Running A Dive Meet

Consider this a DIVING FOR DUMMIES type series....I will be adding to this as time allows...if you have questions e-mail me at annvincent@aol.com

FOR A CHECK LIST providing a time line for planning see the link to
DIVE MEET PLANNING SHEET

The purpose of this page is to assist a team parent who is considering running a meet. Most meets are run by volunteers and parents who can be asked to assist and handle the basic steps to keep the meet simple and fun for those attending and those participating. US DIVING has created a Meet management program currently available to Testers but hopefully will be available soon.

TYPES OF DIVING MEETS:

High School Dual Meets (6 dive format)
High School League/Championships 2 events
Club Invitational (all age groups could include up to 30 events Novice and 30 events JO)
Regional, Zone or National US Diving Events (Junior Olympic)
Senior/Open (Olympic level) US Diving events (6 events)
Collegiate Duel or Invitational Events
NCAA Zones and Finals
Masters Open Events

The concept for running all of the above meets is the same, however they vary by the number of events from a high school duel meet with only two events (boys girls) up to a full force three day Club invitational with the equivalent of 75 events including Novice, JO and Senior events.

THE BASICS:
RULES: For each level of diving there are set rules that determine which dives are allowed to be included in the divers list of dives submitted for the competition. This is referred to as the diver's list. You will need access to a rule book to determine details such as the dives that can be performed, the rules regarding team suits/jewelry etc., team scoring, judging and specific requirements for the facility, etc.

REFEREE: This is a designated coach who will make the determination if there is a question on the rules, correct performance of a dive and coordinates the judging panel. The referee/coach in charge must review the basics with the judges and make the final determination if a dive has been performed correctly. Refer to a rule book for the specific details for your event.

JUDGES: Depending on the event...These are trained coaches certified by the level and group they represent. For high school events these should be high school coaches representing each team, however some school's swim/dive coaches are not comfortable with diving rules. At invitational meets when a shortage of qualified/certified coaches for that specific level is available, then judges are sometimes selected based on experience at certain levels to provide a panel of five judges. The minimum would be 3 judges. Panels of 7 judges are used at some levels of US DIVING events.

MEET DIRECTOR: This person oversees the event, coordinating the activities. If the Meet Director is also the Coach, and the Referee for the event, it is important to have a Meet Secretary who will handle the registration and diving lists submitted, money and results. Trying to handle too many activities will pull the coach away from the divers who need supervision to prepare for the events.

MEET SECRETARY: This individual can be a parent or volunteer who will make sure each diver is registered and paid, entered in the correct event and that the dive lists entered are checked for accuracy. If an additional person is available to serve as Registration Chairman, then once the dive sheets are entered and paid for, the Meet Secretary would become responsible for getting the sheets ready for the event.

WAIVERS/ ENTRY FORMS: Use the dive sheet as the entry form. If you use the Dive Sheet Verifier form program as the entry form, you have the standard waiver for participation included as part of the registration. Be sure the parent signs the form. All participants must be US Diving Members for US Diving Sanctioned meets.

REGISTRATION CHAIRMAN: Before running an event, the registration chairman needs to provide a complete list of divers entered, to verify that all the dive lists have been turned over to the Meet Secretary and are ready to compete. If at all possible, Dive Lists should be turned in after the diver has checked the sheet on a DIVE SHEET VERIFIER/or similar computer program even if the sheet is hand written because printers aren't available. This will clear the diver to continue and practice up to the beginning of the event without having to be called to the office/table for corrections. All Changes made to sheets need to be verified that they continue to meet the rules.

CHECKING/VERIFYING DIVE SHEETS: This is one of the most important steps for a good contest. ;If the list doesn't conform to the rules, the delays in making changes and preparing for running the event are frustrating. THE DIVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TURNING IN A LIST OF DIVES THAT CONFORMS TO THE RULES FOR THE EVENT. IN ALL CONTESTS THE DIVER SIGNS THE SHEET TO VERIFY THAT IT IS THEIR CHOICE OF DIVES. However I have not attended a meet at any level that has not had errors to be caught before the event due to rules, incorrect DD's listed or DD maximums for events. As parents and staff, our job has become one of trying to make sure a problem does not take place in the middle of the contest that would cause a diver to become disqualified. Because of that, the coaches and divers tend to be more lax about preparing sheets assuming somebody will catch it. There are now programs available to help check the diving lists, and an opportunity for both the divers and staff to make sure the information is accurate.

TO use the DIVE VERIFIER PROGRAM, you will need Excel installed on your computer. There are both High School and US Diving versions available. By selecting the event and entering the dives, the DD's can be checked for each board and the rules for the event are verified for the dives entered. The sheet prints out a notice that the sheet is verified; so that sheets submitted on this form do not have to be rechecked by the staff. They are legible and easy to read by the announcer. The description of the dive prints out completely.

FOR STAFF CHECKING SHEETS: If you are checking a large stack of sheets, group them by event and select the appropriate group and event. Do not plan to print the sheets, simply enter the dives and verify that they fit the rules. Sign and mark the original sheet checked with your initials to verify its accuracy. BE sure you have corrected the DD if it is listed wrong on the sheet. This is the most common error in checking the sheets quickly. It is easy to notice if the rules confirm, but remembering to compare the DD's listed is sometimes overlooked. FOR PLATFORM EVENTS OR HIGH SCHOOL EVENTS checking the board levels is important. Before you decide the DD is written in wrong, check to see if the correct board has been checked.

Once that event is checked, move on to the next.

PREPARING THE SHEETS FOR TABLE SCORING: All Sheets must be verified that they conform to the rules and have correct DD's entered. The announcer must be able to read the dives and the DD without question. IF a DD is not accurate, and is not caught by the referee for the contest, it will affect the overall scoring of the contest. Before the sheets are sent to the table for scoring. All dive numbers and DD's must be easy to read. The sheets are numbered in a random order.

HOW TO RUN A SIMPLE SCORING TABLE: Without a computer
For those investigating computer systems, several computer systems exist such as Meet Director (Mac); EZMeet (PC), Incomar, and Colorado Timing.

The old fashioned basic way requires a Xerox of the complete set of sheets so there are two copies of the checked sheets just before the event starts. At one time divers submitted two hand-written sheets, but that required also checking to see that both sheets had the same dives listed. Any changes before the event must be made to both sets of sheets, so don't copy them too early. If a copy machine is not available, the sheets must be hand-copied. THE ANNOUNCER USES THE ORIGINAL SHEET TO READ FROM; the hand-copied sheet is check for accuracy each round. Two independent groups write the scores on each sheet, drop the high and low scores and arrive with a raw score (a total of three judges scores). Multiply the raw score by the DD to get the points for that dive. Calculate the totals from the DD (calculators or Dive slide rules can be used) then accumulate the totals. The totals are compared after each round to be sure they agree. IF they do not, and additional staff person verifies that both groups used the same scores, the same DD and did the math correctly. Third independent Master scorer is also writing down the scores in case the two groups did not agree on the scores announced. Hopefully two of the three will always agree. The Master scorer makes sure that they get the scores recorded. IF there is a question, the scores are called for again before the next diver proceeds.

To run a full manual table you will need:

1 Announcer
2 Scorers (to write down the scores, cross off the high and low)
2 Tabulators (to add the raw score, multiply the DD and record the total for each dive)
1 Master Scorer (to independently record the scores only as a back-up)
1 Table Supervisor to determine where the error lies if the two groups do not produce identical results after each dive.

Things to watch for: Change of DD on one sheet and not the other when a dive is changed on the board; Scores don't agree on both sheets so master score sheet is consulted; Error in addition or multiplication.

RESULTS: The results are typed from the handwritten sheets being careful to note the place, name, team & location for each diver. If using a copy machine, the results can be copied, and final listing typed later. The original sheets can be announced and distribute the Xerox to the divers if your results are not typed yet. US Diving allows up to one hour following a contest to challenge the results.

AWARDS: The easiest way to prepare in advance is to have the medals bagged in zip lock bags for each event. If you use labels to identify the place and meet, they can be added just before the medals are distributed. That way you eliminated the extra task of removing labels from medals not used if there are not at least 6 or 12 competitors in the event, depending on the number of awards given out.

Hand written labels can be prepared in advance or computer generated. To computer generate labels use file folder labels and create columns within the label. You can then fit at least four square identifying tags within each file folder label. For recurring events each year you simply need to edit the master file to change the year with a search and replace.

PUBLICITY: Press should be contacted at least two weeks in advance of most meets to arrange for photographer or press coverage. Faxing the meet information sheet to the press office is the first step. RESULTS should be faxed or emailed the same day of the events to expect coverage for that day. Local newspapers are likely to provide a summary of the weekend if you have a good relationship with them, however larger papers will only print the current days event results if provided before their cut off time.

So far we have explained what needs to happen, here we will walk through it for timing on the day of the event.

COORDINATING ALL THE COMMITTEES TO MAKE THE MEET RUN SMOOTHLY.

AT THE MEET:

Registration:

All the registration forms in alphabetical order to locate information instantly. Late Entries have the envelope stapled to the entry form to confirm date of postmark
An excel spreadsheet: (or some format) with all the divers listed and the events identified along with money paid and due. This can be updated by hand, and a copy made before each event for the Sheet checkers
A printout or list to provide to the sheet checkers to confirm who is actually entered in the contest and that all sheets are in, just before the order is pulled. This helps find out that a diver registered but did not turn is sheets before the diver asks why their name is not included in the diving order as the event is starting.
A cash box
Association Registration forms (all divers must be registered)
A list or method for identifying divers with registration problems
A list generated by Sheet checking indicating sheet problems if available.
Time schedule estimate.
Printout of DD Sheet - Use printout from Dive Verifier Program
Printout of Rules - Use printout from Dive Verifier Program
Blank Sheets for dive sheets OR Computers for sheet entry.

Plan for time during warm-ups for registration, be there early..., expect confused and novice divers with their parents to be frustrated, just like you were at your first dive meet. Train them to understand the procedure for registration so they are ready for the next meet approaching.

SHEET CHECKING:

All the sheets filed by order of event.
All the checked sheets in the back of each folder, with problems or notes regarding missing sheets filed in the front of each folder.
IF new sheets are created using the dive verifier or EZMEET, the original sheets with corrections shown must be filed in Dive order or Alphabetical Order and be available on the table for the referee in case a computer entry error is detected and the dive change needs to be confirmed.
As early as possible, missing sheets are identified and divers are located to correct errors and complete sheets.
ONE HOUR prior to the event, NO FURTHER CHANGES. Additional changes are to be made on deck during contest. The sheets are confirmed to all be checked and present according to registration, then randomized (avoiding divers with similar names side by side and team members side by side.) The sheets are numbered and a diving order is posted.
Master Score sheets are set out or printed. (Blank sheets, or generated by EZMEET)
Folder with DIVE SHEETS with DIVING ORDER LISTED ON EACH SHEET
Folder with backup sheets (original entries if new sheets printed) Filed in some order.
If no backup sheets, then create a Xerox copy of sheets in case of power failure and need to go to manual table. (IF BACK UP BATTERY SYSTEM IS AVAILABLE you can disregard this.) Worst case, have a stack of Blank Dive sheets available so back up sheets can be filled in if table needs to go manual.

Table Manager needs to be able to pick up the folders and be ready to run the event.

IF computer use is available, print the following reports:

Diving Order with list ---to post for divers
Master Score Sheet
Announcers Sheet with description

TABLE MANAGER (who oversees each table for the event):

Posts or announces the diving order.
Assigns workers for each position needed at the table.
Determines that all the equipment is STILL working before each event. (scoring pads and connections).
Makes sure each volunteer understands the method for recording scores and the paper flow across the table.
During the event, Supervises the table and steps in as needed to assist with corrections, training new volunteers as needed.
Verifies each sheet with totals recorded during last round so sheets are ready to sort.
Confirms final scores, Sort, and number the divers by place.
Delivers final results to the dive office.

RESULTS Recorded manually (Not by EZMEET)

Results need to be recorded (typed) BEFORE the original sheets are distributed to the divers. OR A XEROX COPY can be given to the diver, keeping the original so it can be easily read when the results are typed.
Results typed in word or excel can be converted to HTML for Internet website posting.
Results by event, should be posted at the registration table if a RESULTS bulletin board is not available. Care should be taken to confirm divers that are UNATTACHED and CORRECT TEAM REPRESENTATION.
FINAL COPY of Results should be provided to Registration to confirm entries paid compared to those who competed.
FAX results to Newspapers or provide to PUBLICITY CHAIRMAN who will.

AWARDS:

IF medals are presorted, this is easy. Bags containing the correct number of medals can be spread on a tray and the labels for the event applied for those needed.
Take the medals to the table before the event. At the end of the event confirm how many medals are needed and have two table workers prepare them before they are done.
Announcer can read from the results printout (or original set of sheets if you are giving out copies to the divers because the results have not been typed yet.)
Two people need to pass out AWARDS, one to hand out sheets, one to hand out medals. If flowers are included, a third person is required.

DON'T FORGET THE PARTICIPATION RIBBONS...I always seem to forget those....it is so important to the kids and the parents. You can always find a parent in the waiting crowd to help pass them out.