:: Texas Skills ::
:: Development Program ::
:: What Is it? ::
The Texas Skill Development Program is a collaborative effort by member clubs in Texas to improve the sport of diving at the grassroots level. Never before have so many coaches come together in the United States to work together and share information about how to teach diving and train athletes.
The program was conceived in July of 2003 in Midland, TX at the Region VIII Championships. Information was gathered from many sources to compile the original tests.
Contributors include:
- City of Midland Diving
- The Woodlands Dive Club
- Oklahoma City Regional Training Center
- Grapevine Carroll Diving
- Mustangs in the Sun Diving
- San Antonio Divers
- Alamo Area Aquatics
- Amarillo Dive Club
- Lubbock Dive Club
- Katy Aquatics
- Conroe Dive Club
- Sugar Land Diving Club
- Texas Aquatics
- Trey’s Gang
The program covers all aspects of training for competitive diving. Areas include everything from stretches to trampoline to dives from the platform. The program also acts as an educational resource for participating coaches. The process of creating and revising the tests, and creating criteria for how to teach and judge the skills helps all the coaches become sharper, better teachers. The tests are also a “work in progress”, requiring revision every year based on suggestions gathered from the prior season.
The goal of the Texas Skill Development Program is to shorten the time it takes to learn how to do dives great, not just right. The progressions set forth in the Levels build on one another to give the athlete the tools necessary to become successful competitive divers. Learning how to set and achieve goals is a large part of becoming a successful athlete, and is included in the tests.
To see a description of the test click here.
The test sheets and descriptions of the skills included on the tests will soon be available for downloading from this website.
:: When Are They? ::
They will be approximately every 8 to 12 weeks, depending on the time of year. How do they work? There are between six and seven “categories” with anywhere from two to seven skills in each. These categories cover floor, trampoline, dryboard, and water skills. The kids are given scores (0-2) for each skill performed. One ribbon is earned for each category. A collection of ribbons and a point total will earn them a bronze, silver, or gold medal. The diver with the most blue ribbons will earn special recognition. At the end they will be given a copy of their skill sheet so they can see where they need to improve.
:: What Is The Cost? ::
An entry fee of $15 dollars covers all the categories and awards. How will we know when they are? The divers will be told at practice and it will also be posted on the bulletin board. Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Elite team members pay a one-time COM registration fee of $35.00. If the diver drops out of the program and comes back at a later time the fee will be charged again.
:: Who Are They For? ::
Learn to Dive, Pre-team, and Bronze divers take the skills tests.
:: Handling Test Sheets ::When your child first enters their team they will be given a copy of the skills test sheet. We want you to take it home and go over it with them. Take a highlighter and highlight everything they do not know how to do. Then find a place for them to put it like the fridge. Every time they learn something new have them mark it off! This helps them learn how to set and achieve goals. They will get another sheet at the test that is filled out and has comments on how to improve. Go over this with them to and let them write down what their goals are for the next test.
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