We are so glad that you chose to join our team! This handbook can be used as a guide for both new and returning families. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions!
PASO (Parents Aquatic Support Organization) is an organization formed to assist in the administration of the competitive swimming and diving programs for OJR residents between the ages of 4 and 14. We are committed to providing each diver the opportunity to develop a strong body, mind and spirit in a team environment, and to develop a love of diving, teamwork and the principles of good sportsmanship. We want the team to be fun and exciting, while encouraging friendships for our divers and their families. We encourage the divers to work hard, develop self-discipline and strive to do their best. Our divers compete in the Tri-county League, which includes: OJR, Muhlenberg, Governor
Mifflin, Wilson, Reading and Schuylkill Valley.
The team utilizes the www.teamunify.com/maojr website in conjunction with email notification to communicate with our families. On the website you will find updates for practices, weather related changes, dive meet schedules, coaches’ information, PASO board member contact information, directions to meets, and so much more! Please be sure to notify us if your email address changes. We encourage open communication between parents, athletes, coaches and Board members. This works best if parents:
-notify dive coaches of any schedule conflicts in person (after practice) or electronically
-check the website regularly
-volunteer at our home meet
-encourage and support our athletes and coaches
In order for the team to function properly, parent participation is necessary. Your active participation creates a positive atmosphere for the children. Dive parents are expected to volunteer throughout our home meet and at the food court for at least one home swim meet (a schedule of dates will be provided for volunteering). We also ask that you cheer for all of our athletes at away meets!
There are a number of additional things a parent can do to support the dive program. One key is not to distract a diver from the coaching. When your child is at practice and looking or communicating with you, he/she is not listening to the coach. Out of the water is a different story! Ask your diver about what he/she is learning, encourage him/her to keep trying, and point out what he/she is doing

well! Lastly, make sure when leaving practice that our divers have on warm, dry clothes and a hat. We want our divers healthy and at practice!
A competition style suit must be worn for each practice and meet. All dives are performed from the 1 meter board. Participants range from divers with no experience who are interested in learning the fundamentals, to skilled divers who are working on learning dives in multiple categories (front, back, inward, reverse, twist). Practices are two times per week from 5:45 to 6:45. Divers may be on deck at
5:30 to stretch in preparation for practice. Divers and family members are not to be in the gym during practice times.
The balcony and the hallway upstairs will be open for parents to view practices. If you have other children with you, please remind them that they are to follow all school rules. Those not following the school rules will be asked to leave.
Once practice begins, each child is worked with by a member of the coaching staff. Please try not to disturb the divers while they are diving. It is important that they focus on trying to accomplish what the coaches are trying to get them to do. Please no flash photography during practice.
As usual, good manners on the pool deck are appreciated. Taking turns and getting away from the area under the board after you dive quickly is important for keeping the pace of diving practice.
Food and drinks are not permitted on the pool deck, with the exception of plastic water bottles. We also ask that you do not eat or drink on the balcony, unless drinks are in plastic bottles.
Parents are permitted and encouraged to help out and be in the locker rooms with their divers before and after practices. While in the locker room, if you see any type of behavior that is disruptive or disrespectful, please find a coach or PASO Board member and report it immediately.
Parents are NOT allowed to drop off their child (12 & under) for practice and leave the building. Divers
12 and under are required to have a responsible adult at each practice. Please make sure your diver knows who to go to if you are not there.
Please contact Coach Bob (484-942-8093) or Joyce DeVol (610-247-7139) if your diver is not going to make it to a meet.
Plan to arrive by at least 12:45 to allow for any issues in finding the location or pool within the school.
Divers should arrive in our team suit (or comparable black / red suit) ready to dive. Once at the pool,

please check in with a coach. Once the diver is with a coach, he/she must let the coach know if leaving the deck.
It is a requirement of the Tri-County League that a diver must make at least 2 meets in order to participate in the Championships.
The group your child will compete in is determined by his/her age as of December 1 of the current year. The meet schedule and required dives for each meet will be posted on the website.
How a meet works: Every meet starts with the youngest participants and then goes up by age groups.
Diving meets generally take several hours. The format is for all of the divers in an age group to complete one dive and then start again on their next dive. When a child is called to dive, the next diver is asked to come on deck. This means he or she is to be on the deck behind and out of the way of the board, so that when the diver completes his/her dive; the next diver is ready to go. This is important because there are a lot of divers, and we want to move the process along promptly. There are usually three judges located on either side of the pool. After each dive, they will raise the score toward the scoring table, and the scores will be read over the loud speaker. A few things of note here are: a failed dive will not have a score raised and scoring at this level of experience is usually in the 3 to 5 range. See additional information about types of dives and scoring.
At the end of each age group they will announce the finishing places. Ribbons will be filled out the following week, and dive sheets will be passed back at the end of the season. When the divers are finished diving they are encouraged to stay and cheer on team mates.
Photography: Please note that you are welcome to videotape or take pictures at the meets but no
flash. Please respect this rule. It is dangerous for the divers to have lights flashing as they are concentrating on the dive.
Spectator seating and Responsibilities: Most of the schools where we will be competing have separate spectator seating. Please do not go onto the pool deck. That area is reserved for the divers, coaches and workers only. Please also respect the area near the diving boards at OJR during our home meet. Please also do not talk to the judges while they are judging, nor the divers as they are getting ready to compete.
-towels (multiple towels is best)
-team suit
-warm clothes to wear between warm-up and diver event
-plastic water bottle
-dry clothes to wear home (a hat is a good idea)
-money for the food table or snacks in diver bag
-parents may bring chairs to use in seating area

There are five dive groups.
Forward Group: the diver faces the front of the board and rotates toward the water. This group varies from the simple front dive to a more challenging front somersaults.
Backward Group: the diver begins on the end of the board with his/her back to the water. The direction of the dive is away from the board.
Reverse Group: diver begins facing the front of the board and then completes the dive by rotating back toward the board. These dives were formally called “gainers”.
Inward Group: the diver begins by standing on the end of the board with his/her back to the water.
The diver jumps back and enter the water with his/her back toward the board.
Twisting Group: the diver includes a twist within one of the previous four dive groups.
There are four body positions during each dive. The feet and knees should be kept together, and the toes should be pointed.
Pike: the legs are straight with the body bent only at the waist.
Straight: the body has no bend in the waist or knees. There may be a slight arch of the back.
Tuck: the body is bent at the waist and knees, with the thighs drawn to the chest and heels kept close to the buttocks.
Free: it is the diver’s option to use any of the above three positions or combination of the positions, when performing a twisting dive.
Although several divers may do the same dive, each performance never looks quite the same. This is because each individual has unique mannerisms, characteristics of movement, strengths and timing, all adding to an abstract but observable “style”. Style is difficult to assess by any standard, whether or not you like it. This is why judging is difficult. Even though there are criteria of execution all divers must meet, evaluation remains a subjective process. No matter how well a dive is performed, artistic likes and dislikes of the judges play a part in the outcome of any contest, and for this reason there are usually differences of opinion among coaches, competitors, judges and spectators about the accuracy of results.
The degree of difficulty of a dive, referred to as the “DD” is one of two elements used to calculate the score of a dive, with the other being the judges’ points for the dive. A dive is scored between zero and ten points, with full and half point options. The judges’ scores are added together and then multiplied by the degree of difficulty. This becomes the total score for a dive. The diver’s scores for all dives are then added together for a final total. The diver with the highest point total is the winner.
Certain parts of each dive are analyzed and evaluated to determine an overall score. The parts are:
Approach - three or more steps forward to the end of the board before the hurdle and take off. Form should be smooth, but forceful. If it is a back dive, arm swing and press before takeoff.

Takeoff - the diver’s lift from the board prior to execution of the dive. Form must show control and balance, plus the proper angle of landing and leaving for the particular dive being attempted.
Elevation – the amount of spring or lift a diver received from the takeoff greatly affects the appearance of the dive. More height usually means more time, thus a higher dive generally affords greater accuracy and smoothness of movement.
Execution – the dive itself, a judge watches for proper mechanical performance, technique, form and grace.
Entry – the entry into the water is significant because it is the last thing the judge sees and the part probably remembered best. The two criteria to be evaluated are the angle of entry, which should be near vertical to the water and the amount of splash, which should be as little as possible. If it is a head first entry, the hands must enter the water first. If it is a feet first entry, the hands must be down at the diver sides.
Points and Meanings
0 Failed dive
0.5 – 2.0 Unsatisfactory
2.5 – 4.0 Deficient
4.5 – 5.5 Satisfactory
6.0 – 7.0 Good
7.5 -8.5 Excellent
8.5 – 10.0 Exceptional
End of Season Award Night
At the end of every dive season we hold an award night. More information will be distributed as we get closer to the end of the season.
Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions!