There are some basic truths that apply to judging diving. If you try to follow these and sharpen your understanding of what dives should look like you will encounter less anxiety about judging.

1. A judge should not worry about being the high or low score on the panel. You need to be consistent in awarding points.
2. A good judge will use the entire range of scores available to him. Do not get locked in to a very narrow range of scoring. (Sometimes the diving is such that you can’t avoid that rut but not all the time.)
3. A good judge does not focus on only one aspect of the dive. The entire dive should be judged, this includes approach, takeoff, flight and entry.
4. A good diving judge is consistent. If you feel you goofed on scoring one dive, do not try to compensate the scoring on that diver’s next dive.
5. A good diving judge is not influenced by the crowd. You need to give the dive the score you think it deserves.
6. A good diving judge is not prejudiced by the diver’s name, team affiliation, hair style, or suit; simply judge the dive.
7. A good diving judge is not afraid to ask a coach or another judge about why they scored a dive a certain way. This is done not to criticize their judging, but rather to gain an idea of what you may have missed when looking at the dive.

As you continue to judge you will no doubt feel more comfortable being on panels. Remember judge only what you saw, not what you think you saw.

Back/inward starting position - This requires the diver to assume a position with an upright head and body with the arms straight in a position of the diver’s choice.

Back/inward takeoff - Permitted only for back an inward dives and requires the diver to:

• stop oscillating the board just before or after assuming the starting position,

• not oscillate the board more than four times before moving the arms from the starting position,

• not permit the oscillation of the board to be so large as to disrupt the tempo and smoothness of the dive,

• not crow hop.

Balk - An interruption of the continuous execution of the dive prior to leaving the board after the diver assumes a starting position. An interruption of the arm movement on some dives is a natural part of the dive and should not be interpreted as a balk.

Cheese board - A type of diving board that is perforated at the end.

Cowboy - A term used to describe the spreading of the knees in a tuck position.

Crow hop - On a back/inward takeoff allowing one or both feet to leave the board during oscillation of the board before finally jumping into the dive.

Forward approach - This must be used for all forward and reverse dives, as well as forward and reverse twisting dives. It requires the diver take at least three steps, a hurdle and a two-foot takeoff from the end of the board.

Forward starting position - The position a diver uses to begin their forward approach. It requires the divers head and body to be in an upright position with their arms at their sides.

Free - A position of flight used exclusively for twist dives. The free position allows the diver to use a combination of two or more positions to perform the dive. Be aware that twisting dives can only be performed in certain positions.

Fulcrum - Wheel-like structure on the diving board that allows the diver to control the amount of spring in the board.

Hurdle - A jump off of one foot, which brings a bent knee up and allows the diver to land on both feet for the takeoff.

Long - Refers to the entry of a dive that goes past the vertical.

Oscillation - A rhythmic, harmonic movement of the board often used prior to takeoff on a back or inward dive.

Tuck - A position of flight of a dive in which the body is bent both at the hips and the knees. In a tuck position, the knees should be together and the toes pointed.

Pike - A position of flight in which the body is bent only at the hips. The legs should be together and the toes pointed. A pike position may be either open, with the arms open at shoulder height, or dosed with the arms on or around the legs.

Short - Refers to the entry of a dive that never achieves the vertical position.

Sammy -A chamois-like towelette that a diver may use to dry his/her body before or after a dive.

Straight -A position of flight in which the body is not bent at either the hips or the knees. The legs should be kept together and the toes pointed.

The purpose is to give some point of emphasis or reference to those who judge diving. This would include both officials and coaches.

Form Breaks: When the diver declares a position for a dive, that position must be held throughout the dive.

• If the diver declares the pike position, the knees must stay straight from the time the diver rises from the board until the entry. Any visible knee bend would at least cause it to be scored a deficient dive of no more than four. If the degree of bend was so great that it resembles the tuck position then it would be an unsatisfactory of no more than 2. This is a consideration for judges even if the Referee doesn’t call for an award of no more than 2.
• Some focus of attention should be at the point of the penalty. That means be aware of a knee bend in the pike or a bend at the waist or knees in the straight position that is not allowed and is assessed a penalty by rule.

Over/Under Twisting: As a judge you are to judge twisting dives until the diver is completely submerged.

• The referee has the job of determining if a twisting dive finished within the legal limits when the diver’s feet or hands touch the water.
• Sometimes the Referee will defer a call because he may not be sure that a diver was within the legal limit. If an individual judge feels the twist didn’t fall into the legal range, he may still award a zero even though the Referee didn’t make the call.
• Judges may find that the diver finishes the twist within the Referee’s responsibility above but continues past 90 degrees of the designated amount of twist. It would be the judge’s responsibility to award a 0 for a failed dive.
• Judges should know which direction a twisting dive will face upon completion. The first consideration should be, was it the amount of twist announced? If it was, then the focus should turn to the 90-degree mark of over/under twist and the shoulders would be the determining factor to make that decision.

Arms up or down upon entry: Head-first entries require that both hands be extended overhead. On feet first entries both hands should be down and the sides of the body.

• Hands overhead on foot first entries seems to be relatively easy to see because the upper body is the last part to submerge as a dive is completed. When one or both hands are above shoulder level as the diver enters the water, the penalty is an unsatisfactory dive with the award of no more than 2.
• Arms extended overhead on head-first entry dives appears to be harder to detect. The plane for this penalty is shoulder level. If the hand or hands are below shoulder level, then an award of no more than 2 should be given. Dives such as 203 and 205 are difficult for some judges to see. Usually this problem occurs because the diver doesn’t have enough time at the end of the dive to get the hands overhead. Focus here should be at the end of the dive.

• These are normally the Referee’s calls but as a judge if the call is not made and you are sure of the violation you should score no more than 2 anyhow.

Failed Dives: Both the referee and the individual judge must be aware that there are many areas that could cause a dive to be failed.

• Parts of the body other than the feet touch the water first or parts other than the head or hands touch the water first.
• Dives that would be considered the wrong dive as per announced (Example: a 1½ somersault instead of 2).
• Dives that over/under twist past 90 degrees as the diver touches the water.

In all three of the above situations the referee and judges must:

• Listen to the announced dive.
• Understand what that announced dive is.
• Critique the performance of that dive.
• Assess the penalty related to any of the above infractions if there is one.
• Continue observing until the diver is completely submerged.

Most failed dive calls will rest with the referee. However if the referee does not make a particular call, judges are free to give a score of zero if "in their opinion" the performed dive was failed.

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