The underwater bit...

Touching back to the name of this blog, C is keen on swimming. The name came about when we were in the US on a nine-month visit in 2008/9. During that time he also got to experience diving lessons at the Santa Clara pool. The diving pool was also used by a synchronised swimming team immediately before his lessons and was only when they were absent one weekend that we realised that they'd gone off to the Olympics. C was probably a bit young for the class, it was only after he'd been in it for a while that we realised that he was the youngest (not quite seven), and wasn't really ready for the competitive, pushy nature of the class. We eventually discussed it with the instructor and agreed that he should probably take time out and come back when he was ready for it, although he really wanted to continue. He had at least picked up the basics by this point and we made jokes about letting small children jump into seventeen feet of water. He did have gymnastic lessons before we went to the US, so some of what was required was at least familiar. It was that plus his express wish that he wanted to learn to dive that let us feel comfortable in offering him the chance although with hindsight he wasn't quite ready, at least for that class.

Back in the UK, he returned to the home education group lessons in the local pool. These were held in a smaller pool with a movable floor, and immediately after his lesson, the floor was lowered for a public diving session. Some weeks, he expressed an interest in having a go, and with his general competence at swimming, plus the lifeguards seeing that he knew the basics, most weeks they were happy to let him practice dives off the side away from the board. Occasionally he'd go and do some off the board itself. He was prepared to accept instructions and guidance from the watching lifeguards, and so could improve his technique. However, it's always been an occasional thing, and he's been concentrating on improving his swimming.

Now he appears to have regained his interest to the point of wanting to try lessons again, so he's got a trial with the local diving club later this week. If they take him on and he agrees, that'll be four days a week when he gets to be in a swimming pool when the session is added to his swim club and lesson sessions.

ETA: trial session went very well, he's matured in the two years since the California stuff. Looks like diving is added to the list of regular activities.