Frequently Asked Questions
The goals of these FAQ are to answer most questions you might have, demystify the sport of diving and welcome you to the Palisades Dive community.
We strive to provide a fun, supportive and inclusive activity for kids at Palisades. No matter if your diver is looking to learn basic dives, make new pool friends, become a future diving superstar or all of the above, there is a place for your family on the Palisades Dive Team!
We update this FAQ when we receive a new question if the answer might be of interest to the team, so please check back frequently for answers to any questions that arise!
General Team Info
Q: What are the goals of the Palisades Dive Team?
A: The goals of the Palisades Dive Team are to provide diving instruction to divers ages 5-18 in a supportive and fun environment and to instill a love of diving in as many families as we can!
Q: What is the attendance requirement for a diver to join the team?
A: We have no attendance requirements for divers on the Palisades Dive Team. But remember, the more practices a diver attends, the more they will learn this summer!
Q: What is the dive team trial?
A: Palisades offers a $25 dive team trial to allow a new diver to try out the Palisades Dive Team for up to two practices before committing to the full summer season. After two practices, interested divers must register for the season to continue attending practices.
Q: What is the Palisades Dive refund policy?
A: Once a diver registers for either the Palisades Dive team or the dive team trial, Palisades is obligated to pay the league insurance fee. Consequently, the $25 dive team trial fee is non-refundable. The season registration is refundable before the end of the first week of June, if the diver has participated in two or fewer practices less the $25 trial fee to cover the league insurance. If you are new to Palisades Dive and do not know if your child will like it, we encourage to you sign up for the trial first to minimize the likelihood that you would need a refund.
Montgomery County Dive League
Q: Does Palisades participate in a diving league?
A: Palisades is a member of the Montgomery County Dive League (MCDL), whose members include 25 pools from around the county. MCDL is a recreational, instructional and developmental summer diving league dedicated to providing "all divers with the opportunity to learn new skills, enhance previous achievements and develop as strong league leaders, all while having lots of fun."
Q: What other pools does Palisades compete with?
A: Palisades currently is in MCDL Division V. We compete with Bannockburn, Inverness, Potomac, Seven Locks, and Twin Farms.
Diving 101
Q: Why do divers practice jumps so much?
A: Jumps are a critical component of dive training, and a critical skill for all divers, where divers work on body control during takeoff and also entries for feet-first dives. Beginning divers learn jumps first, and in our league can compete in meets doing jumps. Advanced divers, all the way up to Olympians, practice jumps regularly at the beginning of a training session to practice takeoffs and flight through the air. Jumps can be performed in straight (A), pike (B) or tuck (C) position. In our league, all positions are recorded as “free position” or D.
Q: What is a lineup?
A: Lineups are also important training skills for all divers, including advanced divers, to practice front or back entries. A lineup is a dive without a jump or "push" at the take off of the dive. The dive falls into the water either backwards or forwards. A lineup is a skill and a first step toward learning a front dive or back dive. Lineups can be performed in straight (A), pike (B) or tuck (C) position. In our league, divers can substitute a lineup in place of a required front or back dive for meets. As with jumps, in our league, all positions are recorded as “free position” or D.
Q: What are the components of a dive?
A: The four components of a dive are the approach, the takeoff, flight through the air and the entry.
Q: What is a hurdle?
A: A hurdle is a component of the walking approach a diver learns for forward-facing dives. Sometimes young divers refer to the whole forward walking approach as a hurdle. The hurdle itself is the jump on one foot a diver does before jumping off of the board.
Q: What is a degree of difficulty or "DD"?
A: Every dive is assigned a DD, which reflects how difficult a dive is to perform. A dive's DD is used a a multiplier to adjust the raw points a diver receives for executing a dive. Please see the MCDL DD table for more information.
Q: What are the different diving directions in diving?
A: There are five directions in springboard diving - front, back, inward, reverse and twisting dives.
Q: What do the dive numbers mean in diving?
A: Each dive recognized by USA Diving, FINA and MCDL for springboard competition is represented by a three digit number (except twisting dives, which are four digits) plus a letter (A, B, C or D). For a complete list of dives and DDs for MCDL, go to https://www.mcdiving.org/dives
- The first digit indicates the dive category (1=front, 2=back, 3=reverse, 4=inward, 5=twisting dive)
- The letters indicate the leg position of the dive (A=straight, B=pike, C=tuck and D=free)
- Non-twisting dives:
- The second digit is "0" for all dives in MCDL
- The third digit indicates how many half-rotations (flips) the diver will perform
- Examples:
- 101C = front dive tuck
- 102C = front 1 somersault tuck
- 203B = back 1-1/2 somersault dive pike
- Twisting dives:
- First digit (5) indicates that it is a twister
- Second digit indicates direction of the dive (1=front, 2=back, 3=reverse, 4=inward)
- Third digit indicates the number of half rotations
- Fourth digit indicates the number or half twists
- Most twisting dives are executed in the free position
- Examples:
- 5122D = Front 1 somersault full twist free
- 5221D = Back 1 somersault 1/2 twist free
- Skills:
- Jumps: 100D = front jump free; 200D = back jump free
- Lineups: 001D = front lineup; 002D = back lineup
- All jumps and lineups can be performed in the straight, pike or tuck position but all are recorded as free position (D) for meets
All About Meets
Q: Do divers need to participate in meets?
A: Divers do not need to participate in meets in order to join the team, although we encourage all divers to join us for meets. Meets are fun and supportive - no intense competition! Even divers who have yet to master the dives for their age group can dive exhibition at a meet. Divers wishing to compete at divisionals or all-stars must dive in a minimum of three meets (non-exhibition).
Q: When are Palisades Dive meets?
A: Our dual meets typically are held on Sundays at 4 pm during June and July, followed by divisionals and all-stars. For our meet schedule, go to https://palisades.swimtopia.com/meets-and-events.
Q: When do we need to arrive for a meet?
A: Palisades warmups are typically one hour before the start of a home dual meet and 30 minutes before an away dual meet. Arrival times for divisionals and all-stars will be provided in advance of those meets.
Q: How long does a dual dive meet last?
A: The length of a dive meet depends on how many divers are participating in the meet. Typically a Palisades dual meet lasts 2-3 hours.
Q: Does my diver need a team suit to participate in a dive meet?
A. Short answer - no. The suit is optional - if you do not purchase a team suit, a green or black suit works great. Please see https://palisades.swimtopia.com/gear for information on team suits.
Q: How do I sign my diver up for a meet?
A: All registered divers are eligible to participate in each dual meet. In order to participate, a diver must complete a dive sheet, which contains a list of which dives the diver will perform during the meet. The diver completes the dive sheet in practice during the week with a coach. If you are not able to attend practice and your diver has not completed a dive sheet for the meet, please arrive to the meet at least 15 minutes before our team's warmups to find a coach and complete a dive sheet for the meet.
Q: Do I need to volunteer to help with the meet?
A: YES! We need volunteers at every meet, including table workers, ribbon writers, announcers, judges, referees and photographers. We also need volunteers to bring snacks for the Palisades divers. Please go to https://palisades.swimtopia.com/parent-volunteers for more information about volunteer opportunities.
Q: Is the rest of Palisades closed during a dive meet?
A: Dive meets only affect the dive well and nearby seating. The rest of the main pool, the middle pool and the rest of our amenities remain open during a dive meet if the meet is held during regular pool open hours. The main pool makes a great viewing area to cheer on our Palisades divers!
Q: What happens is there is bad weather forecast at meet time?
A: Palisades will work with the other pool to decide whether to hold the meet at the scheduled time, adjust the meet time or reschedule entirely. If we reschedule, we will do our best to make sure as many of our divers are available to compete as possible.
Q: What does diving exhibition mean?
A: A diver can dive exhibition at a meet when they are not ready to compete in their age group. They dive with their age group but their scores do not count for place awards or team points. An exhibition diver can do as many dives or skills for their age group in the meet that they have prepared.
Q: What dives will my diver do in a Palisades dive meet?
A: Divers compete in MCDL dive meets in one of five age groups:
- 8 & unders (3 dives)
- Forward dive/lineup
- Back jump or back dive/lineup
- 1 optional dive, which can include a back jump or more complex dive
- 9-10s (3 dives)
- Forward dive/lineup
- Back dive/lineup
- 1 optional dive, which can include a back jump or more complex dive
- 11-12s (4 dives)
- Forward dive/lineup
- Back dive/lineup
- 2 optional dives, which can include a front jump, back jump or more complex dives but must be in different directions
- 13-14s (5 dives)
- Forward dive/lineup
- Back dive/lineup
- 3 optional dives, which can include a front jump, back jump or more complex dives but must be in different directions
- 15-18s (6 dives)
- Forward dive/lineup
- Back dive/lineup
- Inward dive 3 optional dives, which can include a front jump, back jump or more complex dives but must be in different directions
Q: How does scoring work in a dive meet?
A: In MCDL meets, five judges score the dive on a 0-10 scale. The highest score and the lowest score are thrown out. The remaining three scores are added together, then multiplied by the dive's DD to calculate the diver's score for the round. All of the diver's individual round scores are added together for a meet to derive the diver's meet score. Awards are given for the top four places and the remaining participants receive participation ribbons.
Q: How are dives judged in a meet?
A: There are four components of a dive: the approach, takeoff, flight and entry. Each component should be judged equally. Points or half-points are awarded at the discretion of the judges according to this guideline:
- Excellent - 10 points
- Very good - 8-1/2 to 9-1/2 points
- Good - 7 to 8 points
- Satisfactory - 5 to 6-1/2 points
- Deficient - 2-1/2 to 4-1/2 points
- Unsatisfactory - 1/2 to 2 points
Q: Who are the judges at MCDL meets?
A: Most of the judges at MCDL meets are parents who have received MCDL training. All parent judges do to their best to judge, but it helps that the high and low scores are thrown out! If you are interested in judging at Palisades meets, please consider attending an MCDL training session, offered at the beginning of every season. Once yo attend a training, the certification is valid for three years. MCDL typically hires professional judges who are former divers and/or current or former dive coaches for all-stars meets.
Q: Can I judge my own diver during a meet?
A: MCDL does not prohibit parents from judging their own diver during a dual meet. During divisionals, parents cannot judge their own diver. If you are worried that a parent judging their own diver would make it unfair for other divers, don't. In my experience, a parent typically judges their own diver more harshly;). The good news is that in MCDL the high and low score is tossed out, so this eliminates potential bias.
Q: How to I find out the results of a past meet?
A: MCDL publishes the results of all meets on its website. To find the results of a particular meet, go to https://www.mcdiving.org/meets. Steps to find the results:
- Find the meet you are interested in listed by date
- If the score for the meet has been published, you will see it in the "score" column
- Click on the score - this will take you to the detailed results for the meet.
End of Season Meets
Q: What is divisionals and who gets to participate?
A: Each MCDL division holds a division championship meet on the last Sunday of the regular season. All of the pools in our division can send up to two divers in each age group (e.g., 9-10 girls). Divers participate by invitation of the coaches based on scores in previous meets, attitude, coachability, sportsmanship and attendance at practices. Divers must compete non-exhibition in at least three dual meets to be eligible for selection to the divisionals meet. Palisades names its divisionals divers after the last dual meet and contacts each diver's parents by email.
Q: How long does Divisionals last?
A: Divisionals typically starts with open warmups on a Sunday at 7 am, meet starts at 8 am and concludes by 12:30 pm or so. At divisionals, awards are given after each age group, so families have the flexibility to depart after their child's age group. If your diver is selected to dive at divisionals, you will be provided with detailed information the week before the meet.
Q: What is all-stars and who gets to participate?
A: The all-stars meet is the culmination of the MCDL division season. The top three divers in every age group at each division championship qualify to participate in the all-star meet. If a top-three diver is not able to attend, the next diver is eligible to attend. In addition, each pool can name up to two wild card divers at the discretion of the coaches. If your diver qualifies for all-stars, you will be provided with information after your diver's event at divisionals or from the coaches if they select your diver for a wild card slot.
Q: How long does all-stars last?
A: All-stars are split into two afternoons - here is the typical arrangement:
- 12 & under: 3-8 pm the Wednesday after divisionals
- 13 & up: 3-8 pm the Thursday after divisionals
- All-star awards are distributed after every event.
