Ringwood Diving Club

With the recent announcement of the $48 million re-development of the Ringwood Aquatic Centre I am excited to continue working with the Ringwood Diving Club as we have a unique opportunity to be the most innovative and successful diving club not only in Australia but the entire world! In order to continue our success and expand we need to streamline our structure to be in line with the highly acclaimed and proven Long Term Athlete Development model developed by some of the best coaches and sports scientists in the world.
I had the unique opportunity to further my coaching career in the UK for 4 years. When I first arrived in the UK British Diving had only just begun establishing their own structure to create a more robust and solid pathway for divers from beginner to elite. This situation allowed me to learn first hand how this process manifested into three phases:
1. Inception and teething problems
2. Ironing out issues
3. Evidence of positive results

Ringwood Diving Club’s uniquity has allowed me the opportunity to implement my own structure based on what I have learned from the British Diving model as well as my extensive knowledge of elite international competition. So what is this word uniquity? Let me explain what uniquity means to Ringwood Diving Club:

Location
Ringwood is situated in the perfect location for growth. Ringwood Aquatic Centre is just seconds from the Eastlink, only 15 minutes from the beginning of the Eastern Freeway at Hoddle Street, and only 20 minutes from Frankston. We are closer than you think. Ringwood Diving Club has never been so accessible having the unique opportunity to promote and market diving for all ages and abilities to more people around Melbourne.

Venue
Ringwood Diving Club hopes to work closely with the Maroondah Council with it's developments of the new Ringwood Aquatic Centre. The plan is to create a world class diving pool in order give the Ringwood divers the competitive edge to be able to train in one of the best venues in the world. Not only will a new pool with a full compliment of diving boards to allow international competition assist in developing world class competitors it will also allow further expansion of the diving club to fulfil our vision of "a sustainable, evolving club capable of realising the opportunities available to it" which includes participants from the entire eastern and south-eastern communities. Having a full compliment of diving boards including a 10m platform will make the Ringwood Aquatic Centre equivalent or even better than what is currently provided at MSAC in Albert Park and will minimise the need for Ringwood Divers to travel. Fantastic news for diving as a sport!

Exclusive Use Of The Pool
Ringwood Diving Club’s agreement with Maroondah council and the Ringwood Aquatic Centre means that we are the only diving club allowed to train at the Ringwood Aquatic Centre. One of the main areas of concern in developing the LTAD model in the UK was club development. In order to successfully implement a solid structure it was important that the coaches and divers at each pool become united under one banner. This allowed better cohesion and communication as well as the ability to streamline pathways for all divers and coaches within that club. Divers with similar abilities were grouped into separate squads being able to train together allowing more efficient learning, confidence and the ability to push each other. This exclusive use of the pool gives Ringwood Diving Club the unique opportunity to be able to put into place a solid structure and pathway for divers and coaches at all abilities.

Professionalism
It is paramount for a successful club at any level to conduct itself professionally at all times. It is the little professional things that makes a big difference. Coaches must be prepared for every training session. This means preparing session plans, taking roles, wearing correct uniform and giving 100% enthusiastic attention to the athletes. Just the other day at MSAC I witnessed coaches not wearing uniforms, turning up late and playing games on their mobiles phones while coaching at the same time. The professional actions of the team staff reflect upon the athletes. Ringwood Diving Club has by far the biggest presence at competitions. All athletes are in their RDC uniforms warming up together conducting themselves in a professional manner as a professional team should. Coaches and team staff are constantly being congratulated on how well behaved and professional the athletes conduct themselves during competition. This is a reflection of the professional conduct of the coaches and support staff and their ability to reflect this upon their athletes. This professionalism of Ringwood Diving Club gives us the unique opportunity to be marketable and seem attractive to potential members.

Support of Community
Ringwood Diving Club has been recognised at the Australian Age Championships in 2010 with the club of the year award for the second year in a row. This award represents Diving Australia’s support for us and our efforts over the last 24 months. Ringwood Diving Club captured the attention of Diving Australia with our new structured pathway for divers and coaches, educating and recruiting judges, coaches, table staff and other volunteers, the introduction of diving to the Maroondah Festival as well as many other qualities to fulfil the criteria for the very prestigious annual award. Our state governing body Diving Victoria is also behind us with their continued support for our new Dive School and Kinder Dive program as well as our squads who consistently represent Victoria successfully at all levels of Nationals Championships. Our diving club would not be able to run without the help of volunteers. RDC volunteers work tirelessly behind the scenes without any recognition and it is this selfless service to Ringwood Diving Club that allows us to continue our climb to the top of the diving world. Finally, and most importantly, it is the support we receive from the Maroondah Council and the Ringwood Aquatic Centre that allow us to train in this fantastic venue. We have a great relationship and hope to continue it into the future so we can expand our club to provide an even better service to the community. Ringwood Diving Club’s strong relationship with all aspects of the diving community promotes our unique opportunity to provide a strong and accomplished club for the community.

It was identified in British Diving’s plan to implement a LTAD model for it’s program that the two key issues to be dealt with was Club and Coach Development. How can divers become world class if their education, training and support was not world class? Here at Ringwood Diving Club our uniquity allows us to continually and professionally develop our club and coaches so that we can provide the world class diving club it’s members and community deserve.

Christian Brooker
Head Coach
Ringwood Diving Club

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