While surfing web sites, I ran across an article titled "Diving Utopians" on the USA Diving.com site. The article was well written and contains many good points. However, the author (Unknown) didn't want anyone to know who he/she is. There are many coaches who would agree with the points made in this article but like the author, they either don't voice their opinion or when they do they wish to be anonymous. If you have an opinion, you shouldn't be afraid to express it and/or sign your name to it. That's what our country was found on … "Freedom of Speech". There must be a fear of retaliation within the organization especially to those who have or seek a prominent place in it.

In any case, I would like to expand some of the ideas presented. Mr. Unknown's point referring to the ideas of and the implementation of "The Plan" was well taken. I have asked this question many times, "Who is this god of diving that has all of the answers?" He still has never revealed himself publicly. Prior to the last Olympics, the organization was on edge because winning an Olympic Medal was highly doubtful which could have placed Diving on a list of low value sports by the USOC. That made them very nervous. The prediction of winning 5 medals by our technical director never transpired. Looking at what happened in that Olympic contest, we won the Gold Medal for 2 reasons. Our diver dove exceptionally well in the finals and the rest of the world fell on their butts, all in the same round. This statement is not meant to lessen the achievement of our diver but rather to call attention to a different perspective for this article. In all of the other contests, we were definitely out classed.

The focus of the Plan has always been on winning gold medals even before the Plan was organized into its present form. It was just another way to accomplish the same goal. If the past is any indication of the future, to this author, the future looks bleak for the sport under US Diving. We have been on this path for at least the last ten years and haven't had a lot of success with it. Our over-all performance has gone down in this same period of time. Now we are loosing coaches and divers because the Plan, which is exclusive, drives them away. With all of these warning signs, why does the organization want to charge down the same path? Mr. Unknown's answer was right on … to satisfy their own egos because they have the answers. They think they know best and because they have the power to do something, they will continue until it becomes a success. I'm not sure if I will live long enough to witness that.

A reference in this article was made to a loss of creativity. After reading an article on the PDCA web site, I believe that he is right again. A statement about the coach at the Indianapolis Regional site was made. It referred to how hard he works and the ideas that he comes up with for spotting. Will he be our next Director of Creativity for US Diving? Why should he be the only person allowed to be creative? Because they don't trust the rest of us. It's called control. He is paid by US Diving to do exactly what he does. Actually the further down toward the beginning stages of diving you go, the less creative you are allowed to be. All of the requirements and the dive selections are dictated. There is no room for creativity or for that matter, choice.

A statement attributed to the Director of Safety was that US Diving wants quality divers and is not interested in quantity. What a statement to be made in light of the new Mission Statement in the Plan which contained words like inclusivity not exclusivity. What that statement meant to me was that she only wants the good divers to be in US Diving and would prefer not to deal with the others. That's not even close to the Mission Statement nor does it make any good business sense. It also demonstrates the inconsistencies within the structure and leadership of US Diving.

Many coaches are still grumbling about the certifications that are required. I have mentioned this in another article but it is needed here to make a point. Many of these coaches are like me. They are part timers, which include summers although very few do it year round. It will take me approximately 8 to 12 weeks to get the requirements to coach for 6 weeks under US Diving. It also will cost me close to $500 for this 6-week opportunity. The program I run for kids only brings in $400. Obviously I don't do it for the money. Thankfully I have a real job otherwise I'd be in hock up to my ears. The Utopians in US Diving say that you should raise your fees. Sounds good but when I do, I loose divers because parents can't afford this expense. So after raising my fee, I loose an additional $200. That's a slap of reality that the Utopians apparently never experience. Now they are considering raising the fees in US Diving. Reality bites!

I am a coach who wants to continue to coach but US Diving says that I can't unless I fulfill their idea of Safety Training. I have taken their test 3 or 4 times already and most of the items covered don't apply to me (tramps, belts and mats) because I am not allowed to use them or I refuse to use the information presented (diets, calories etc). I don't believe it's appropriate at the level I teach. How does the Red Cross training help me be a better coach? It doesn't. It's for the safety of the diver! There is a lifeguard on duty at the pool anytime I teach lessons or coach a team. Doesn't that address the safety of the diver? I have all of these bases covered and still will not be allowed to coach in US Diving. The word INCLUSIVE must apply to everyone else but me.

The following is intended for the college coaches. Since you guys move around so much, follow this train of thought. At this time some of you move into an area and begin a diving program and start by recruiting divers from that area. No doubt it is a great way to increase your income. What would happen if the area you moved into didn't have any divers to recruit for this purpose? Imagine that. Are you ready to teach diving from scratch? I wonder what the caliber of NCAA diving would be like if kids were first exposed to diving at the college level? That is a very real possibility unless you start supporting the levels beneath you. Your livelihood may well depend on it some day.

Since US Diving started its education program, the quality of diving has dropped substantially. This drop could be attributed to the loss of a number of divers and coaches. In my association it has been a loss of over 50% of the divers we once had and 75% or more of the coaches. As the base of diving gets smaller, the quality of what's left dips proportionately. In a truly Utopian society, the reverse should be the case. Obviously we don't live in a Utopian Society, we live in reality or at least the grass roots people do. Maybe our Utopians should find some time to spend in reality.

Someone once said that change is the only constant. Change occurs over time but in this context it came at the speed of light. When the original change in direction occurred, the words "why not?" played a huge role. The Utopians seemed to coin that phrase. As a sport we were highly successful for over 80 years and then someone wanted to make changes and convinced many of us to go along with these changes by using the words "why not?". We must have thought that they were smarter than us because there didn't seem to be an answer to that hypothetical question back then. We were successful and we thought we could be more successful. All we had to do was keep an open mind and follow their lead. Now there is an answer and all we have to do is compare then and now. Why can't we go back to the Golden Age of Diving and do the things that we were doing, or not doing, that made us so successful? We weren't spending nearly as much money, the total quality and quantity of diving was much better and so were the results achieved. All of that transpired without any certifications too. So … Why not? As I see it, the only ones that would suffer with this change would be the Utopians but remember, they don't deal in reality anyhow.

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