It has been just over a month now since training was suspended due to COVID-19. These have been difficult and trying times and we continue to wish all our members and families well. As always if there is anything the association can do to help please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Through the hard work and sacrifice of many Australians, we are now starting to flatten the curve and see some restrictions lifted, starting from today here in WA. We will not be back diving yet, but this may see the potential for squads to do outdoor group sessions of up to 10 people, while still adhering to social distancing measures, using their own equipment, etc. We are discussing this further with the coaches as to what this might look like and the potential of this happening soon.

Following the April Board Meeting late last week, the decision was made to POSTPONE both the State Open and Junior Elite Championships, which were both originally scheduled for May. The decision to postpone these events rather than cancel aligns with the Diving Australia decision to postpone the National Championships. This would still allow for qualifying opportunities should they be required. Once we have more information regarding a potential return date for diving, we will make further decisions regarding these and further events.

You may have also seen late last week that Diving Australia announced the dates for the Age Championships in 2021 in Brisbane (12^th-17^th April). This gives the Age Pathway a clear timeline to work towards both now, and when training again resumes in the water in the future. We will also be able to start working on plans and timelines for the team much further in advance than previous years.

Finally, some exciting news, we have been granted new equipment thanks to VenuesWest through their Capital Expenditure process, including springboards for the tower and a J-Pad scoring system. This will be fantastic for our judges and increase our events to another level. We look forward to seeing both come into place in the coming months.

The WA Diving Community continues to thrive during this difficult time, and we thank all of you for your passion and commitment. We are not through this yet, but together we will succeed.

Stay safe,

Steven Rose

CEO

Diving WA