Springboard diving mental block?

Question

I just turned thirteen, and I have been diving for about six months, but i have finally gotten to the point where im learning doubles and reverse tuck dives

and i freeze on the board

ive smacked on both of them, but i have also done both well at least once too

my coach thinks its because im scared of smacking, and always tells me that if i can't learn to deal with the pain of smacking, then diving just isn't my sport

but its more than that- im afraid that all im doing is leading myself into a smack, i don't actually mind the smack itself

plus, im not that scared, i just well, freeze anyway

i can't do it anymore, but this is the next step in my sport, so i can't just quit, and i can't just avoid this problem

does anyone have any motivational advice or anything? please, i need some help

and also, please don't answer meanly or anything

Answer 1

i am also 13, and dive. I've had the same problem, except it happens to me with my doubles. I am trying really hard to do a 2 1/2, but if a kick out to early and really freak myself out, i can only do one flip, or i jump, and don't do anything. (it really annoys my coach). Your coach needs to understand that you haven't been diving for very long......and it hurts when you hit the board. (i've done it before, and my coach have double bounced me, and it really hurt.) Anyways, its all in the mind, the board is your friend. Try to forget about it. Think about the dive, not the board. Trust yourself. Tell yourself that you aren't going to hit the board. AND RELAX! How many times have you hit the board anyways?

Remember. its all mental, just try to forget.