any group. It's shorter, less stressful, and perfect for learning. 11-dive meets are for more advanced competitions like state championships. They have 5 "voluntary" dives with DD limits and 6 "optional" dives where you can really show off the hard stuff. It's like the difference between a pop quiz and a final exam.
“I heard something about 'validation errors' - what does that mean?”
Think of validation like spell-check for dive sheets! The system catches problems before they become disasters. Maybe the coach accidentally listed the same dive twice, or forgot to include a dive from one of the five groups, or included a banned dive like 104A. These tools help coaches catch these issues before submitting the dive sheet, because once it's submitted, changes usually aren't allowed. Nobody wants to show up to a meet and find out there's a problem!
“Why can't my diver do certain dives? I saw 104A crossed out as 'banned.'”
Safety first! Some dives like 104A (forward 2 somersault straight), 304A (reverse 2 somersault straight), and 402A (inward 1 somersault 1 twist straight) have been removed from competition because they're considered too risky. Even elite divers have gotten hurt on these. The diving community decided that the risk wasn't worth it, especially for high school and club diving. There are plenty of other challenging dives that are safer to learn and perform.
🤔Common Meet Situations
“My daughter just got a zero on her dive. What happened?”
Oh no! A zero usually means one of several things happened. She might have done the wrong dive (maybe planned a 103C but accidentally did a 203C), or she might have had an unsafe entry - landing on her back or belly instead of going in headfirst or feet-first. Sometimes divers lose control mid-air and can't complete the dive safely. The referees have to call it a "failed dive" to protect the athletes. It's disappointing, but safety comes first. The good news? It happens to everyone, even Olympic divers, and it's a learning moment.
“What's a 'balk' and why did they take points away?”
A balk is when your diver starts their approach but then stops before taking off - like getting to the end of the board and deciding “nope, not ready.“ It happens when they lose their rhythm or confidence. The first balk costs 2 points from each judge's score, so if she was going to get 7s, she'll get 5s instead. A second balk on the same dive means it's failed completely. It's frustrating, but sometimes it's better to balk than to attempt a dive when you're not mentally ready.
“The coach keeps talking about 'prelims and finals' - what does that mean?”
Big meets sometimes use a two-session format. In the morning, everyone competes in “preliminaries“ - that's where they establish the rankings. Then only the top divers (usually top 8, 12, or 16) get to come back for “finals“ in the evening. Think of it like making the playoffs! Prelims are about qualifying, finals are about winning. It adds excitement and gives the best divers a chance to really shine when it matters most.
🔧Technical Terms Made Simple
“I keep hearing about 'tuck,' 'pike,' and 'straight' positions. What's the difference?”
Think of these as different ways to hold your body during the dive. Tuck (C) is like a cannonball - knees bent, pulled tight to the chest. It's the easiest to control and spins fastest. Pike (B) is bending at the waist with straight legs, like touching your toes. Straight (A) is the hardest - no bending at all, just rotating like a pencil. The positions go from easiest to hardest: tuck, pike, then straight. That's why straight dives usually have higher DD values.
“What does it mean when they say she had a good 'lineup' or a great 'rip entry'?“
“Lineup“ means your diver extended beautifully out of their spin before entering the water - think of it like sticking the landing in gymnastics. “Rip entry“ is diving gold! It's when the entry is so clean it literally sounds like fabric ripping. No splash, just a clean cut through the water. You'll hear that sharp “rip“ sound and barely see any bubbles. When coaches and judges get excited about a rip entry, you know your diver nailed it!
“My son is working on 'twisting dives' - how are those different?“
Twisting dives are like regular dives with a spin cycle added! All dive numbers starting with 5 include twists. So a 5132D might be a forward dive with 1½ somersaults and 1 twist. The diver has to coordinate both the flipping and the spinning, which is incredibly challenging. These dives use the “free“ position (D), meaning they can change positions during the dive. Twisting dives typically have higher DD values because they're so technically demanding.
💚Supporting Your Diver
“How can I best support my diver without being 'that parent'?“
The best diving parents focus on effort and improvement, not scores or placement. Ask about what they learned, what felt good, or what they want to work on next. Celebrate courage - attempting a new dive or trying again after a miss takes guts. Avoid coaching from the stands (trust me, they can hear you!), and definitely don't discuss scores or compare to other divers. Your job is to be their biggest fan, their safe place to land after both good and bad dives.
“Should my diver always be trying the hardest dives possible?“
Not necessarily! Good coaches build progressively - your diver needs to master the basics before adding complexity. A well-executed easier dive often scores better than a sloppy difficult one. Plus, confidence matters hugely in diving. Better to have your diver feeling strong and successful on moderate dives than stressed and inconsistent on dives that are too advanced. Trust the coach's timeline - they know when your diver is ready for the next challenge.
“My daughter seems nervous before diving. Is that normal?“
Completely normal. Even on 1-meter boards, diving requires focus and precision. Pre-competition nerves are common and often show that your daughter takes her performance seriously. Many divers find that nervousness actually helps them stay alert and focused. You can help by keeping conversations light before her dives and celebrating her effort regardless of scores. If anxiety starts interfering with her enjoyment of the sport, consider discussing relaxation techniques with her coach.
🎓Diving Education & Terminology
"How do I understand dive codes like 103C or 205B?"
Dive codes follow a simple pattern: [Direction][Somersaults][Position]. The first number (1-5) tells you the direction: 1=Forward, 2=Back, 3=Reverse, 4=Inward, 5=Twisting. The middle numbers show somersaults (03 = 1½ flips, 05 = 2½ flips). The letter shows position: A=Straight, B=Pike, C=Tuck, D=Free. So 103C = Forward 1½ Somersault in Tuck position!
"What are the diving safety rules I should know about?"
Safety in diving includes proper pool depth requirements (minimum depths for different dive types), certified officials overseeing competitions, regular equipment inspections of boards and platforms, and specific banned dives for certain age groups. Most high school programs focus on 1-meter springboard diving, which has well-established safety protocols. Your coach and meet officials ensure all safety requirements are met.
"How is dive scoring actually calculated?"
Here's the simple breakdown: Judges give scores 0-10, then the highest and lowest scores are thrown out. The remaining scores are added together and multiplied by the dive's Degree of Difficulty (DD). So if three judges give 6.0, 6.5, 7.0 for a dive with DD 2.0: you add 6.0 + 6.5 + 7.0 = 19.5, then multiply by 2.0 = 39.0 points for that dive.
"What's the difference between the five dive groups?"
Think of it like this: Group 1 (Forward) - you face forward and rotate toward the water. Group 2 (Back) - you start facing backward. Group 3 (Reverse) - you face forward but rotate backward (like a backflip). Group 4 (Inward) - you face backward but rotate toward the board. Group 5 (Twisting) - any dive that includes a twist around the body's vertical axis. In competition, divers usually need one dive from each group.
"What are the different diving positions?"
There are four main positions: Straight (A) - body completely straight like a pencil. Pike (B) - bent at the hips with straight legs, like touching your toes. Tuck (C) - knees pulled to chest in a ball. Free (D) - combination of positions during the dive. Each position has its own feel and difficulty level, and divers often have preferences based on their flexibility and style.
"Are there dives that are banned or not allowed?"
Yes, certain dives are banned for safety reasons, especially in high school competition. Common banned dives include 104A, 304A, and 402A. These restrictions exist because these particular dives have higher injury risks when performed by developing divers. The validation system in scoresheet generators will flag these automatically to prevent coaches from accidentally including them.
Want to dive deeper into diving terminology and rules?
Still Have Questions?
Explore our other resources or try creating a dive sheet to see how it all works together.