By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

 

The YMCA of Selma-Dallas County will soon offer courses aimed at helping participants gain the necessary skills to explore a world beneath the water.
The YMCA will offer scuba classes to members and non-members starting Friday, Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. and ending at 7:30 p.m.

“The first class will be the ‘Discover Scuba Class’ and that’s for ages 8 and up,” said Teal Cabe, aquatics director for the YMCA of Selma-Dallas County. “That class will help them learn if they like it and if it’s for them. It will be $25 for members and non-members.”

The YMCA will also offer two open water scuba classes, which consist of two days for each class.

The open water class will teach participants how to use scuba equipment and teach them how to scuba dive.

The open water classes are $350 for members and $450 or non-members, with the first class taking place on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 26-27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the second class taking place Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 28-29 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“Once we get them in the pool, we’ll get them acquainted with all of the diving gear, with the terminology and obviously all of the safety and precautions, and then we’ll get them excited about our natural world by taking them to a place that a lot of people don’t get to see,” said Brian Staples, who will serve as instructor for the classes.

“We’re licensed by the PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) school of diving. This will be the first time that any scuba has been taught in the Selma area, and we partnered with the YMCA, so it’ll make it very great.”

Staples said those who are interested will need basic swimming skills, and those who sign up are in for a unique experience at a low price.

“For people who have a desire to explore and people who have that unique, adventurous soul, this is a really amazing opportunity,” Staples said.

“Furthermore, it’s going to be less expensive than anything they’d find anywhere else just because the YMCA is sponsoring, and our objective is to do a fundraiser for the YMCA, that’s why we’re offering at these low rates.”

At the end of the week for the two open water courses, participants will be offered an opportunity, for an additional fee, to travel to Defuniak Springs, Fla. to perform the skills they’ve learned so that they can obtain a scuba license.

“That’s where they’ll perform the skills they learned and they’ll have to perform the skills learned in order to get their scuba license,” Cabe said.

“This class will prepare them to get their license.”

For more information on the scuba classes, contact the YMCA of Selma-Dallas County at 874-9622.