Hobie Billingsley
Olympic Coach and Judge from Indiana University
Naturally, the first encounter a diver
has with the diving judges in a competition is when he steps up onto the
diving board and assumes a standing position, or stance, before
executing a dive. This stance is the first exposure of the diver to the
judge and this is also when he makes his first impression. Oddly
enough, most divers are not aware of the importance of the stance for
they feel they are judged by their performance of the dive and not by
their appearance on the board. However, the diver should note that since
the objective in competitive diving is to offer the best performance
possible, he should present himself -to the judge’s width all the poise
and confidence he can. As most will agree, the first impression a
person makes on others is usually a long and lasting one. If this is
true, then the diver should try to present himself to the judges as best
he can from the very beginning. After all, there is no other way the
diver can communicate with the judges than by his appearance and
performance. From the judges view, it is much easier to judge a person
on the board who is well groomed, wears an attractive suit, and portrays
good posture than it is to judge a diver who does not offer any or all
of these qualities. Granted, a good appearance by a diver does not
guarantee a good performance but it does encourage a positive
atmosphere, which can't but help the scores of the diver,
So if we were to believe that a good
appearance by a diver on the board could insure better scores from the
judges, then I would like to offer a few suggestions that may aid the
diver in improving his appearance:
1. The diving suit. Years
ago a certain country in Europe had some very good divers performing in
the Olympics. However, they didn't score well because everyone,
including the judges, commented on the horrible looking suits the divers
wore. Everyone enjoys watching a diver who wears an attractive suit.
Normally, a suit that is a little snug on a person, so as to give good
support in the needed areas, is much better looking than one that is
large and baggy.
The color and design of a suit also can
be influential in developing a favorable impression. A dark skinned
person usually draws more positive attention wearing a light colored
suit while a person with a light complexion usually looks better in a
dark suit. Certain suits fit women different ways so they should try to
wear the type of suit that offers them the most comfort but still
compliments their figures. Since there are so many styles and designs
of suits these days it is suggested that the diver obtain the opinions
of other divers as to what makes for the best appearance. As a coach, I
find it much easier to coach a diver who wears an attractive suit from
day to day than one who does not.
2. Grooming. Though hair
styles change from time to time, many judges feel that it is much more
difficult to judge divers who have long and' uncombed hair, mustaches,
and beards than it is with those who are clean shaven with well kept
hair. If a diver feels that being clean-shaven violates his personal
appearance, he should at least trim the beard and mustache to make his
appearance more pleasant. The female diver with long hair gives a much
better appearance if she crops or braids her hair when diving. One
thing for sure, an abundance, of hair on the male or female doesn't
contribute toward getting more points from the judges.
3. Posture. When the diver stands on the board before executing a dive, he need not stand in a military West Point Cadet fashion. He should, however, consider standing with the head erect, chin in with the eyes focused on the other end of the board, shoulders rolled back slightly, the stomach drawn in to give a flat appearance, arms extended at the sides with the hands flat against the thighs, fingers together and extended, legs straight, and feet together. If the diver can obtain any semblance of this kind of posture, he is sure to have the judges take a better view of his performance. . Many divers have missed going to the Olympics or doing well in an important meet by hundredths of a point. Perhaps they failed to realize that the small difference in winning and losing may have been found in their malting a better impression on the judges when the, were standing on the board. One thing for sure, the name of the game is to win, and when a person is involved in a sport that is decided by human judgments it seems that he should offer the best appearance possible when performing. Remember that you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.