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Competitive and Synchronised Pool Diving Summer Camps

Pool Diver

Most diving camp sessions are open to all ages and levels of skill; however children must be able to swim at least 15 - 25 meters confidently and submerge without goggles. Ages are generally 9 years plus for dedicated diving camps, for the younger kids the diving camps are usually combined with swimming. The venues and courses open to divers who have been identified as having strong future potential are normally aquatics centres for serious training and are official ITC training centres (Intensive Training Centres) - usually in Universities with a watersport performance training focus.

Pool diving starts from the 1m and 3 m springboards, and the platform. Platform divers perform their dives on either the five, seven and a half or ten meter towers. Top level divers go from the 10 meter platform. Unlikely to feature on a summer camp but just for interests sake high divers (outdoors) dive from 25 m plus!

With all its spinning, leaping and springing into the water it involves a high level of control and discipline. Diving also involves a level of courage and must be taken seriously as it can be dangerous if not done in the correct way. Teachers and instructors should be qualified to a high level and obviously be CRB checked.

Divers need to have a certain amount of strength, flexibility and control to perform the different types of dives, however this is something that children can learn and build on whilst they are at the camps. Diving can also help with developing children’s balance, fitness, self belief and discipline, to name a few.

There are 4 main body positions that diving is based on, these elements are:

Straight - The body is in a straight line, no bending of the hips or knees
Pike - The body in bent at the hips, but not the knees
Tuck - The body curled up tightly with the hands on the lower legs
Free - This is where the diver can put in twists, adding a combination of 2 of the above positions.

Diving is ideal for children that enjoy sports such as gymnastics, as they both involve strength and good flexibility. It also requires a certain amount of confidence and self belief to be able to perform the dives and progress through the sport. Above all camps are a great place to have fun, learn new skills, meet new friends; and who knows, they may one day be the next Tom Daly.