Questions and Answers
1. Who is responsible for my child while training at the Olympium and at competitions?
Coaches are responsible for the divers during the scheduled training hours. At “local” competitions (from warm-up to award presentations) the divers are the responsibility of their coaches. Each diver must remain in the competitive area or receive direct permission from their coach to leave the pool deck. At “away” competitions, responsibility is the coach’s or is directly designated by the coach to the volunteer parents acting on the EDC’s behalf.
2. My child is sick. Who do I tell?
Please inform your child’s coach if your child will be late or miss a workout. If you know that your child will be away for an extended time period, please make the coaches aware of this as soon as possible. There are time periods during the year when their attendance at practice is a necessity. Good communication can help avoid conflicts.
3. What should my child bring to training?
There are two components to practice. The first is dry land training which will require comfortable, loose-fitting shorts, a T-shirt, running shoes with good support. Long hair is best held back with elastics, not barrettes. The second is pool time, which requires a well-fitted bathing suit. For girls, a well-stabilized back is desirable. This would include T-bar type backs or stable X-crossing attached to shoulder straps. In general, the open-back suits or simple X-backed suits tend to be less comfortable to perform in. For boys, the longer swim trunks that are boxer-like are NOT appropriate. The traditional “Speedo” style suit is required. In addition, your child should have 1 or 2 beach-size towels, shampoo/conditioner for chlorine and some divers like a chamois for drying off on the pool deck. You may wish to provide pool deck shoes which are primarily used at competitions.
4. What should my child eat before attending training?
Good pre-workout foods include those that are easily digested and converted into energy. These would include pasta products, fruits, vegetables and other breads. Generally, meats are more slowly digested and can cause discomfort at training. Small servings of these proteins may prove more desirable for your child.
Workouts generally are 2 – 3 hours; therefore there is no formal snack time. Feel free to send a water bottle with your child. Water bottles should contain only regular temperature tap water — not chilled or iced. During a workout, the body’s temperature rises and it is not desirable to shock it with a jolt of ice water. It may be worth including an after practice snack, such as bagels, muffins, fruit or vegetable sticks.
5. May I observe a training session?
Parents are always welcome to observe training from the second level of the pool at the Olympium (the bleachers). Dry land training does occur on this level and parents are asked not to interfere during this time. Parents are NOT ALLOWED on the pool deck during training times and are asked NOT TO INTERACT (yelling, waving) with their child. This is very distracting to your child, the other divers and the coaches. It can create a dangerous situation that may result in injury to a diver.
6. I’d like to speak to my child’s coach. What should I do?
At the end of a training session, after the divers have left the pool deck, you may approach your child’s coach. This is the time to relay information, questions and concerns. For in depth conversations, a mutually convenient time can be arranged.
7. What does the coach expect of my child?
Divers are expected to arrive on time, to be polite and respectful to their coaches and fellow team members. They (not their parents) are responsible for bringing what they need to the pool. They must be prepared to work hard and focus on developing their own skills, to LISTEN to what the coach has to say and to ACT on the directions given. Divers should demonstrate an attitude of dedication, commitment and a desire to learn and to achieve. A diver’s ability to focus his/her attention and energy to the task at hand will determine their level of success. To do their best, divers must be well rested and mentally prepared. It is the coach’s expectation that a diver is at the pool to dive and work hard.
8. How is information made available to me?
There is a file box in the dry land training area of the pool (the second level). You will have a file placed there. When general or specific information needs to be communicated, a copy will be placed in this file. It will include such things as updates of training times and cancellations, coaches’ updates, meet information, etc. Please check this file, and your child’s diving bag regularly for information. Most divers are great at emptying their files but not as conscientious about getting the information into the parents’ hands. Additionally, the EDC does rely on email to distribute important information related to the Club’s activities. It is important to inform the EDC of your email address and any changes to it thereafter.
9. Fees and refunds.
The fee schedule and payment options are provided on a separate sheet. All fees are for a diving year, September through to August. Pool cancellation time is not refundable.
Refunds due to sickness or injury: There is no refund for the first month that your child is off sick or injured. After that, if your child dives at any time during a month, that month is non-refundable. A letter requesting a refund must be submitted to the head coach as soon as possible. Payments are due on the dates indicated on the fee schedule.
10. What additional expenses should I expect?
This will vary greatly depending on your child’s competitive level. For all divers, there are the costs of at least 2 – 3 good quality bathing suits, towels and toiletries. A club track suit and water-resistant diving bag must also be purchased. Orders are placed early in the fall.
There is always a registration fee for competitions, as well as a fee for each board competed. For the local Level II-IV competitions, this will normally be in the $20 to $30 range. For Level I meets, the fees are more in the $50 – $80 range.
If the competition is considered to be local, generally parents are expected to provide their child’s transportation or arrange for it. For out-of-town competitions or those requiring overnight stays, transportation is arranged by the head coach. At meets, it is the policy of EDC that the club both travels and stays together as a team at meets. Costs are worked out in advance, including hotel costs and a bill is provided in advance of the meet. It is mandatory that costs be paid BEFORE the diver departs for the competition. Failure to pay for a meet before departure could result in your child not being allowed to attend the meet.
The number of meets your child attends is determined by your child’s coach. Many meets are suggested as they are qualifying meets for the provincial and national championships. Costs for some will involve airfare. This is also arranged by our head coach who secures the best possible price for flights. In addition, you are expected to provide money for your child for food and incidentals, such as phone calls. You may wish to provide $20 – $25 per day for your child. A prepaid calling card is often sent with the divers by the parents.
11. What questions might I wish to ask concerning my child’s progress?
Ask what’s involved at the level at which your child will compete, about competitions (mandatory and optional) and about equipment requirements. This will allow you to plan your time and your expenses. Ask about your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Pose the question: How can I help my child? Share your concerns with the coach. The coach will also contact you with the triumphs and tribulations your child is experiencing.
12. What should I do if my child complains about soreness after a workout?
Soreness after stretching and training at the start of the season is normal. A diver who trains 2 – 3 times a week will likely experience more stiffness than one training more frequently. Suspect an injury if the diver complains of pain “that won’t go away” or if there are signs of redness or swelling. If this occurs, consult a medical professional.
13. How is the EDC structured?
The EDC is non-profit organization that operates solely to develop the sport of diving. The coaches handle all “diving” related matters, such as diver/coach assignment, training programs, practice sessions, appropriate meets to attend, diving levels of the divers, Learn-to-Dive programs, on deck discipline, travel arrangements, etc.
The EDC has a five member board and is composed of five (5) Directors:-
President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary and Member at Large.
The Directors are elected at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) for a period of one (1) year and must be a member of the Club (e.g. must either be the parent of a diver or a diver). Board members are asked to attend one monthly meeting and to fulfill the action items allocated. Interested parties should submit their names at least 2 weeks prior to the AGM. The board of the EDC is responsible for the management of the EDC – not for the running of the EDC. It is important to note that in a diving club, divers and board members will come and go but the coaches remain. This means that the board is responsible for the following:
- Hiring and supervising of senior staff – the Head Coach
- Providing strategic planning – including personnel, finance, public relations and club services
- Developing and implementing EDC policy – ensuring that the club is fulfilling its mission statement
14. How much fundraising does this club do?
There are two types of fund raising that will be implemented this year:
a) Shop and Support which is optional, the funds from which go directly to the participating diver. We are very fortunate that Langley and Shauna Vanderkley have offered to be responsible for this initiative. All questions about Shop and Support should be addressed to them directly.
b) Meet promotion which is mandatory for all competitive divers, the funds from which will go to support the EDC. The details of this Meet promotion initiative will be forwarded to all members of the competitive team during the course of the year. All competitive group divers will be required to attend on the selected Saturdays; those who are unable to attend may buy their way out.
15. What have I obligated myself to this year?
As a parent of a diver, you have obligated yourself to ensuring that your child is on time and present for regular training sessions. You will be asked to provide your own transportation for yourself and your child to local diving meets. In addition, we host 1 – 2 meets a year. These are normally national level meets, as we have the only facility in Toronto that can accommodate this level of a meet. There is a yearly meet called the J.D., named after the club’s founder, John Dickinson. It is an invitational meet that is usually held in April or May. The J.D. is a Group 2 qualifying meet (the scores from this meet are recognized by CADA for national qualifying scores). Usually, clubs from across Canada attend along with some from the United States. In order to run a successful meet, parent participation is mandatory. This is a 3-day competition. Parental assistance is needed in planning and coordinating the event and in a wide variety of areas during the three day competition. You will also be asked to donate food or beverages to a hosting area for the judges and coaches.
EDC has also been hosts to Age Group, Senior National and Provincial competitions and will be bidding to host these meets again. For the 2008-2009 diving season we will be hosting the Ontario Provincial Championships which is another 3-day competition.
Again, your assistance will be mandatory. All families are required to help out for 2 to 3 days at these events. This is a great way to become more involved, to meet more parents, to learn more about diving as a sport, to watch your child and some of the best divers in Canada. We also encourage diver’s siblings to volunteer at such competitions as this qualifies towards their high school community service requirement.
Mandatory assistance means that each family will be required to donate 40 hours of volunteer time to the EDC throughout the diving season. With two important competitions to host for 2008-2009, each family must help out. The dates will be highlighted at the beginning of the year providing sufficient advance notice to each family. The competitions are organized by a meet manager who will organize a general information session for all families outlining a wide variety of volunteer jobs that will allow you to meet your mandatory hours.
16. How is diving structured?
Diving in Ontario is set up by gender with basically two levels of competition. The first is at the provincial level and has levels 1 through 4 (level 1 being the highest level). The second is the national level. Age groups are designated by letters A, B, C & D (see below). There are some specific criteria of dives set for each grouping. As more dives are learned, the diver might compete at a higher level within their age group. Criteria are set by CADA to qualify for the National Age Group Championship. Divers representing Canada internationally are chosen from this group. There is a senior diving category for those over the age of 18. Twice yearly, national competitions are held at this level. Younger divers with a point total from meets that exceed qualification totals are welcome to dive at this level. Seniors are selected to represent Canada at special events.
All diving in Canada is under the Canadian Amateur Diving Association or CADA. Their web site is www.diving.ca. Their primary area of interest is the national level or high performance level. Each province has a regulatory body. Ours is Dive Ontario and their website is www.diveontario.com.
17. How is the age group determined?
This is determined by the age of the diver as of December 31 of the year in question:
Group A 16 – 18 years
Group B 14 – 15 years
Group C 12 – 13 years
Group D 11 and under
Group E 9 and under (this is not a national level)
18. How do I know my child’s level?
Each level has different requirements. This should be discussed with the individual’s coach.
19. When will I know the dates for my child’s competitions?
Every effort is made by the coaches to supply this information to all divers by the late fall. Dates may or may not be firm at this point, but at least you will have the basic schedule to which you may refer. Several competitions are held yearly at roughly the same time. Until confirmation of these competitions is received, it is only possible to speculate on the dates. For major events sponsored by CADA, the dates are published quite early but have been known to change as the desired dates may not be available at the host club’s pool. Keep in mind that it is possible that your child’s diving level may in fact change over the year as they progress. This will obviously result in a change in the competitive schedule. Ask questions as often as you need to feel comfortable with the information in this regard.
20. What does a parent say to a child who feels unhappy about their performance in competition?
Try to help the diver put their “feelings” into words. A young diver may know they feel “bad” but doesn’t recognize that this feeling may be one of frustration or disappointment. From their perspective, they have worked hard throughout the year and have learned many new skills. Progress and success has occurred – reinforce this. Prepare them that disappointment can happen in competition. Making a mistake in competition will happen and will cost marks. Beginning level divers and those moving into new levels must all prove themselves to the judges. In competitions, the chance to impress is limited to the number of dives they perform and the way they conduct themselves. It takes time and experience to be able to concentrate at the level necessary to perform well.
Each time the diver competes before a judging panel, they are building a reputation and rapport with those judges. It is important that even lesser performances have positive learning opportunities. With the help of the coach, your child can learn to become more focused in training so that competitions will provide opportunities for more confident performances. After a competition, it is the coach’s responsibility to review your child’s performance and look for ways to improve. Please leave these corrections for the coach. If you have insights into your child’s learning style please share these privately with the coach. Parents can reassure a “disappointed” diver how much they have progressed in the past year and tell them that caring about making a good impression and wanting to do well are important traits of a good competitor. Being gracious in defeat is a skill to be admired but it needn’t diminish your child’s desire to compete well.
Parents need to remind their child that they can learn a great deal about themselves through competition and reap future benefits on how to come to terms with disappointment. Your child will learn a great deal about their character through competition and often the best growing experiences are not those presented through success.
