How to Engage Younger People in Diving?

[AfterDark]

...A lot of people my age don't even know how to swim.

That has to be the saddest most depressing thing I've read related diving this month.

 

[SpeedyBob27]

...A lot of people my age don't even know how to swim.

That has to be the saddest most depressing thing I've read related diving this month.

Aye. Well it is true. I'm planning on doing saturation diving so I can work on the ocean floor, it seems like quite a lot of fun. My nerdy older stepbrother, he's about 23. Scared to death of the water. Get this. The lad's *girlfriend* taught him to *doggypaddle* bout a year ago. Absolutely pathetic.

 

[scubadada]

...A lot of people my age don't even know how to swim.

That has to be the saddest most depressing thing I've read related diving this month.

Me too. I learned to swim as a baby in Southern California, was a competitive swimmer from the age of 4 through high school. Scuba was very easy at age 16, LA County.

 

[AfterDark]

Amongst us youth, Diving is actually rather prevalent. I live on the Texas coast which may influence this, but a lot of the local kids are scuba divers, albeit they tend to not be very passionate about it unfortunately. The big thing disconnecting youth from the ocean is fear. Media has a huge role to play in this, as they always have, so they have been pushing the whole thalassophobia thing on kids. This usually leads to kids and teenagers that are absolutely terrified of the ocean. For me I have always been attracted to the ocean, so scuba diving came naturally to me. Amongst us me the two things we tend to like the most about scuba diving is the wildlife and getting to do stuff with our gear. The gear is a really cool aspect of scuba diving, I really enjoy the concepts behind it. I started earlier this year, (I am almost 16), and have had loads of fun. The other issue plaguing today's youth is the wretched disgusting obesity. I could go on for days about it, but society has been degenerated so much that good physique is very rare. Sure, it gives me a leg up over other people, especially in the areas of dating and the likes, but it negatively impacts scuba diving quite a lot. A lot of people my age don't even know how to swim.

When I go to the the sites where instructors take their classes for OW dives, I do see mostly young people. When I look at the people going into and coming out of the water not in a class they always seems to be older by 10-20 or more years. Just an observation, don't know what it means. The lack of swimming skills you say you see among your peers actually sounds dangerous. I had both my daughters in the water bobbing around at 6months old, all 3 of my grandchildren can swim the youngest is 3years; all 3 look like natural born swimmers gliding thru the water.

You just keep going in the direction you're going you read like a pretty well ground 16 year old, hope you enjoy diving as much and longer than I've had the pleasure of enjoying it!

 

[AfterDark]

Aye. Well it is true. I'm planning on doing saturation diving so I can work on the ocean floor, it seems like quite a lot of fun. My nerdy older stepbrother, he's about 23. Scared to death of the water. Get this. The lad's *girlfriend* taught him to *doggypaddle* bout a year ago. Absolutely pathetic.

I can't bring myself to "like" this post, pathetic.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Aye. Well it is true. I'm planning on doing saturation diving so I can work on the ocean floor, it seems like quite a lot of fun. My nerdy older stepbrother, he's about 23. Scared to death of the water. Get this. The lad's *girlfriend* taught him to *doggypaddle* bout a year ago. Absolutely pathetic.

There may be a reason for his fear. Perhaps a trauma from his youth. He may not even remember it.

Perhaps if you were encouraging instead of thinking of him as pathetic, a couple of good things could come of it.

Yes, it's a damn shame that many people don't learn how to swim and enjoy the water.

When I was a child my parents decided that I was going to learn to swim. My mom was terrified of the water and my dad was an amazing swimmer. My mom didn't want me to turn out like her and my dad wanted me to turn out like him.

Unfortunately I was almost as afraid of the water as my mother. I could get in and splash around as long as my feet were touching bottom.

I failed beginners 11 times! My mom signed me up over and over again until I finally met the right instructor. Within a year, I was invited onto the city swim team, began taking synchronized swimming and was diving off of the 5 meter board.

My younger sister was much the same. I think it took her 7 times in beginners before she "got" it and then she went on to become an excellent swimmer.

Patience and determination is what parents need sometimes and I recommend it to any/all parents thattheyturn their kids into water babies no matter what it takes.

To my mind, this is a life skill, whether theylater become scuba divers or not. Maybe they'll enjoy windsurfing or kite boarding, water skiing or none of those things but they'll know how to swim.

Doggone it.

 

[scubadada]

My wife is from a Polish family, escaped during WW II, were refugees or prisoners much of the time. Her brother was born in a displaced persons camp in Austria. She was the first person born in the US. Due to sociocultural differences, my wife did not learn to swim until physical education in high school. She has become a very good swimmer. She had some inordinate fears regarding diving, but has become a confident and skilled diver. She has 330 dives now. Nearly anyone can make it if they want to. Go for it

 

[SpeedyBob27]

I can't bring myself to "like" this post, pathetic.

It's fine, you don't have to. I don't do things for other people's approval.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I started earlier this year, (I am almost 16), and have had loads of fun.

I hate you.

KIDDING! Naw, that's awesome. I'm a bit jealous as you will have so many more amazing experiences than I can ever hope to have as I started at the age of 42. It is always too late not to start diving.

Fitness is a problem that faces all of society, not just younger generations. I can't quite relate to the fear of the water, but I grew up swimming in the Aegean and Hood Canal. That is a good datapoint for marketing diving as a fun, safe, "nothing" to worry about activity (if you equip yourself properly, dive within your limits, have good buddy skills, etc.)

 

[WeRtheOcean]

The big thing disconnecting youth from the ocean is fear. Media has a huge role to play in this, as they always have, so they have been pushing the whole thalassophobia thing on kids. This usually leads to kids and teenagers that are absolutely terrified of the ocean.

I assume "shark week" has a lot to do with it?

The other issue plaguing today's youth is the wretched disgusting obesity. I could go on for days about it, but society has been degenerated so much that good physique is very rare .

Wow, YouTube gives a very different impression.