Are you interested in taking your judging career to the international stage? USA Diving offers a clear pathway that supports judges from their first domestic training all the way to earning a World Aquatics license. With dedication, experience, and mentorship, you can progress from local competitions to officiating at World Cups, World Championships, and even the Olympic Games.
Becoming a trained domestic judge with USA Diving is a structured process designed to ensure consistency, fairness, and excellence in officiating. Judges will gain experience officiating at local, regional and national competitions and will continue their development through mentorship, evaluations and staying updated on rules.
Below is a step-by-step guide for individuals interested in completing this training:
1. Become a Judge Member with USA Diving
To begin the process, individuals must hold a current membership with USA Diving. This can be either a Judge Membership or a Coach Membership. Obtaining a membership includes:
- Registering for membership
- Completing any required background screening and SafeSport training
- Paying applicable membership fees
2. Successfully Complete the Judges Online Course
After becoming a member, candidates must complete the official USA Diving Judges Online Course. This course provides foundational knowledge on judging criteria, scoring, rules, and protocol.
3. Arrange for a Live Evaluation
Once the online course is completed, candidates must email Amy Kwan, the Chair of the Judges Commission, to arrange for a live evaluation. This step ensures candidates are observed and assessed in a real-time judging environment.
4. Achieve a Passing Score
To successfully complete this training, the candidate must receive a score of 90% or higher from the live evaluator.
5. Training Validity and Maintenance
Upon successful evaluation, the judge will be considered trained for four years, provided the following conditions are met:
- Membership with USA Diving is renewed annually along with a current background screening and Safe Sport training
- The online judge’s exam is successfully completed each year
- A judge must be actively judging each year. Once a judge is trained, they will be eligible to judge region and zone championships.
- Judges who demonstrate accuracy, professionalism, and rule knowledge may be nominated for higher-level assignments.
- Opportunities include officiating at Junior National Championships, Senior National Championships, and USA Diving Trials events.
- Evaluation at this level focuses on scoring consistency and performance under pressure.
- Judges who meet USA Diving’s standards for excellence may be recommended for World Aquatics certification.
- Nominations are made by the USA Diving Judges Commission and approved through USA Diving leadership.
- Candidates must show a commitment to education and adherence to USA Diving’s Code of Conduct and ethical standards.
- Selected judges attend a World Aquatics online Judges School, which provides in-depth training on international rules, standards, and evaluation.
- Successful completion grants World Aquatics certification, authorizing judges to officiate at international competitions.
- Certified World Aquatics Judges are eligible to officiate at World Recognized events, World Cups, World Championships, and Olympic Games.
- Judges are expected to represent USA Diving with integrity and professionalism at the global level.
- The USA Diving Judges Commission selects judges based on World Aquatics Bronze, Silver and Gold rankings approved by the Federation. World events are selected by the World Aquatics Commission and their internal rankings. Those names are submitted to the USA Diving Judges Chair and Federation for approval.
