Your diver’s first meet is coming up. Here is what to do before the meet, what to pack, and what the day looks like. Our first meet this fall is the Delta Valley Divers Invite on Saturday, September 26, in Stockton, and the same steps apply to every meet on our schedule.
Two things to do before you can register
To compete in a sanctioned meet, your diver needs an AAU membership and a DiveLive account.
For the AAU membership, choose the Extended Coverage option ($24 per year). It is required for meets that AAU does not host. The step-by-step is on our Diving Meets 101 page.
For DiveLive, install the app, create an account with your diver’s information, and request to join Tri-Valley Divers. I have to accept the request before you can register, so do this at least a week before the meet. Some meets use DiveMeets instead. The meet announcement will say which one.
The dive list
Coach Monte and I set the dive list with your athlete at practice. Beginner lists are short and made up of dives your diver already does well. We do not add a harder dive for a meet. A clean, simple dive scores better than a hard dive done poorly, because the judges’ scores are multiplied by the dive’s difficulty either way.
Once you confirm your diver is attending, I will send you the list and the event to register for. Go over the list with your diver the night before. They are responsible for knowing their dives and the order.
What to pack
I will send an event timeline for each meet, so you will know when your diver competes and how long the day runs. Pack accordingly: TVD competition suit, warm-up clothes, two towels, flip-flops, a water bottle, snacks, sunscreen, and something to do between dives.
Meet day
Arrive at the time I give you, not the start time on the meet announcement. Divers check in and warm up on the boards before the meet begins. Your athlete goes to the deck and finds the coaches. You find the spectator area. The deck is for athletes and coaches only, the same as at practice. Bleachers are hard and spectator areas can be cold, so bring a cushion and a layer.
During the meet
Your diver competes one dive at a time, with a wait between each one. Cheer after the dive and leave the corrections to us. Instructions from the stands add pressure and usually contradict what we just told them on deck. If the meet is on DiveLive, scores update in the app as each dive is judged.
After the meet
Ask which dive they were most proud of before you ask about the score. At a first meet, the accomplishment is getting up on the board and doing the dives. The scores come with time. Plan to stay through your diver’s last event and awards, and check with us before you leave in case there is a team photo.
If your diver is not ready yet
Nobody has to compete. We encourage it when an athlete is ready and never force it. Some divers train a season or two before their first meet, and some start with our intersquad meets at Las Positas, where they compete against teammates. If you are not sure, ask us at practice.
Our full schedule is on the Meet Schedule page, and Diving Meets 101 covers scoring, levels, and registration in more detail. If you have any questions, please let me know. Otherwise, we’ll see you on deck.
If you are new to Tri-Valley Divers and want to see a practice, come to a free trial class on a Wednesday.