What Time Does The Meet Start?

Unless otherwise noted, dive meets start at 4:00. That said, before the meet officially begins at 4:00, there is usually a half hour warm up period for divers in the 8 & under; 9-10; and 11-12 age groups. 

• If we’re diving at home, warm-ups are usually 3:00-3:30 for athletes in those age groups. 

• If we’re away, warm-ups are usually 3:30-4:00, a half hour before the meet starts, for athletes in those age groups.

Divers in the 13-14 and 15-18 age groups get a half hour to warm up starting right after the 11-12 boys competition has ended. These warm-ups can begin as early as 5:15 PM.

What Time Should We Get To The Meet?

Please plan to drop your diver off no later than 15 minutes before your diver’s warm-up period begins. For home meets, divers in the 12 and under age groups are usually expected at the pool no later than 2:45 PM. For away meets, divers in the 12 and under age groups are usually expected at the other team's pool no later than 3:15 PM.

How Do I Register For The Dive Meet?

You don’t register your diver or sign up for dive meets. Our coaches handle all the paperwork for every Merrimack diver participating in the meet.

What Does a Typical Meet Timeline Roughly Look Like?

Here’s a rough timeline of a meet during a typical season. These times can vary greatly, depending on team sizes.

3:00-3:30—Home Team warm-ups for divers in 8 & under; 9-10; and 11-12 age groups

3:30-4:00—Away Team warm-ups for divers in 8 & under; 9-10; and 11-12 age groups

4:00—Meet starts, national anthem is played, competition begins with 8& under girls

4:20—8&under boys

4:35—9-10 girls

4:50—9-10 boys

5:05—11-12 girls

5:15—11-12 boys

5:25—First half of meet ends; warm-ups for 13-14 and 15-18 age groups start; awards for divers given out in 8 & under; 9-10; and 11-12 age groups

5:55—Competition resumes with 13-14 girls

6:10—13-14 boys

6:25—15-18 girls

6:40—15-18 boys

6:55—Awards for divers given out; meet points and meet results are announced

What Are Dive Sheets?

Dive sheets are entry forms that coaches submit for each diver participating in the meet. The sheets list what dives the athlete will do at the meet. Sheets are due by the end of practice on the Friday before the meet. For a dive sheet to be valid, it must include the diver’s signature.

Do Parents Fill Out Dive Sheets?

No, dive sheets are completed by the coaches and the divers.

What Will My Kid Be Doing?

Each age group requires divers to do both a specific number of dives and certain types of dives in a set order. For example, 8 & unders must do three dives: a front dive in any position; a back jump or a back dive; and an optional dive that’s different from the first two dives. Thus, an 8 & under diver might do a front dive, a back jump and a front jump.

Is My Diver Eligible To Be In A Meet? Does My Diver Have The Necessary Skills?

Every diver is eligible to participate in our meets, and our coaches will work with all our divers to make sure everyone, no matter age or ability, is ready to participate. Divers who don’t have the requisite dives can always participate as an exhibition diver.

What Is Exhibition Diving?

Athletes who do not have the required dives for their age group can still take part in a meet as an exhibition diver. Their dives will be scored, and they get a ribbon, but they do not officially earn points for themselves or the team.

What Age Group Is My Diver In?

Competition at dive meets is broken into five age groups, with separate competition for girls and boys. The age groups are: 8 & Under; 9-10; 11-12; 13-14; 15-18. An athlete’s age group is determined by their age on June 1 of this year.

Does My Diver Get A Ribbon?

Yes, every diver gets a ribbon, and ribbons are distributed during an awards portion of the meet. For the younger divers, awards take place after the 11-12 boys have finished competing, and for the older divers, awards are at the end of the dive meet.

Should People Cheer For The Divers?

Yes! Divers are expected to support their Maniac teammates during dive meets, and spectators are free to applaud AFTER a dive is completed.

What Is Degree Of Difficulty?

Dives are assigned a degree of difficulty (DD) based on how hard the dive is to execute. The DD is factored with the judges’ scores to determine how many points a diver earns for each dive.

What Is Diving Up?

Divers sometimes compete in the immediate age group above their own. Teams can choose to move a diver into a higher age group, known as diving up, only if there are fewer than two divers from the team in an age group and if a diver can do the dives that the higher age group requires.

How Do Judges Score Dives?

There are a number of factors that affect how a judge scores a dive, but, in general, a judge is supposed to evaluate a dive by considering four equal parts—the approach, the take off, the flight through the air and the entry into the water.

What If My Kid Gets Low Scores?

Don’t be discouraged! Diving is a process, making progress is the goal, and meets help drive improvement. To continue getting better, athletes should talk over their performance with their coaches after the meet. Also, participating in a meet alone is an accomplishment. In fact, divers can give the team points simply by taking part in a meet, and every diver contributes to the team, no matter how well they score.

How Do I Volunteer?

Go to our online Signup Genius page (a link will be sent out by email); it will let you volunteer for different types of jobs at all our upcoming home and away meets (be sure to look at all the pages). The earlier you sign up, the better!

Why Do Parents Help Out?

The dive team is run by parent volunteers, and we can't host or participate in meets without your help. Volunteering is fun and gives you a chance to meet other members of the dive team. Every parent is usually doing something, and parents should volunteer at least three times during the season—and more if you have more than one diver. The more parents we have contributing at meets, the more enjoyable they are for all!