My daughter recently got her OWD certification. From my view of things it was not a course tailored for juniors from scratch but the real OWD delivered may be with even more extra care by the instructor. Any other experiences?
OWD for Juniors
- Thread starter narke
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
My squids got certified at 13 and 15, same online book work, same in water practical at the same time with the same instructor. The twins are jr cert, the 15 yo, is full OW. So no difference in my experience other than age.
The JR OW cert should be a full certification with the only real differences being the size of the gear. I treat my Jr divers the same as adults but I will do extra sessions with the kids if it's a family I'm working with. I never take more than 4 students to begin with.
In our Jr OW classes they get the same training as the adults, classroom and pool. They still have to do the rescue skills of non responsive diver from depth, tow while stripping gear, panicked diver on the surface, and supporting a diver on the surface and helping them achieve positive buoyancy.
They also learn the emergency deco tables. I find that the most jr's are better students than adults and capable of just as much. In some cases more because they actually listen to the instructor.
In our Jr OW classes they get the same training as the adults, classroom and pool. They still have to do the rescue skills of non responsive diver from depth, tow while stripping gear, panicked diver on the surface, and supporting a diver on the surface and helping them achieve positive buoyancy.
They also learn the emergency deco tables. I find that the most jr's are better students than adults and capable of just as much. In some cases more because they actually listen to the instructor.
Scuba-74
Contributor
Both my son and my daughter got certified at the age of 10 (they are 14 and 12 now). They were the only kids in their classes; and it was a standard OWD class, and they didn't get any slack for being kids. They both are competitive swimmiers though and swam circles around their classmates both on the surface and below 
maj2
Contributor
Programs tailored for kids (age 8+) are in confined water (eg the Bubblemaker and Seal Team programs offered by PADI) and do not confer any type of certification. Open water programs are the same for juniors and adults.
I guess your question is was your child given the adult version of the OW course instead of the junior version?
Think of junior open water like a junior driver's license. They are still expected to know all the rules of the road and drive like an adult but they have additional restrictions to protect them until they are adults.
There is no agency I know of that has a junior version of open water diver. Since they studied the same materials and have the same knowledge as an adult open water diver they automatically lose the junior status and restrictions on the appropriate birthday.
When that day happens you can order a new card that no longer shows the junior designation, keep using it as is, or enroll in AOW to get another card.
I am not being specific on ages because I only know standards for 1 of many agencies and not sure if the same ages apply in your case but regardless of the number, the concept is the same.
Think of junior open water like a junior driver's license. They are still expected to know all the rules of the road and drive like an adult but they have additional restrictions to protect them until they are adults.
There is no agency I know of that has a junior version of open water diver. Since they studied the same materials and have the same knowledge as an adult open water diver they automatically lose the junior status and restrictions on the appropriate birthday.
When that day happens you can order a new card that no longer shows the junior designation, keep using it as is, or enroll in AOW to get another card.
I am not being specific on ages because I only know standards for 1 of many agencies and not sure if the same ages apply in your case but regardless of the number, the concept is the same.
How old is your daughter? Yes, it is intended to be the same as adults, just with further shallower depth limits. I automatically cut down ratios with someone young, further than what the standards require. Though the best student I ever certified was 14 years old. Looking forward to diving with her on Saturday, as she's a fish.
She is 12.
Technically this is the answer to my question, had I put as straight as it could be. Thanks.
I think this is what motivated by question. I elaborate a little, so I need to add she took the on-line course first, I use the example of the compass because this is what triggered my thoughts as I was admiring her as she ploughed through the maths; whatever bearing minus 45 degrees or plus 90 and so, your new bearing is ---, yes, all is fine, bravo, but I was thinking to myself that after all in practice I am not doing this math under water or before the dive, just turn the bezel half way round to go back or 1/4 way left to go right. Then I started wondering if there were agencies that have a different teaching approach or manuals for juniors. I had the feeling it was a great course for her because she was ready and motivated.
Similar threads
