USA Diving has restructured the summer junior diving program in an effort to allow more divers to compete throughout the summer. This move comes as a response to feedback gathered from Town Hall meetings and member surveys in which the diving membership felt that USA Diving was focused too much toward the elite diving programs.
The national governing body for the sport of diving, USA Diving is responsible for training and selecting teams that represent the United States at international events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup.
The summer junior diving program offered by USA Diving functions as the vehicle by which divers qualify for junior level national and international competition.
These changes, passed at the recent United States Aquatic Sports Convention, allow up to 150 divers to advance past regional competition as opposed to 80 in the past. The number of divers that qualify for the junior national championships also increases. Also added to the schedule is springboard and platform competition in the 11 and under age group, complimenting the 12-13, 14-15, and 16-18 age groups.
These changes to the junior program will take place at the beginning of the 2008 diving season.
Source: USADiving.org