Please read to bottom and click on pics to enlarge
8 February, 2009 - Our first meet of 2009 showed a few highlights but mostly, that we are in need of lots of work. We showed some good stuff and some not-so-good stuff!
For the younger developmental divers, our focus was on moving some up to Jr. Olympic Level and for performing newer dives....No high expectations for them at this point...except to see how they compete their current dives in J.O. competition.
At this point in the season, only National Level divers should be diving with some form of consistency...and be performing well (not great) to make qualifying score for Nats. Your 1st peak should be mid-March - mid-April!
11 & Unders - General assessment - no surprises here :)
A
few of our 11 & Unders moved up to Jr. Olympic level diving...and performed as
we expected them to perform. All divers should ask themselves after a
meet: "Did I dive at least as good as I dive in practice?"
and if not, "Why not?".
From my vantage point, which at times was
good and other times not, I observed most of you did dive
like you have been diving at practice. With a great deal of
inconsistency! The inconsistency is because you are still a
relatively new diver, changes are coming slowly and you haven't learned
how to compete yet. Not to worry, it will come! Most of you are at the
beginning end of your age group and have two years remaining in it...:)This meet
should have taught you what you need in order to be competitive in your age
group and in the J.O. level
Most important: Most of your dives are new, and will be inconsistent because you have not mastered how to come off the board yet! You will be inconsistent until you learn how to practice, learn your corrections and work on your corrections. We need to see more changes when I correct you...if you are not making the corrections, it is my job to figure out why.....You may not understand your corrections and perhaps, I could explain them to you differently. If you don't understand a correction, please let me know...
In any event, you need to change some things in your diving to be more competitive and we definitely need to add some higher degree-of-difficulty dives to your lists.. We will also start readjusting (March) practice times.......so Gold & Developmental Teams can get quality practices. In the past we found success by extending pool time to three hours and and staggering starting times with an hour overlap...more details later.
On
a better note: What we lacked in execution and technique, we made up
greatly with super efforts and positive attitude & team spirit...All 11 & unders
displayed toughness and cooperative 'tudes' during the chilly proceedings...
Some 11 & Unders sun really shone on 3
meter - just getting up there was important.
Round of applause for Elisabeth McQuaid,
Paige Richardson and
Marina Bevacqua for showing some
good stuff up-top! You guys will do Jr. Olympic 3 mtr next meet!
And a hearty way-to-go to our 1st place novice divers: Elisabeth, Marina Bevacqua Shawnae Ma & Ashley Buxton
12-13 yr-old divers - no surprises here :), a few divers deserve credit
Congratulation to
Kim Yang for qualifying for
Nationals on 1 meter. We decided to keep Kim off 3 meter until her ankle
feels better....and until we can get some work done up-top.
Congratulations to Jessica Langway
who was a double novice winner and did a very commendable job on 3 meter!
She will move to J.O. next meet.
Nice job to Emma Jarczyk who also
will move to Jr. Olympic next meet. She will learn a reverse and start
competing her twisters..
14-18 yr-old divers - slight surprise here :), despite their lack of 3 meter time, Matt & Ryan -looked (just) o.k. up-top.
Congrats to double-winner
Ryan Shelley for qualifying for
AAU Nats on both boards.
He will be doing a much harder 3 meter list after his high school season! :)
Matthew Flynn had a rough 1 meter list but did much better on 3 meter...hmmmmm?
Harder dives and more time after high school will qualify him for Nats!
Michelle Higgins had a few minor
miscues and just missed qualifying for Nats on both boards, but otherwise
dived well and will definitely make it on both boards....some higher dd's are in
her future on both boards also!
Way to go to Lindsay Scuoteguazza
for scoring well on her new double twister on 1 mtr. Look for her 3 meter
list to get tougher. She was a few practices away from doing at least two
new higher dd dives up-top at this meet.:)
Katie Vogel & Audrey Strong dived the way they have been diving, with nice improvements on different dives and different areas of their diving...expect stronger lists on both boards after their high school season ends.
A big, big round of applause to our GOLD TEAM DIVERS - Ryan, Matthew, Audrey, Katie & Kim (sorry if I missed anyone) for helping out with the 11 & under divers when I was busy judging and/or announcing....You guys are the best! The kids love you! Your/their parents love you,...and your help is supremely appreciated! :)
GENERAL TEAM ASSESSMENT
As a team, at this point, we will not & cannot be competitive against the stronger teams until you are all diving 3 meter and competing harder lists. We also need boys on our team, so we can compete with the stronger teams! If you know any boys that may want to dive - boys with guts who would challenge themselves on 3 meter, please direct them our way....:) (I am not apologizing for being blunt...they need guts!)
Also, although I saw some great team support with people arriving early and some staying past their events and leaving late, we still need more cheering and applauding when our divers are on the boards! And as always, thanks to the parents for your time, commitment & support!
Click below pics to enlarge If anyone has any diving pics or 14-18 year old pics please send them and we will post!
Emma, Jessie, Ashley awards Ash & Olivia & 11 & Under group
Tramp group Coach & 11 &U Chilling on deck Paige & Marina flirting
2009 Winter Blahs Meet Results
2009 Winter Blahs Meet Diving Sheets
Onward and upward! If you didn't have a good meet! Suck it up & practice harder!