Any tip for running a university student diving club?

[L2m]

So as a diving maniac I just started a new degree at a new university and have not been scuba-diving since due to there being no diving club at my university. There used to be one which went down after the pandemic, probably due to lockdown. I'm currently negotiating with two other diver-students who might be interested in forming a club.

May I ask if anyone could kindly share any helpful advice and tip regarding starting/reopening a new diving club? So far I'm planning to open the club for all underwater diving sports, so both scuba diving, freediving and snorkelling. We plan to outsource our courses to local instructors There might be some equipmets left from the previous club, which we hope to find out soon. One of the founding club members is interested in how a student club can possibly handle crises such as liability of diving accidents during fundive trips or training.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Kharon]

Instruction is fine. But, my local club went down the tubes because it provided almost no diving activities/opportunities. Monthly meetings, an occasional speaker, maybe one diving activity a year, and a possible trip (which ended up mostly social & dfrinking - diving was definitely secondary). Unless you have plentiful opportunities for diving (local, close driving, or trips) I don't think it's likely to fluorish.

 

[Rilelen]

Look up the University of Florida dive club - they’ve got a web presence and instagram page, and have been VERY successful. Might have some nice ideas to borrow/steal.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Our local diving club (Parmasub) did close after a nasty legal action due to a stupid accident resulting in a guy loosing a couple of fingers.
Legal liability is the main concern, and you should find full insurance covering the club from any consequence.
Which is going to cost A LOT, making the life of the club unsustainable...

 

[BoltSnap]

I was the dive club president for two years in my Alma matter WAY back. First and foremost concern is that you are covered by the university liability insurance that is used to cover other sports clubs in your uni. I wouldn't even say that I have anything to do with a dive club or talk about it or act like it if I didn't ascertain that the club is covered by such insurance (that covers the officers and all other volunteers). Make sure that you are an official club in the university covered by such insurance before you do any activities as a club.

 

[MB NZ]

Expect lots of hassle and no gratitude!

 

[BoltSnap]

Expect lots of hassle and no gratitude!

And lots of "politics"

 

[L2m]

Instruction is fine. But, my local club went down the tubes because it provided almost no diving activities/opportunities. Monthly meetings, an occasional speaker, maybe one diving activity a year, and a possible trip (which ended up mostly social & dfrinking - diving was definitely secondary). Unless you have plentiful opportunities for diving (local, close driving, or trips) I don't think it's likely to fluorish.

I believe this is the curse for most if not all student dive clubs... You have to work out a very good deal so most could afford it and join, without compromising the health and safety. What I'm thinking of is to develop a culture of practice for diving, then people could probably practice once every one or two weeks at a rather local place (even swimming pool for basic skills). This helps stick people together until we plan a trip abroad, I hope.

There are some other student dive clubs around (obviously for other unis) and I wish to learn from them. For one of them I'm still waiting for the first dive event...

 

[L2m]

Our local diving club (Parmasub) did close after a nasty legal action due to a stupid accident resulting in a guy loosing a couple of fingers.
Legal liability is the main concern, and you should find full insurance covering the club from any consequence.
Which is going to cost A LOT, making the life of the club unsustainable...

This is definitely our major concern as well.... So far, alumni from previous years suggested us to look for affiliation with BSAC. I think BSAC offers a club-level coverage for unintentional manslaughter or something equivalent. However, I think BSAC mostly deals with scuba diving and snorkelling; part of the founding members of the club wished the club to take a portion of freediving activities as well (and freediving could be a way to attract club members given its growth in popularity over the pandemic). I'm not sure freediving is therefore covered in BSAC's insurance coverage then.

For now I don't think we'll go into competitive freediving as a club (as this means we'll have to affiliate ourselves with the university student union's sport division, which probably needs me to enrol another degree to complete founding the club), so only recreational freediving and probably competing only with yourself (eg. improving DYN by 10-20 meters on each increment).

 

[L2m]

Expect lots of hassle and no gratitude!

Have had a lot even before founding the club... Honestly my personal dream is to get the club self-sustainable and run by some young bachelor students, I can then sit down, pay membership and enjoy dive.