Game version
Takeoff statue: on dry land, practice the takeoff and freeze in the shape while a partner gives a thumbs-up for tall posture. Swap.
Check Your Takeoff on Video
Your coach films a few feet-first jumps so you can see whether you leave the board going up or drifting out.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Do 4 feet-first jumps with your coach filming.
Core: From a low step. Beat your own tallest finish.
- Ages
- 14 and up
- Time
- 12 min
- Space
- Pool
- Bring
- Springboard, deep water, camera
- Level · skill
- Advanced · Takeoff
The steps
How it works
- Do 4 feet-first jumps with your coach filming.
- Watch together: are your hips over your feet when you leave?
- Pick one thing to change.
- Do 4 more and compare with your own first set.
Coaching point
Hips over feet at takeoff.
Safety: Only on a board or platform with a diving coach watching, in water your coach has checked meets the diving depth standard (about 12 feet under a 1 yard (1 m) board). Never in shallow water, never alone. Filmed only by your coach or your parent at practice, with your parent's OK, never near changing areas and with no other children in the frame. Only your own family and coach see the video, and it is never posted or uploaded.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a level: Less (on the deck), Core (from a low step), More (with your coach watching at the board). Beat your own tallest finish.
Story
You are a spring that launches and holds its shape.
My best
Beat your own count
Beat your own tallest finish. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
Print it now, or save it free
Free for families and teams
Save this drill to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free diving week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.
14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free
Does your child's coach know about this?
An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.