Platform/springboard diving

Question
Hi my name is Brandi. After leaving competetive artistic gymnastics after doing it for 3 years, I am looking for something athletic to do and diving has always interested me. My only worry is that I am 13 years old and im worried that I am too old to start. What is the average age to start diving and am I too old to start?

Answer
Hi Brandi -

You are absolutely not too old to start diving. In fact, it is the ideal age. I do not know what the average age is to start diving but can tell you that most of the sport (65%) is comprised of girls between the ages of 11 and about 24 and most of them are ex-gymnasts.

Look for a diving program in your area by going to www.usadiving.org and click on Join USA Diving and then Find A Club. Enter your state and a list of teams will come up. Select a few to contact and ask when they give lessons. Attend a practice session to see what this great sport is about. Also go to www.diving.about.com and in the search box, enter 'lessons' to get an idea of what to expect.

Next week on NBC, the Olympic Diving Trials will be on TV from Tuesday the 19th through Sunday the 24th. Make sure you watch it. I think you will hear the commentators say that several of the female divers trying to get to London started as a gymnast and maybe were even older than you when they began.