Diving Block Technique for Beginners: A Swimmer's Guide

Question
I'm 12, and have been taking swim classes to improve my stroke all year. This summer, I plan to join the swim team. I can't wait to swim, but there's one thing I CAN wait for. I've never dived off the diving block. I don't know one thing about it. I CAN dive off the diving board and do flips and such, I've just never tried diving off the diving block. Can you provide me some pointers, so that when I get up on the block I'm not lost? Thanks in advance!  

Answer
Emily--
If you can dive off the diving board you have a head start.  The only difference between diving off a board and doing a racing start is the angle you leave the block.  In diving you want to go in as straight up and down as possible, with a racing start you have to try to stay shallower.  The best thing to do is work on flattening out your dive(you can start by trying it off the board), with a racing start you want to aim out not up.  You may do a few belly flops, but they will stop happening when you figure out the correct angle to leave the starting block.
Hope this helps,
George