Lip Service
I decided on this title because I have been its recipient a few times over recent years. The following should demonstrate that it's not a new tactic.
In 1998 I was told that the certifications, that were already in place in July of that year, would be reviewed after the election. I was informed that it is the facility owner/operators who must be responsible for what happens in their pools and not the diving coach's. That person highly doubted that the mandated certifications would go through. Within days of that convention, I was informed that the members had voted and there would be no review of the matter.
When I did the safety research, completed in May of 1999, a nameless official of US Diving said that US Diving concurs with the findings I presented. I was further informed that Wingfield would present something to the board and then print his findings for all to see. Wingfield did present something to the board but nothing has ever come out in print for all to see.
For a couple of years I had been corresponding with this individual. One spring break, I thought to stop in and see this individual but decided against it. I sent an e-mail expressing that fact and in return was told that I should have stopped by. This last spring break I fulfilled the invitation and stopped in. Total surprise greeted me. The visit was 20 minutes or so. During that time I was informed that Wingfield was asked again to write a safety article with another PHD, who was used as an expert witness, pertaining to the use of competitive facilities for recreational divers. It is now 3 months later and again still nothing.
Near the end of that meeting it was suggested that I should keep an open mind and follow the lead. I thought a lot about that on the long drive home. I wrote an e-mail when I arrived home stating that I have always had an open mind but was willing to make certain concessions. The next sentence was: "Would US Diving be willing to make any such concessions too?" I have yet to receive any reply for almost 3 months now.
I really feel that the above experiences of assurances were just lip service. It kept me under control for a while. Even better, it kept the unwarranted certifications from becoming the focus of attention. They know that if the membership is ever convinced that the certifications are worthless there may be a rebellion against those mandates. That idea has begun to emerge since more coaches are being required to have paramedics and lifeguards on duty during meets regardless of US Diving's credentials.
Information has come to me that a group of our Senior divers wrote a well thought out letter to express their unified dissatisfaction with US Diving. It was delivered at the Nationals. The contention was that funds would be available to send them to a couple of International contests. They felt that they were being shortchanged. They also mentioned something about disbanding US Diving because it's not doing what it promised them. This same person assured the divers that something would be done because there was money in the budget for that purpose and he would make their wishes would come true. I am sure that the powers that be will come up with money somehow since this is the group they have focused on in their plan.
Something really seems amiss here because those divers felt that they had to make a stand for something. It appears to reflect very poor planning on the part of US Diving administrators but maybe it goes even deeper than that. Maybe the funds weren't there and the administrators thought the divers would forget what was scheduled.
Anyhow just in case anyone has forgotten the words "grass roots", they were capitalized and underlined in the platform for the 1998 elections. It was contained in a lot of dialogue and thrown all over the place during that election. Once the votes were tallied, grass roots discussions and even the words almost cease to exist today. We still have a junior program with meets for them too but no money is being secured for them like the senior divers. The Junior divers will have to put out $1,500 or so for their upcoming trip. Their coaches will have to shell out up to $300 for the same trip. Again this should demonstrate where US Diving's emphasis is. They should be giving money to the Juniors because that's where our next Olympians are. Unfortunately they don't seem to agree or even care.
Few grass roots people can make sense of what the leadership is trying to do. Since the Nationals, the Senior Divers seem to be having a similar problem. The difference is those divers have demanded action. Unfortunately the coaches have not…yet! I don't mean to burst any bubbles but I feel that the Junior program has been and always will be neglected under the present regime in US Diving. I guess that this is what can be expected in the future since the grand "Plan" may have been derailed at the last convention.