MOULTRIE — Nineteen members of the Moss Farms Diving program will start the summer competition season this week by taking part in the annual Moose Moss Invitational.

The meet is expected to draw some 80 divers to the Moose Moss Aquatic Center.

Competition will be held beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The meet will serve as a tuneup for divers as they prepare for Junior Olympic Summer Regionals, which will be held in late June; the Summer East Championships, which will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, in July; Senior Zones; Junior Olympic Summer Nationals, which will be held July 25-29 in Mission Viejo, Calif.; and Senior Nationals, which will be held Aug. 1-5 in Stanford, Calif.

Moss Farms Diving coach Ed Goodman said he expected some 60 divers from out of town to travel to Moultrie and compete in the meet, which has been held since the 1970s.

Goodman said University of Tennessee coach Dave Parrington will bring a number of his age-group divers. Several senior divers from the University of Florida also are expected to compete.

Divers from Atlanta; Athens; Birmingham, Ala.; Mobile, Ala.; and Orlando, Fla., also will take part.

Competition will be held in Junior Olympic and novice divisions on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards and platform events.

The Moose Moss Aquatic Center has four 1-meter and four 3-meter springboards and 1-, 3-, 5-, 7- and 10-meter platforms.

Medals will be presented for first- through sixth-place. Rosette ribbons will be awarded for seventh- through 12th-place.

Fourteen Diving Tigers will compete in Junior Olympic events, including Ryan Helms, who is expected to compete for the first time since undergoing surgery on his wrist.

Goodman said Helms was recently cleared to begin diving again and he is likely to compete only in the 16-18 boys 1-meter event as he eases back into competition.

Helms is the Georgia High School Association’s three-time state champion on the 1-meter board.

They other divers entered in the J.O. competition are:

• Elizabeth Ann Kirkland, 12-13 girls, 1-meter, 3- meter, platform.