There's a NAUI advanced open water class at the University of Missouri in Columbia.
I'm a former student, and I like to help out when I can get away from work.
The class is just hurting for functional equipment and could use some help.
The teacher is retired now, but he's been teaching the diving class there since 1964 when they built the pool. He'll probably keep teaching it until he keels over. Back in the day, he ran all the programs there, so it was easier for him to get funding for the class. These days they barely give him enough money to keep the regs serviced. We are still using old scubapro balanced adjustables. He managed to buy a few sets of new regs in the last few years, and some b**t*rd stole one of them.
This really is the best scuba program I've ever run across. Especially in Missouri, where diving is more of a travel buisness.
Coach Busch has put alot into diving. He gets a little bit for the weekly lecture, but he doesn't get anything for all the time he spends at the pool. The navy actually used to fly him out and have him teach the SEAL teams diving. I'm not kidding, if you've ever watched the SEAL diving training, it's just like a short version of Coach Busch's class, black out masks and all.
I'd really like to see him get some support back from the diving industry. He's cranked out *so* many skilled divers... I'd dive with anyone who passed his class, anywhere, anytime.
Is there any way the diving industry could help out? I'm pretty sure you could even write off gear donations, since the university is non-profit. Just some decent gear discounts would really help.
Masks, full foot fins, snorkels, BCs and regulators and are all needed right now. Anything would help, 85% is suffering from years of pool chlorine. Class size is starting to get limited because of equiment shortage.
Seriously, when a student uses a good piece of equiment in class, that's usually the brand they go out and buy after class. This will only help grow new customers and get confident skilled divers in the water.
I'm a former student, and I like to help out when I can get away from work.
The class is just hurting for functional equipment and could use some help.
The teacher is retired now, but he's been teaching the diving class there since 1964 when they built the pool. He'll probably keep teaching it until he keels over. Back in the day, he ran all the programs there, so it was easier for him to get funding for the class. These days they barely give him enough money to keep the regs serviced. We are still using old scubapro balanced adjustables. He managed to buy a few sets of new regs in the last few years, and some b**t*rd stole one of them.
This really is the best scuba program I've ever run across. Especially in Missouri, where diving is more of a travel buisness.
Coach Busch has put alot into diving. He gets a little bit for the weekly lecture, but he doesn't get anything for all the time he spends at the pool. The navy actually used to fly him out and have him teach the SEAL teams diving. I'm not kidding, if you've ever watched the SEAL diving training, it's just like a short version of Coach Busch's class, black out masks and all.
I'd really like to see him get some support back from the diving industry. He's cranked out *so* many skilled divers... I'd dive with anyone who passed his class, anywhere, anytime.
Is there any way the diving industry could help out? I'm pretty sure you could even write off gear donations, since the university is non-profit. Just some decent gear discounts would really help.
Masks, full foot fins, snorkels, BCs and regulators and are all needed right now. Anything would help, 85% is suffering from years of pool chlorine. Class size is starting to get limited because of equiment shortage.
Seriously, when a student uses a good piece of equiment in class, that's usually the brand they go out and buy after class. This will only help grow new customers and get confident skilled divers in the water.