Terminology

 

  • USA Diving (USAD) - USA Diving is one of our diving governing body and it is the national team governing body. They host meets across the country and send divers to international meets such as Olympics, World Championships and Fina Diving World Cups. Our divers may participate in Regionals, Zones and National meets through USA Diving. USA Diving has a great Diving 101 at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Diving/About-Us/Diving-101

  • AAU Diving (AAU) - One of our diving governing bodies. We attend many AAU Meets through the season. The Red, White and Blue circuit is the main circuit that we participate in. Top 6 from each age group category qualify for the national event.

  • Voluntaries - this is a category of dive that is typically known as the "easier" dives. These are dives like front dive, back dive, reverse dive, inward dive, and a twister such as back one and a half half twist. They are also known as the "required dives".

  • Optionals - These are known as a diver's "tough" dives. These are the dives that include more flips and twists such as front double, back one and a half, inward one and a half, reverse one and a half and front one and a half full twist.

  • Future Champions - A name of our team group and the name of a diving division. The Arizona Future Champion divisions are for divers first starting out that don't have all their dives to compete in the Junior Olympian division. Dives include mostly jumps and lineups. Future Champions do not qualify for any national events.

  • Novice - novice is much like future champions where the main skills required are jumps and lineups. The term novice may be used when we are not at an Arizona event. Novice does not qualify for any national event.

  • Junior Olympian (JO)- these are the age group categories. These divers have he opportunity to qualify for regionals, zones and national meets For divers 12 and older this means they have a dive in all five categories and several more difficult dives to complete their list. Divers younger than 12 may only need 3-4 voluntaries and 1-2 optionals.