First club swim meet to dive in from starting block

[Anonymous]

DCs have done summer swim, just started club swim but haven’t had chance to use starting block at swim practice. We checked club swim meet location photo/video online, and found out there would be starting block, and wondered if DCs would be able to use it safely without prior experience. The recenters we have membership with don’t allow swimmers to try if they don’t belong to any of the swim teams there.

[Anonymous]

All club meets use starting blocks. The coach should work with your child and all other swimmers to do an appropriate start during a meet. It takes years to become good at starts so be patient with your child and the team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All club meets use starting blocks. The coach should work with your child and all other swimmers to do an appropriate start during a meet. It takes years to become good at starts so be patient with your child and the team.

Thanks for the info!

[Anonymous]

Our club required our coach to certify that the child could safely dive from the block before the club would let the swimmer dive from the blocks at a meet. Kids can always dive from the side. My daughter was scared to death, though, when she was 7, so we had a few private sessions with our coach, who basically had her step up and down first, and then had her dive in over and over. It still took a few more meets for her to get up the courage to do it. (Dulles South blocks are so high, and we had lots of meets there in 8 and under.) But don’t sweat it. None of them dive particularly well off the blocks when they are 7-8, so it doesn’t give a terribly big advantage, if any at all.

[Anonymous]

While encouraged, kids don’t have to go off the blocks at club meets. I’ve timed countless club meets and see lots of newer/younger kids dive in from the deck. It’s legal, just a disadvantage.
That said, my DD went off the block for the first time ever at a meet - I did not feel there was a safety concern whatsoever or that she needed to practice it beforehand.

[Anonymous]

They should be able to try diving from the blocks during warm ups, if they intend to use them during the meet.

[Anonymous]

As a timer, little ones ask me all the time 'do I have to go off the blocks?' I tell them they should do whatever their coach told them to do, but that is not required for anyone to go off the blocks.

Have your kid ask the coach during warm ups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While encouraged, kids don’t have to go off the blocks at club meets. I’ve timed countless club meets and see lots of newer/younger kids dive in from the deck. It’s legal, just a disadvantage.
That said, my DD went off the block for the first time ever at a meet - I did not feel there was a safety concern whatsoever or that she needed to practice it beforehand.

This- some of the newer/ younger club swimmers will dive in from the deck just like at summer swim meets. This is perfectly fine and acceptable if you or your child would feel more comfortable or are concerned about safety.

[Anonymous]

It’s OP, thank you all for the good advices and help!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our club required our coach to certify that the child could safely dive from the block before the club would let the swimmer dive from the blocks at a meet. Kids can always dive from the side. My daughter was scared to death, though, when she was 7, so we had a few private sessions with our coach, who basically had her step up and down first, and then had her dive in over and over. It still took a few more meets for her to get up the courage to do it. (Dulles South blocks are so high, and we had lots of meets there in 8 and under.) But don’t sweat it. None of them dive particularly well off the blocks when they are 7-8, so it doesn’t give a terribly big advantage, if any at all.

At RMSC RSFC they had the 7-year-olds go off the blocks at tryouts.

Ok, Kramer 🌹