posted Jan 20th, 2025 - The dive pool is not a new topic for the NSL News, as it has been covered several times in the past, including the TURNING POINTS column in the discontinued BLUE SKIES MAG. The last changes in the dive pool were announced in 2018 to be applied in 2019, the previous ones in 2010 for 2011. The current 4-way dive pool had its adjustments at the beginning of the 2019 season when two of the 22 blocks were fine-tuned (Block 1) or replaced (Block 13) with the purpose of synchronizing indoor and outdoor dive pools.

There has always been opposition to changes of the dive pool when there was no need for adjustments, as consistency of rules in sports are meaningful in general. However, there were dive pool changes on a regular basis between 1985 and 2007, which had to be accepted by all teams and competitors, whether they liked it or not.

The FAI/ISC officials promised that the previous changes in 2019 would only be a necessary adjustment, which seemed to be reasonable for the purpose of synchronizing indoor and outdoor training and competition. The benefits of consistency were respected for seven years after the changes in 2019. Now the desire for the next changes is coming back for no apparent reason, and new blocks might be thrown at 4-way teams and competitors once again.

The disputes in the earlier days were pitching creative supporters of changes against continuity and reliability. The changes were suggested by competitors on the top level at world championships and world cups who desired new and different moves from time to time, while the 95% of recreational teams and competitors, the "forgotten people", have always been trying hard to master any dive pool and primarily increase their performance level with their limited time and resources. The basic FAI/ISC rules and the dive pools for world championships and world cups are usually adopted for any formation skydiving competition on any level.

Suggested new blocks for 2025

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For teams and competitors below the world championship level any dive pool changes have been a confusing experience. The changes trickle down from AAA/Open Class level to the young and new competitors, who are struggling to train enough and be up-to-date with techniques and performance. It is often forgotten that this group of formation skydiving competitors represent the vast majority in the sport, probably 95% of the whole community. The professionals and full-time teams, with resources and time for hundreds of training jumps every year, can master new blocks and random formations easily and quickly.

The situation for the 95% is very different. They just succeeded after a serious investment of time, money and efforts to master Hammer - Hammer (used to be Block 13). Then they began to really enjoy the move and were finally able to improve their point average. Improving the point average is still the biggest accomplishment and the highest goal for teams in formation skydiving competition.

And then, just like that, the block is gone. History. Replaced by Mixed Accordions - Mixed Accordions (current Block 13), or by any other block maneuver. New time, money and efforts have to be invested for the new block. Shaquille O`Neal (former U.S. basketball star) did not have to worry that once he will have mastered free throws they will eliminate them. It was worth the effort, Shaq, even though he never really became very good with free throws.

The forgotten 95% of the competitors in the formation skydiving community do not benefit from dive pool changes at all. In fact, it could be so frustrating to go through the explained experiences that they may decide to rather try wing suiting or angle flying instead. One of the problems is the fact that FAI/ISC communicate mostly with the top teams and competitors, not with the 95%. The experts in formation skydiving competition on the top level always have their own ideas and requests for new and different moves.

USPA Nationals 2019			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open Class		7,C,H,P		J,21,20		O,3,11		B,2,K,E		8,Q,10		15,D,F,12		N,L,M,14		6,1,9		A,18,13		G,4,5		17,16,22		Total	Avg
1	NMP-PCH Hayabusa	BE	45	-1	24		27		37		21		25		34		25	-1	26	-1	25	-4	-		289	28.9
2	SDC Rhythm XP	US	41		22		21	-1	33		21		23		27		25		24		25		21	-1	262	26.2
3	Arizona Airspeed	US	40	-1	24		22	-2	32		19	-2	24		29		25		21	-2	26	-1	20	-2	262	26.2
4	Defiance	US	30	-1	21		15	-4	28		16		19		22	-3	21		18	-1	18	-1	-		208	20.8
5	Ranch 2nd Generation	US	26		19		19		24	-2	16	-1	17	-1	24		18	-1	19		19		-		201	20.1
6	Kinetix	AU	26		18		17		22		13	-1	17		18	-1	17		17		17		-		182	18.2
7	Lite XP	US	24	-1	17		17		22		15		17		20	-2	16	-1	14		17		-		179	17.9
8	No Name	US	22	-4	17		14		19	-2	12	-2	13		14	-3	15		14		16		-		156	15.6
9	Aviatrixx	US	21		14		13	-1	18	-1	12	-2	15		17	-1	14	-1	12		14		-		150	15.0
10	Perris Force	US	20		13	-1	14		18		11	-1	11		18	-1	13	-1	12		12	-1	-		142	14.2

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New Dive Pool: NMP PCH HayaBusa - Arizona Airspeed - SDC Rhythm XP at the USPA Nationals 2019

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Some supporters of the changes may say that the sport needs them to keep it interesting and challenging. However, the top performers in the sport will train and drill the new moves for one week with 50 - 100 free jumps, plus tunnel time. After that, the new moves will be just as exciting or boring for them as the old ones. The whole dive pool was just as exciting or boring in 1985 as it is now in 2025. Scoring progression with any dive pool matters most.

The 95% community change the lineups after about two years at the latest, with great exceptions. New teams and new competitors are coming, old teams and old competitors are going. Thus, teams have the dive pool challenge all the time anyway - whether there are changes or not. There is also the option to change to a different slot with the next team, or next year with the same team - if you are really bored.

The above was written in 1996. What is different now? Not much, as it seems. The rules, including the dive pool, should be made for all participants in the sport, including the 95% of recreational competitors. By the way, the National Skydiving League introduced different categories (AAA - AA - A - RRR - RR - R) to accommodate everybody's progression in 4-way formation skydiving competition in a natural way. Consistency and continuity of rules and dive pool benefit the recruiting and development of new participants in this progression.

The slippery road of dive pool changes was acceptable in 2019 when the synchronization of indoor and outdoor dive pool seemed to become necessary and productive. This time, there does not seem to be any good reason for the lawmakers (FAI/ISC) to change the dive pool after seven years of peace. The next FAI International Skydiving Commission (ISC) Open Meetings and 75th Plenary Meeting will take place in Rome (Italy) from January 28th to February 2nd 2025. There is still enough time for any formation skydiving competitor or fan of the 95% to get in touch with the respective representative of each country and express opposition to any dive pool changes.