The new 5 ft. rule, (effective November 1, 2001), pertains to training of the diving start only.  When coaches are teaching brand new swimmers the diving start, they must use at least 5 ft. water to teach the start.  This means that at a practice facility, if you intend to teach swimmers how to do a diving start, you must take them to 5 ft. water to train.  If that is not available at your pool, then you will have to take the new swimmers to another facility to teach them the diving start.

For competition, the water depth requirements currently specified in 103.2.3,( which will change in number only), (page 41 of the 2001 USA Rule Book), are still in effect but, no coach can teach a new swimmer a dive start during warm-up in less than 5 ft.

Sounds confusing but, it is a safety issue intended to prevent the compression neck injuries potentially encountered when brand new swimmers attempt the competition dive from the blocks, the first time.  Therefore, coaches need to make sure there is the availability of 5 ft. water at their facilities or find another pool to train starts at practice, and no training during competition if the pool does not meet the 5ft. requirement.

As far as competition sanction, this does not effect any of the pools already hosting meets in Georgia.  Those pools already have a USA certification for competition.  Safety Marshals will have to prohibit new dive training, ( not warm-up dives), of new swimmers in pools with start ends less than 5 ft. in depth.  Coaches' honor is necessary to implement this safety requirement for prevention of injuries.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.   770-978-1381.  Thanks.

Gary Theisen