Girls and Athletics / Giving a brief summary of the activity, rules and method of administration of the following games in girls' schools and colleges, women's clubs, etc.: archery, basket ball, cricket, fencing, field day, field hockey, gymnastics, golf, hand ball, ice hockey, indoor base ball, rowing, soccer, skating, swimming, tennis, track athletics, volley ball, walking, water polo, water basket ball.

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Diving

As diving is a very large subject, it is impossible to give in detail all the varied dives. There are three important dives everyone should know—the front, back, and shallow or racing dive. The beauty of diving is in the form.

The Front Dive.—The diver stands erect at the end of the spring board, falls forward, then as the body passes the balance point, the arms are raised straight over the head, knees bent; then spring out so that the body is parallel to water, arms above head; the body is curved downward and enters the water, arms, head, body, and legs forming a straight line.

In springing, jump out parallel to the water. The running dive is very similar.

Back Dive.—The diver turns with back to the water, heels over the edge of board into space; the arms are over head, body is curved backward; as the balance point is reached, spring out, turning body as it enters the water.

The position of the head is important. Ducking the head or throwing it too far back, added to stiffness of the body, makes the dive awkward. The legs should never be apart, but together; toes pointed, so that feet are not flat; the fingers should be together.

The shallow dive, known as the racing dive, is important for those interested in speed swimming, as is the racing turn.

The Racing Dive.—The swimmer stands with the body bent forward, arms back; then, as body falls forward, the knees are bent and the spring out is taken; the body strikes the water arms over head, the whole body in a straight line with the arms and legs. Do not dive so that you sink into the water, but try to strike it at the right angle, so that you will sink only a few inches. The arms start the stroke as soon as they reach the surface, then the legs commence as the arms are recovering.

The Racing Turn.—The wall is touched by the arm that the turn is to be made on. The previous strokes must be timed so that the arm may touch the wall stretched straight out in front. The hand touches the wall (above the water line) palm against the wall, fingers pointing the way the body is to turn.

The body is swung along the wall so that bottoms of the feet touch the wall (a little below the water); then with a backward stroke of the arms, which have been brought to the hip, palms pointing in front, fingers down, the body is brought right against the wall, nearly touching; then the arms are forward, the legs straightened, thus gaining impetus; the arms start the stroke, then the legs commence as the arms start the recovery.

For racing, constant practice of the start, stroke and turn is necessary. First the swimmer should perfect her form of stroke, then the speed may be increased by practice swims of a short distance at first, which may be increased slowly. A swimmer should always be in good condition. Never swim so much as to get stale; never over-exert. It doesn’t pay in the end.

Choose the event you are the most proficient in and stick to that one until you are perfect in it.