Suggested Fourth Check of Diving Sheets
This suggestion is set forth to consider another check of diving sheets in order to reduce errors that are discovered after the contest is in progress. There is nothing more disheartening than having a failed dive called for a clerical error. This is especially true when it occurs at Championship time. At present there are 3 steps to checking and eliminating errors on diving sheets. The first check is the diver followed by the coach and then finally the referee. Many mistakes have been discovered during one of these checks and corrected before a contest begins.
An error that is undiscovered in any of these 3 steps may eventually end up being a failed dive for the diver. I agree with the rule that it is the diver's ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of the sheet he/she submits. However with the new technology available, maybe we should consider this system as another check that could reduce some of these unfound errors even further. This technology includes more transfer of information and some confusion because of potential changes that can be made up to an hour before the event. After all we are only human and as humans we tend to make mistakes. That includes the athletes, coaches and officials.
Some hosts have required that diving sheets be turned in almost a week prior to the event. I have been involved in one like this. I was informed that sheets had to be sent in by the Saturday before our Frosh/Soph Conference Meet. That is a week before the contest. I had an hour to fill out the sheets and get them faxed in without being able to consult my divers. Luckily I have a fax machine at home otherwise the sheets wouldn't have been in on time. To cut a long story short, the diver wanted changes in the sheet I faxed. Since changes could be made up to an hour before the meet, it didn't seem to be a problem.
In my haste to make the changes and get them into the computer, I place the wrong dive number before the written description. I had placed 301 instead of 302. The referee checked the sheets and missed the error also. When the diver was called to do the dive, 301 Reverse dive with the appropriate dd for the tuck position appeared on the scoreboard. However, a Reverse 1 ss in the tuck position was written on the sheet. The referee called for a failed dive, which was the correct call. Another error occurred a week later at the same site but was corrected in time. 5231 Back 1 1/2ss 1/2 tw was written in the Pike position. This dive can not be done in that position and if undiscovered would have been a failed dive. After the signed sheets have been turned in, the host school handed out a copy of what was in the computer. The above dive was printed in the free position. That was not written on the sheet turned into the official. The coach checks the readout he was given and everything seems fine except the original sheet contained the mistake, which would have gone undiscovered until the dive was announced. The purpose here is to show that this technology could have been used to eliminate that situation.
I hold myself responsible for the first situation. The referee apologized for missing the error, which was nice of him to do but was unnecessary. I am not demeaning the host school for this situation either. They are good people who want to run a good meet. The accountability is still mine and my diver's.
The Suggestion
If the person inputting this information finds that there is a discrepancy with what is on the sheet and what is on the computer screen, that line should be left blank until the coach/diver can clarify it. In the situation above, 301 was recorded and Reverse dive appeared on the screen but the written description on the sheet was a reverse somersault. That conflict should have raised "a red flag" but nothing was said. A week later it was discovered that the faxed in sheets had red marks indicating that there were some discrepancies. If errors/conflicts were discovered, why then could they not be acted upon, even before the referee checks the sheets? This process might make his/her job a little easier.
Opinion
Being involved in diving for over 45 years, I have difficulty dealing with the idea that an athlete can be disqualified from an event before he/she even performs. There are no other athletic events that do this. The same holds true for a failed dive. A diver can have a failed dive called without being able to perform it. Golfers can be disqualified for not signing their scorecard but at least they are able to play the entire game before that happens. Gymnasts don't have to fill out a form and sign it (coach and athlete) before they do their routines. Athletes are registered to compete in events when coaches turn in their line-ups. None of these athletes are required to sign or verify anything before they compete. The standard we follow for Diving is the highest of all High School Athletic events. Maybe we should consider a review of those rules for the diving event and make them more consistent with other athletic events. It just seems that some of our rules were designed in a nitpicking fashion that allows non-performance items (clerical errors) to keep the athlete from competing.