Diving

Bradford Council Diving Scheme delivers a fully operational scheme that provides both competitive and recreational diving. All recreational diving occurs within the Swimming Development Department of Bradford Council.

The structure enables smooth progression through the scheme, allowing each diver the opportunity to reach their full potential. Avenues into the scheme may include invitation from holiday courses, Talent Identification Programmes, general enquiry, Flip ‘n’ Fun courses and others. If ‘Talent Spotted’, divers will be invited to a group suitable to their skill level and begin progressions from this point onward.

City of Bradford Esprit Diving Club

In order for the divers within the Diving Scheme to compete, they must become members of a Diving Club that is affiliated to the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA). The divers must register, through the club, with both the regional ASA (North-East Region), and the National ASA. The registration fee is dependent on the level of competition that the diver attends. 

The club is heavily committed to raising funds that will further support divers competing outside of the local area, and organising development competitions for club divers throughout the year. The club is organised by an enthusiastic committee, made up of dedicated volunteers, it is due to the support of these volunteers that the club is able to continue, therefore new faces and offers of support are welcome to the committee throughout the year.

Facilities

Shipley Pool

• 1 x 1m dry-land springboard 
• 2 x 1m water springboards 
• 1 x 3m water springboard 
• 5m diving platform 
• 1 trampoline

Eccleshill Pool

• 2x 1m boards 
• 1x 1m platform 
• 1 x 3m platform

Bradford have other swimming pools that can also run introductory diving lessons using the poolside with a minimum depth of 1.8m.

Diving courses and schemes

Courses

The Diving Development Scheme offers a range of courses available to people that wish to learn to dive. These courses are available to absolute beginners, children, adults and those who wish to progress skills already developed or those who just want to try a new challenge!

Term time

The scheme offers lessons that run over a period of ten weeks, each block of ten weeks will take place four times over the year, in line with the academic calendar.

There are three levels within the Diving Development Scheme

• Learn to Dive 1 (LTD1) – This level is aimed at complete beginners and covers the first three grade available; Junior Diver, One Star and Two Star 
• Learn to Dive 2 (LTD2) – This level is aimed at intermediate divers working on badges; Three Star, Four Star and Five Star 
• Learn to Dive 3 (LTD3) – This level is aimed at advanced divers working on badges; Bronze, Silver and Gold

Holiday lessons

During Easter, summer and half term school holidays the diving scheme offers week long Learn to Dive courses, which are available to all abilities. The courses vary in duration but generally run for a period of five days and are available at Shipley and Eccleshill pools. See your local pool reception for further details.

Awards scheme

The original awards scheme was developed around 6-10 years ago.
Bradford’s Diving Development Scheme has recently launched a newly updated awards scheme following significant advancement in technical knowledge within the sport of diving in the UK.

The overall structure remains the same following the same levels as the Learn to Dive classes (as above). To allow divers more time ensuring quality techniques are being practiced, there are now fewer skills but more appropriate skills per badge. A theory question, appropriate to the level, is included to enhance the divers awareness of health and safety issues and some technical knowledge to result in a more informed, alert and safe diver.

‘Flip n Fun’

This scheme is a new awards scheme specifically for use with school diving lessons and as an introduction to diving for swimmers.

This comprehensive set of awards incorporate both dry-land and pool skills that can be performed on poolside and in pools with a minimum of 1.8m depth. The ‘Flip n Fun’ stages utilises games and rewards and is a fantastic alternative swimming lessons. See your local pool reception for further details.

Diving training scheme

This scheme is the competitive element and currently operates from Shipley pool.

The Diving Training scheme offers divers from six years old the chance to develop their skills with a view to competing under the tuition of ASA qualified diving teachers and coaches. Selection onto the diving training scheme is by invitation of the head coach only.

Diving competitions and squads

The Bradford Aquatics Competition Development programme for diving runs in accordance with the Amateur Swimming Association's ‘Long Term Athlete Development Plan’ which encourages its participants to success from fundamentals right the way through to training to win.

Each squad follows a competitive calendar throughout the year and with the help of the City of Bradford Esprit Diving Club, the divers represent their district at local, national and international events.

 The competition programme runs in conjunction with the City of Bradford Esprit Diving Club (COBE), The club coordinates the teams attendance at events. It is important to remember that the coaches are employed by Bradford Aquatics and not by the club. The scheme is focussed on competitive development and for that reason the participants are required to be members of the appropriate discipline’s club, COBE for Diving, and are expected to compete as each squad criteria states.

The first eight squads are competitive and the last two listed are semi-competitive:

• TID Learn to Swim
• TID Lesson
• All Stars
• Novice squad
• Development squad
• Group B+
• Age group
• Elite Junior
• Teens
• Adult

It is the responsibility of Bradford Aquatics to handle monthly training fees.

If you have more than one child in the scheme then each subsequent child will be charged at a 50% reduced rate. The lowest monthly squad fee will be reduced. This is applicable in either discipline, eg siblings attend Bradford Aquatics Competitive Diving Development Scheme and the Competitive Swimming scheme at the same time.