YMCA - who has it?

[Teamcasa]

1972- My card just says SCUBA DIVER

Mine too, 1970

I can't find mine but I do remember it was the same, "Scuba Diver" in 1968 or 69 - hard to remember stuff like that these days.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

My first YMCA card says "Assistant Instructor". The one I carry in my wallet says YMCA Silver Instructor. Along with my SEI and CMAS 2 star instructor. I got my YMCA AI card and a few months later my Instructor card in May. In July I got my letter that they were dropping the program. I nearly went naui but Tom and the others brought SEI along and for me it was a no brainer. I still have those YMCA certificates on the wall and I'm very proud of them. That first one came at a point where I was so disgusted with the program I was with as a DM that I nearly gave up any idea of teaching. The YMCA scuba program kept me from saying screw it to all of it. And I'll be forever greatful that it did. As are a few other people I know. The Y scuba program didn't fail. It was failed by management who didn't know how good a thing they had. But in some ways it is still alive and by the efforts of many, and yes I'm one of those, it is being brought up to date and in some ways going into the future stronger and more vibrant.

 

[NAM001]

My first cert was from YMCA in 68-69. It lasted i think a month or so one -two nights a week for the training. I have to say it was the best training process of all the diving related classes i have had. Of course the training had to be different as we had no bc's , computers or any of todays technical wonders that make diving so much easier.

 

[vladimir]

I got a YMCA Scuba Diver certification in 1975. We had to do cool stuff like breathe directly from tank valves and had some mild harassment (tank valve turned off--that sort of thing) in black-out masks in the pool. The course was six or eight three-hour sessions, half-class, half-pool. Check out dives were off the coast of Queens.

 

[DennisS]

I was first certified as a "Scuba Diver" in the YMCA program in 1973.

1972- My card just says SCUBA DIVER

Mine too, 1970

it was the same, "Scuba Diver" in 1968 or 69 .

My first cert was from YMCA in 68-69.

I got a YMCA Scuba Diver certification in 1975. .

They must have done something right, wben their divers are still active and diving after all these years.

 

[Mopar]

I got a YMCA Scuba Diver certification in 1975. We had to do cool stuff like breathe directly from tank valves and had some mild harassment (tank valve turned off--that sort of thing) in black-out masks in the pool. The course was six or eight three-hour sessions, half-class, half-pool. Check out dives were off the coast of Queens.

I forgot about the check out dives. Mine was in 70 ft of water in Panama City Fl. The water had to have been in the 60's it was late March or early April. Now days dont Padi and other agencies keep them shallower?

 

[rhwestfall]

They must have done something right, wben their divers are still active and diving after all these years.

I'm honored to be in this company.

 

[Chugwhump]

1977 YMCA Scuba Diver.
Hollywood Florida.
I was 12 and a very well conditioned football player at the time.
It was very demanding on 12 year old little me both physically and mentally.
Gas laws! Freaking gas laws! There were few kids that age that had to work gas laws and calculations. I failed the written test the first time, but retook the test 3 weeks later and passed.
I was working equations long hand that at the time would clearly make perfect sense for Nitrox diving back then.
We computed the dive tables from about scratch in the training.
The YMCA training from a former Navy UDT instructor was very, very good.
I did little diving from 1982 until 1988. When I decided to get back into diving I signed up for PADI OW training and it was a walk in the park.
The demands were not even close until Rescue class on the way to DM.
Great training.
2 nights a week.
Swimming laps.
Calisthenics.
Crummy horse collar BC's that chafed.
Good times.

Chug
Still diving.

 

[James R]

YMCA scuba diver in 1991. Fun college course! I lost the card along with my wallet years ago, which is a bummer. Replacement cards were $50 last I checked.

 

[RN EMT-P]

Better late than never for a reply. I received my YMCA "Scuba Diver" card in 1969 and still have it. Have since done AOW with PADI and Nitrox from SSI.
From the back of my Y card:
Personal Requirements:
A. Age 17 years or older
B. Medical Physical examination
C. Swim test
1) Tread water (no hands) for three minutes
2) Swim 300 yards without stopping
3) Tow an inert swimmer 40 yards
4) Float motionless 15 minutes
5) Swim 50 feet underwater without pushoff
D. Fitness land test or water test
1) Chin bar
2) Floor pushups
3) Endurance either a or b
a) mile run
b) Hops
E. Application form

Course requirements (32 hours total)
Theory lecture sessions (14 hours)
Equipment
Physics of diving
Medical and physiological aspects
First aid and water safety
Compress breathing gases
Environment of diving

Practical (water) work 18 hours
Written test
Water demonstration of skin and SCUBA diving equipment
SCUBA orientation
Harness and safety hitch
Doff and don
Buddy breathing
Pre-dive check
Water test including open water test