Junior Olympic/High School Diving Ranks

Question
Hi Tom!
I am a JO Diver, as well as a high school diver, and I was wondering how the ranking system worked. Would it be easier to be ranked as a high school diver or a JO? Is there such thing as a national rank, like in gymnastics?

Thanks!
Cass


Answer
Cass -

The ranking system for high school diving is found at the website run by the National Swim Coaches Association. They compile an annual list based on divers submitting a DVD of their 11 dives for All American consideration. Go to www.niscaonline.org and click on Award Programs. Then click on All American Diving. This will take you to page that is for divers like yourself who want to be ranked. You can look at last school years list of divers who made the All American ranking list as well as a video of the two divers who were ranked number 1. You will also find out more info on how you can apply for this school year's contest.

For the USA Diving Junior Olympic Program, there really is no ranking system done by the National Office. What I can tell you is how college coaches review high school divers accomplishments for recruiting and scholarship consideration. Here is an unofficial ranking order:

1. JO divers who make the finals of Senior Nationals.
2. JO divers who qualify for Senior Nationals.
3. JO divers who make the JO National Team.
4. JO divers who make the finals of the summer JO Nationals.
5. JO divers who qualify for JO Nationals.
6. JO divers who final at Age Group Nationals.
7. JO divers who qualify for Age Group Nationals.
8. JO divers who final at East or West Nationals in the spring.
9. JO divers who qualify for East or West Nationals.
10. Divers who qualify for the Summer JO Zone Championships.

If you go to www.flipnrip.com, they publish an unofficial ranking list of divers scores from various summer meets. You can also checkout www.divemeets.com to see the results of this past summer's JO meets and see how you rank with girls in your age group. I think it is harder to be considered by college coaches for what you do in club diving because college coaches do not pay too much attention to what you do in high school. This because it is only one meter. They are interested in how well you do your optional dives in the hardest club meets,especially on three meter.