Section 8: Safety Considerations
Diving is a high-impact sport with significant injury risk from board-strike, water-entry impact, and platform fall. NCAA-mandated minimum pool depth is critical (insufficient depth = forbidden dive). Sparge/bubble system at the entry point reduces water-entry impact at platform venues that have it. Diver safety protocols: warm-up access to each board pre-event; repeat-dive rule for unsafe boards; medical observers at every NCAA-sanctioned meet. Concussion protocol: removal + graduated return-to-play assessment after head/neck-impact incidents. Spinal-injury emergency action plan required (board strikes are the highest-risk diving incident). AED access + EMT/ambulance + team physician at championship-level meets.