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Fewer new divers, aging diver demographics, what to do about it?
- Thread starter RickI
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OP
RickI
Contributor
Not in and of itself, more with the possible consequences to the sport and diminished ocean awareness described at the start of the post.
Well, having just finished a cert class for high school students, and watching my husband working with two 13 year olds right now, and the dive shop running a class for Boy Scouts, I wonder if the trend is as significant as some think.
I don't know about the walker/cane idea, but as an old guy with arthritis and two artificial hips, I can tell you that the only time that I don't ache somewhere is when I am underwater. Maybe something we could use there.
One of the things I like most is that diving is something that has appeal to all age groups. But it is expensive and it is unlikely that a young person will get involved unless they have family who are divers.
I have done my part, I have two sons, a daughter, son-in-law and grandson who dive.
I wonder if the trend exists at all.
What are the statistics, and where did they come from?
Additionally, as someone who grew up in the 1960's, when surfing seemed really, really cool, I don't see it as having the same mystic now that it had then, either.
So did you guys just come up with a project you hope will earn some cash? Are you just trying to sell it by pretending here is some kind of a crisis that needs to be addressed? If you have some real statistics on either the demise of scuba among the young or the simultaneous rise of surfing interest, I would be happy to see them.
OP
RickI
Contributor
Its not my project, learned about it a year ago and took another look at it recently. I don't surf either or poorly anyway. I have never made any income from surfing and it has been a long time for diving. Surfing doesn't seem to need any help from me or folks on this forum either from what I can see, the sport is doing ok on its own. This isn't a contest between diving and surfing with surfing sucking participants out of diving.
Some in the surfing industry were apparently requested by diving interests to try to give the sport some help with younger participants through cross branding. The goal is to get more young people interested in diving and to improve retention in the sport as I understand it. What is wrong with that? I am concerned about diving, that is about it. Free diving may be doing ok actually with both younger participants and retention from casual observations. The aging demographic may be more of an issue with SCUBA diving.
I have spoken with a number of shops and boats in SE Florida, a few in the Caribbean too over the last few years about the question. I have also noticed the folks on charter boats down here as well over the last four decades. The apparent aging demographic of SCUBA divers isn't a secret. There are some demographic statistics available online through DAN, DEMA, etc..
Some in the surfing industry were apparently requested by diving interests to try to give the sport some help with younger participants through cross branding. The goal is to get more young people interested in diving and to improve retention in the sport as I understand it. What is wrong with that? I am concerned about diving, that is about it. Free diving may be doing ok actually with both younger participants and retention from casual observations. The aging demographic may be more of an issue with SCUBA diving.
I have spoken with a number of shops and boats in SE Florida, a few in the Caribbean too over the last few years about the question. I have also noticed the folks on charter boats down here as well over the last four decades. The apparent aging demographic of SCUBA divers isn't a secret. There are some demographic statistics available online through DAN, DEMA, etc..
truth be told, with the costs required, and the "dangling carrot" methodology of certification, its looking bleak......
What the hell are you doing to the old guy???
Heheheheheheh......making his life the happiest he's ever been!
We at TheScubaGym work with kids and get them into scuba. All of our dives are educational to the point they want to learn more and help protect the underwater environment.
I am not sure as to what you were trying to get at as to your 1st post but that is a way we try to help.
I am not sure as to what you were trying to get at as to your 1st post but that is a way we try to help.
OP
RickI
Contributor
It sounds like a good program with an admirable set of goals. What age group do you focus on and what approaches do you use to engage their interests initially and throughout the program?
The intent of the post was to identify what may become a significant problem, too few younger entrants, for the sport in the future and to highlight one approach to help to address it. It sounds like you just brought up another solution. That was another intent, to see what folks are doing out there to attract younger divers to the sport. I suspect there are quite a few others, it would be good to hear about them.
The intent of the post was to identify what may become a significant problem, too few younger entrants, for the sport in the future and to highlight one approach to help to address it. It sounds like you just brought up another solution. That was another intent, to see what folks are doing out there to attract younger divers to the sport. I suspect there are quite a few others, it would be good to hear about them.
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