Diving: nervous about head-first entries

Happy to jump feet-first but freezes, pulls back or turns away when trying a head-first entry.

Activities that help

• Diving Confidence Ladder – Swimmers choose their own rung – sitting, kneeling, crouching, lunging – and move up only when they've done three controlled entries, so nervous divers progress at their own pace.
• Sitting Dive – The first head-first entry: from sitting on the edge, arms over the head, swimmers overbalance forward into a shallow glide.
• Visualise the Dive – Before trying an entry, swimmers close their eyes on poolside (back from the edge) and picture every step – stance, take-off, shape, entry, surfacing – building calm confidence.