A Big Thank You AAU
For those who aren’t aware the re-emergence of the AAU and Diving may have just saved the sport from extinction. As an observer I watched the number of divers and coaches decline under the leadership of US Diving. It was a cause for concern because the future of the activity was being ignored. That future was in the form of entry level divers and the whole junior program. The emphasis appeared to be only on the Senior National and International level with the others paying dearly in the form of membership fees and really getting nothing in return.
When I originally inquired about the AAU, I was hoping it could become an alternative to US Diving. I was not seeking to replace them. I wanted divers and coaches to have a choice of organizations that best suited their needs. We needed an organization that allowed coaches to determine what was needed for their divers and their programs.
When this all started, the AAU determined that in order to run a National Championship it needed at least 2,000 members. Our first National Championships occurred in July 2005. Prior to that contest there were 7,000 members. On the date of that contest there were over 8,000 members. Those numbers surpassed my wildest dreams and even those of the skeptics.
After conversations with coaches who attended the first National Championships, I heard only positive comments. Most seemed excited about the future and their involvement in it. Thank you AAU for this positive response to the future of the sport. Also a big thank you to those that worked tirelessly to make it all happen.
I would like to offer a caution as the AAU progresses with its program and committees. Since coaches will have input I plead with them to make this an organization for the kids. Keeping it simple and straightforward will better suit the needs of competitive diving. Divers need competition. Skills training is fine but shouldn’t be in the form of contests or forced upon everyone. To build a diving program, divers must have local meets to learn how to compete. It is also the incentive for kids to learn dives.
Personally I do not advocate a program offering contests for kids that haven’t met the requirements for their age group. The novice program proved that to me. Many novice kids never moved into the regular format and that was the original intention for adding that level. It made a long day even longer. I suggest this because it seems that many pool owner/operators do not want competitions to overlap into the open swims.
To all involved in the AAU I hope that you appreciate the choices you have and are able to involve yourself as much as you are able. The future of the AAU program lies in the hands of its volunteers…and that’s all of us!