Regarding opening ceremonies:. We are dedicating this competition to the events of September 11th 2001, so it will be somewhat patriotic, but mostly fun. Please make sure that all of your team members are dressed alike or they will not be allowed to walk in or participate in the Rip Challenge. As meet director, I am strictly enforcing the U.S. Diving Rule 109.17 section C on page G:14. No one will be allowed on the medal stand while wearing street clothes or inappropriate dress. I am asking that all coaches march in with their divers during opening ceremonies.

On opening night there will be a Rip Challenge open to one member per team that is eligible to attend Nationals. He/She will do one dive either from the 7.5 or 10-meter platform. All dives will have a DD of 1.0 and must be a dive not a lineup. The judges will judge only the entry, as they will not have any diving or coaching experience. We will have a “consultant” helping them.

Each diver will have only one practice dive. After zones, if your ream wishes to participate, please choose the diver and either email me at divingmom@hotmail.com or telephone me at (408) 741-1866. Prize money will be awarded to the team.

There will also be a Coaches’ Challenge. You will be able to keep the prize money. To qualify you must do either a 105 off of the 3-meter or the 5-meter (more money offered). Speedos are optional. I know that some coaches are currently perfecting their technique to debut at nationals. I also learned that there are some of you that are still competing. To make it fair for all coaches there will be prize money for not only the best-executed dive, but also the most original interpretation of a 105. The coach winning the best-executed dive will not be eligible to win the most creative. The barbeque is at no charge for the coaches but unfortunately there will be a charge of $20 for adults and $15 for children and athletes. All the festivities will end at 10 P.M.

Schedule:

The schedule has been reworked many times and it runs very tight. Please bring a jacket or sweatshirt because after the sun goes down passed the bleachers the temperature drops dramatically. We are using a computer system that has worked well in the past but if it breaks down, we will immediately switch to score cards.

Parking:

On Saturday July 27th and Sunday July 28th, JO Diving must share the parking lots near the pool with the Bank of the West Tennis Tournament. This is a huge tournament and parking will be at a premium. Hopefully tennis finals will be over early Sunday afternoon. We are trying to work with Stanford for in and out passes and discounted parking (it is $7 per car per entry as stands). If you are staying at the Sheraton or the Westin Palo Alto, it is less then a mile walk to the pool.

Medical:

We will have lifeguards on duty during practice and competition times. If there is an accident, the lifeguards if necessary will do the rescue. We will have a first aid tent and the Stanford Hospital Emergency Room is four minutes away. If the parents are not attending, please make sure you receive a notarized medical consent to treat in order that the diver can be given immediate treatment.

Part II: The Competition

Practice:

Flights will begin at 7 A.M. daily and will end at 8:30 A.M. The boards will be open to the divers of the first event until 8:55 A.M. Competition begins at 9 A.M. sharp. Because we have the luxury of two pools, when there is competition in one pool the other will be open for practice. It is mandatory that a coach be on deck for the diver at the same pool. This will be strictly monitored and the diver will be removed from practice. When using the tower, there must be a caller. The boards will close 35 minutes prior to the next event on that board to divers in the next event. Five minutes prior to the event, all boards will close in that pool. Please be aware that if there is a holdup in one pool the next event will begin on time in the opposite pool.

Judging:

Dave Suba will be in charge of arranging judging panels. If you are asked, please arrange your eating times and breaks around the event that you are judging. At one minute before the event begins, you will here the jeopardy one-minute music. It will be played until all panelists are seated (I have seen it in operation before and the audience gets ugly if they have to hear it more then twice).

Food:

For the first time in many years one caterer will cater the entire event. Unfortunately there will not be eighteen hours of food operation. There will be three meals a day served beginning on July 29th; drinks will always be on hand.

Hours of Operation:

Breakfast – 7:30 A.M. to 9:30 A.M.

Lunch- 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.

Dinner- 4:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.

Catering is our largest expense next to our rental budget. Unfortunately only credentials persons will be able to enter the catering area. Divers are not allowed at any time. I realize that some of you are bringing your families, which I encourage. We will have an honor system where you may prepay $20 a day per adult or $15 a day per child. There will also be an excellent concessions stand outside the fence with a larger and less expensive variety of food. We will try the honor system on Monday. If it does not work, we will be force to suspend the plan.

Credentials:

All persons allowed on deck will be credentialed. You must wear your credentials when you enter as well as on deck or in the catered area. All will be color-coded. Please remind your divers to wear their credentials when not in the water or they will be not allowed on deck. There will be someone checking at all the entrances to the deck.

Dive Sheets:

It is our plan to have all dive sheets in the computer prior to the diver stepping onto the Stanford campus. At Zones, will you please remind your divers that are eligible for nationals to fill out their dive sheets before they leave zones, so they may be FedExed in time by Tuesday. Dive sheets must be approved and signed prior to 6 P.M. the night before the event other ways there will be a late fee of $30 for each late sheet as stated in U.S. Diving rule book (Rule 112.3 section 4-III and Rule 112.3 Section 5).

Although this is my first major meet as a director, I have attended and worked on deck for almost every meet that I have attended. This has been a big learning curve for me. IF you have any questions of suggestions, please feel free to call me at (408) 741-1866 or email me at divingmom@hotmail.com.

Thank you,

Suzanne Maas,

Meet Director