Judging at the Summer Divisional's

Brighid Practicing before the Divisional Meet

The summer dive season is incredibly short.  The practices for diving start the day school ends in June - and the first Diving meet quickly follows.

Unless kids are diving over the winter it is really tough to perform at a high level during the summer season.  After watching a few meets you quickly realize who is diving year round and who is just getting into their summer groove.

It is incredibly hard for me to watch kids dive.  I instinctively want to coach them and make them better.  I participate during the summer by judging at most dual meets and also at the Divisional and All Star events.

I was really taken aback this past week at the Divisional meet.  I was judging some of the older kids and I was one of 5 judges giving scores.  On a particularly sloppy dive - my score was a few points lower than some of the others.  One of the summer divers was within earshot and was commenting to their friend that I obviously did not have any idea how difficult the dive was.  I am pretty sure they knew I could hear them - and it ticked me off.

Later in the day I was trying to understand why I allowed his comment to get to me.  After all - he was just a kid.  All he saw was a 52 year old Dad throwing up scores that he did not agree with.

In my head I am still a diver.  I know how the dive is supposed to be done - and how it feels.  I have a somewhat visceral reaction every time I see a kid dive.  When the dive is announced I am already playing through my head the steps.  Hurdle, reach, throw, spin.......extend and  REACH for the bottom.  I can hear the muffled applause from under water and the excitement of breaking the surface to see the scores.

This return to diving has me restless - and thinking about getting back into shape. Can I still dive?  I have a lot to think about.  Stay tuned.