Club Handbook

Squads and Progression

The significance of the Albatross squads and requirements at each level.

Depending on a diver’s age, we define two pathways to teach the divers more difficult skills and promote them to higher squads. Diving most commonly follows the following divisions for age groups (where age is as of midnight on 31st December in the year of the competition), which we follow for our pathways.

  • Group F: < 8 years
  • Group E1: 8 years
  • Group E2: 9 years
  • Group D1: 10 years
  • Group D2: 11 years
  • Group C1: 12 years
  • Group C2: 13 years
  • Group B: 14/15 years
  • Group A: 16/17/18 years
  • Senior: > 18 years

Children in age groups D or younger are put in “Green” squads and those in age groups C and older are put in the “White” squads. We use Grades to monitor the progress of our divers and determine when they should be moved into a higher-level squad. There are 7 Grades, each consisting of a set of skills that a diver is assessed on during our regular Gradings. The following flowchart represents the different pathways in the club.

Squads & Progression

Divers start in our Learn-to-Dive programme, coordinated by Charlie Minns, who is the main contact for divers in these squads (learntodive@albatrossdiving.org). LTD I is the entry point for all divers, and they will be offered the opportunity to join an LTD II squad based on the following criteria:

  • Green:
    • Diver is in age group D or younger
    • Diver has passed Grade 2
    • If diver is in age group E2, D1, or D2, they must have jumped from 5m
    • Diver shows a good attitude to training and has a good attendance record
  • White:
    • Diver is in age group C or older
    • Diver has passed Grade 3 or has achieved a Highly Commended on Grade 2 (see Grading System)
    • Diver must have jumped from 5m
    • Diver shows a good attitude to training and has a good attendance record

After passing Grade 3 (Green Pathway) or Grade 5 (White Pathway), divers may be offered a place in the Pre-Skills squad, subject to their attitude to training and attendance record. The lead coach for our Pre-Skills and Skills programme is Hernán Mosqueda Jolly, who oversees the progress of all divers in these squads. The Pre-Skills squads will be aiming to develop the dives required to perform at Regional Skills events, where they will have an opportunity to qualify for the National Skills final (please see the Swim England Diving Competition Pathway document for further details).

The Skills squads represent a huge step up in training and commitment. To be offered a place in these squads, we expect our divers to show an excellent attitude to training and must have demonstrated strong performances at Regional Skills events. Divers must also have passed Grade 6 (Green Pathway) or Grade 7 (White Pathway).

For divers who have developed strong diving fundamentals but are more interested in pursuing diving recreationally, we offer the Development White squad. Spots in this squad are offered to divers who meet the requirements for the Pre-Skills White squad but decide they do not want the time commitment of the competitive squads. Divers in this squad can always change their mind and switch to either the Pre-Skill White or Skills White squads depending on their ability.

Our Advanced squad consists of divers who have performed well at the National Skills final and meet the requirements to compete at the Age Group and Next Generation level competitions. The lead coach for this squad is Malcolm Green (the head coach at Albatross). Divers in this squad are expected to compete at regional Age Group level events, aiming to qualify for the National Age Group Final. The ultimate goal for divers in this squad will be to compete at the Aquatics GB Next Generation Championships, the highest level competition for juniors in England, where divers can be selected to represent the country at international competitions.

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