As of this convention (2002), I have decided to discontinue my crusade against US Diving. The reason is very clear that since 1998 nothing has changed nor does it appear that anything will change. All one has to do now is read the new President's address, which appears to be business as usual. That leads me to believe that there is a hidden leadership that endorses an agenda, which perpetuates the status quo. The voting process is stacked against the majority who seek change.

I have not seen any of the successes promised by the leadership at the upper level nor has much change been seen at the grass root, junior levels. None of my concerns have been addressed such as the rising fees for both coaches and athletes. The Safety research I did showed that the sport is inherently safe and didn't require the safety mandates forced upon every member. The sport is facing pressure from Title IX's proportionality rule, shallow water and non-competitive diving accidents, changes in the swimming pool industry and changes in recreation ideas of leisure time activities. All of these place diving on an endangered species list and the organization has not addressed any of these issues. The increased mandates did not keep the sport as safe as it once was, even with the declining numbers. I will not go over the other reasons described in the many articles on this site. My frustration was not only related to the lack of progress in many areas but more so by the seeming lack of concern by other members including those who had the power to vote.

Using the original increase in the certifications as an example may give the reader the reason for my original mistrust in the leadership of this organization. Prior to the 1998 Convention, the new certifications were already mandated (in July of that year), which was months before membership voting took place on the issue (Oct.). I discussed the whole certification issue with both candidates that year. The premise for that discussion was an interpretation of a ruling that the facility owner/operators should be aware and responsible for whatever happens in their pools. This included any programs offered in these facilities outside the public recreational swim hours. The discussion was focused on why make the coaches responsible for an issue that belonged to the facility owner/operators? The winning candidate, Walker, agreed and didn't believe the new certifications would stay in place under this interpretation and that he would do something about it. After a period of time I was told simply that the membership had voted and since he was elected president, he had to follow what the membership wanted. No effort was made by him to circumvent this unnecessary mandate which would have made things much easier on the membership.

Many of the things I wrote seemed to be a shared consensus in the diving community. In fact, I was urged to write many of the articles by people who held various positions in the organization. I was told that by these writings, I made some of those people look less radical than myself, meaning that the powers that be in US Diving would look at them in a more favorable light. As radical as I was made to feel, I have found that many others shared my thoughts judging from the feedback I received. Some were even more radical than myself. Even though changes have not occurred, I feel better just for voicing my opinion. What has bothered me though was the feeling of being used by those seen as less radical for an agenda that I still don't fully understand. It seemed that some were only interested in areas that affected their part of the sport.

I truly envisioned an organization that is united in an effort to see the sport grow and be successful at all levels. A place where no individual coach or diver is more important than any other, with no coach or diver being left out, each having an equal place and say in the sport. It would be a place where the leadership would perform an enabling function. The main focus of this organization would be on its athletes. That focus would be equal on all levels of diving and not just zoomed in on the upper level. I guess that I am just a purist at heart and there seems to be no room for people like me in this organization.

There are many highly intelligent people within the organization. That has been displayed by a host of philosophical discussions, which have taken place over the last 5 years, such as those concerning the LRP, Safety and the skill requirements for the junior and below programs. Included with these is the premise behind the training sites. There is a problem with all of this intelligence however. Regardless of how organized and well planned these rationalizations were these intellectuals have either failed to recognize or better yet, admit that it's just not working. I and a few others believe that these rationalizations are cosmetic in nature and don't address the reason for our lack of medal contention. I am by no means a genius or an intellectual but I have felt since the beginning that practicality and results are the only gauges that really mattered in that effort. Achievement does not occur philosophically!

Additionally the fees and requirements have risen substantially since 1998 with a proportional decrease in the membership of both coaches and divers. Increased spending on training sites has not demonstrated better performance by our national and international divers. More paid administrators and/or their subsidized trips mean less money for the training/travel of our divers. Athletes should be the number one concern however it appears that administrative items are the leadership's priority. Somehow a bureaucracy was created and eventually it crippled the sport. US Diving is one of the smallest of USOC sports and has become the most expensive. As the focus on medals intensified, diving became a low interest sport with no medal contender and it continues to spiral further away from that medal contention.

My frustration goes further than just US Diving. I made attempts a few years ago to resurrect an alternative organization for diving, which was the AAU. That attempt did produce much cheaper insurance for both divers and coaches. However the AAU has been extremely slow to create and begin its diving program. At this point it looks as if they may only be interested in a novice or intermediate type of program. If that becomes reality, then I have failed once again in my attempt to see the sport grow.

In light of my many failures with this crusade, the decision to end it is here. I have since realized that I will not be the "Savior" in this situation. It is time for me to get on with my life. I will continue coaching and teaching diving but without the additional time and energy it took to keep this crusade going. It is my hope that in the future, every swimming pool will still have diving boards and a diving program. I can not envision a future without the sport of Diving. However, that may be a real possibility the way things are going.

To those who have input into the future of Diving, I would suggest broadening your individual focus of Diving. The sport covers many levels, i.e. pre-high school, high school, college and beyond. Ignoring any level will directly impact the sport, and that is occurring at this moment. There is a high school in my area that had no divers. They removed the diving boards to accommodate moving their starting blocks to the deep end of the pool. Effectively we have lost diving in that high school. If that becomes a trend, it will be difficult to see diving boards reinstalled in the face of tight budgets and whatever future crises may arise. If you decide to be passive and do nothing, then don't be shocked if/when a crisis threatens your program. Good luck to all of you and in CB lingo I will be "10-10 and on the side"!