Recently some of the Swimming Development Officers in the South East Region took a deep breath and took on a challenge as part of the Big Splash. The challenge was to participate in a diving session in Aberdare Swimming Pool. This was not the sort of diving that any of these people were used to, it was the type of diving that Tom Daley and Tonia Couch take your breath away with from the platforms and springboards.

Under the guidance of the Swim Wales Diving Consultant, Ben Fox, who co-ordinates the Diving programmes in Wales and is helping budding Welsh talent develop, six officers stepped out of their comfort zones, namely Jean Davies (RCT), Natalie Parfitt (Monmouthshire), Andy Walker (Bridgend), Barrie Swift (Newport), Chris Kibby (Blaenau Gwent) and Hanna Guise (Swim Wales).

Ben spent time going over basic techniques from the side of the pool such as hand positions, entries and different shapes - tuck, pike and backwards, before the group moved on to perform these skills off of the 1 metre platform.

Once confidence had been gathered, the group moved onto the higher platforms where they attempted a jump from the 3 metre springboard. This gave the group a different problem to overcome - not only did some have to take a deep breath to walk to the end of the springboard, jumping off of it gave jumping and maintaining a straight body position in the air a whole new challenge. Jean, Barrie and Chris bravely attempted a dive from the 3 metre springboard. The reactions of the crowd were positive with everyone applauding each other's attempts. Andy Walker likened the experience to 'walking the plank'.

From there it was up to the 5 metre platform. This was a whole new experience for some of the group, a couple of which were overcoming fear of heights! Everyone managed to execute a jump from the 5 metre platform. Motivational comments and instructions from Ben assisting everyone to take their leap! Aberdare Swimming Pool has a video playback facility installed for the divers to make use of in their training. This facility is invaluable to the coaching process and the divers gaining feedback on their performance. Ben gave each of the group feedback but it was not until each saw the video playback that they could fully comprehend what Ben had said!

Gold star for the session went to Chris Kibby. He fearlessly performed dives from the 5 metre platform that sent gasps of awe and wonder through the rest of the group! Although he did have a slight advantage that he is based at Ebbw Vale - the only other facility in the South East region that has diving boards!

The session enabled the group to fully appreciate the skill and hard work that club divers put into their sport and also enabled them to experience how adult learners feel when trying a new skill for the first time such as learning to swim, which is a meaningful emotion to be able to pass onto teachers in their programmes. There may also be an extra participant at the adult diving sessions that Ben runs in Aberdare - Barrie was very keen to further improve his skills and learn more!

Thank you to Barrie who initially suggested the Challenge, to Jean for confirming the arrangements for the session and to Ben for patiently teaching us.

The Big Splash provides an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities from across the country to join the 13 million people in the UK who are already making a splash, by taking part in swimming events, finding out what local pools have to offer, benefitting from fantastic money saving offers and winning some great prizes. You can help us to make the Big Splash a great success by helping to convert all those people who are inspired to get swimming to have a great experience in your pool! Enjoying the water is something open to people of all ages and abilities. Everyone has a Big Splash in them and we all have different reasons for jumping in. More quality time with the kids, the companionship of an Aqua Aerobics class, training to be the best or just splashing about for a laugh, our Big Splashers have a range of reasons for making ripples. All of which could take place in your pools! For more information about the Big Splash visit www.bigsplash.co.uk

Aberdare Comets are one of Swim Wales' registered diving clubs, the others are in Bangor and Llanelli, and all have members ranging across all abilities. Rhondda-Cynon-Taf, Carmarthenshire and Gwynedd Local Authorities all run learn to dive schemes. For further information about joining a club or learning to dive in Wales ben.fox@swimming.org