Underwater Society of America

Last updated
Underwater Society of America
AbbreviationUSOA
Predecessor AAU National Competitive Skindivers Committee
Type NGO
Legal statusA Maryland Not-For-Profit Corporation
PurposePeak body for underwater sports & recreational diving
Location
  • PO Box 628 Daly City, CA 94017, United States
Region served
United States
President
Karen Thullner [1]
Vice President
William Van Deman [1]
General Secretary
Michael Gower [2]
Main organ
Executive Committee
Affiliations CMAS
DEMA
DAN
USOC
Website http://www.underwater-society.org/

The Underwater Society of America (USOA) is the peak body for underwater sport and recreational diving in the United States.

Contents

Organisation

The USOA is a membership-based organisation consisting of individuals, clubs and regional councils. Its day-to-day operations are controlled by an executive committee which reports to a board of governors and the delegates of the member councils and clubs. [1]

Origins and history

The USOA was established by a number of regional organisations in 1959 after the founding of Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) initially to organise spearfishing teams for international competition. Prior to its creation, national competition in spearfishing (or skindiving as it was and is still known) and scuba diving was organised by the National Competitive Skindivers Committee of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). The National Competitive Skindivers Committee has previously established in 1954 as an initiative of both the AAU and the International Underwater Spearfishing Association (IUSA) and was the body representing the United States at the foundation of CMAS. [3] [4] [5]

Recognition

The USOA is a member of the following organisations - CMAS with affiliation to the sport, technical and scientific committees, the CMAS American Zone, the Divers Alert Network (DAN), the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). [1] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Underwater sport

USOA supports competition at all levels within the United States for the following underwater sports: competition scuba, finswimming, freediving, spearfishing, underwater hockey, underwater photography and underwater rugby. Competition is available at international level for all sports except for competition scuba. [5]

Diver training

As of August 2013, the USOA does not offer diver training.[ citation needed ] During 2010, USOA entered in an agreement with the Scuba Educators International (SEI) to permit SEI to issue CMAS International Diver Training Certificates on its behalf. [10]

Awards

The USOA both operates and participates in the following awards and recognition schemes.

It honours its own athletes with the Man & Woman Athlete of the Year being awarded for each sport and with all sports national champions being inducted in the All American Dive Team. There are also two underwater hockey sportsmanship awards - the Dan Wilkins Memorial Award for the National Championships and the Carl Judd Memorial Award for the Pacific Coast Championships. [1]

The USOA was the original supporter of the NOGI Award which is presumably named after the New Orleans Grand Isle Fishing Tournament which included an underwater section and was created during the 1950s to recognise leaders in all forms of underwater diving. The NOGI awards scheme is now the responsibility of the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences. [11]

In the tradition of the NOGI award, the USOA also recognizes divers within the United States at the regional level with The Regional Divers of the Year Award in the categories of art, sports, education, science and service. [1]

As an affiliate of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), the USOA is eligible to nominate individuals for the USOC Athlete of the Year. [1] [12]

The USOA also is a joint-founder and a sponsor of the Women Divers Hall of Fame. [13]

International Bluewater Spearfishing Records Committee

The International Bluewater Spearfishing Records Committee (IBSRC) by agreement with the USOA operates as a ‘council of special interest’ within the USOA. The IBSRC was established in 1996 to promote ‘ethical, safe and sporting spearfishing practices, to establish uniform regulations for the compilation of world-bluewater gamefish records, and to provide basic spearfishing guidelines for use in bluewater contests and any other bluewater spearfishing activities worldwide.’ [14] [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freediving</span> Underwater diving without breathing apparatus

Freediving, free-diving, free diving, breath-hold diving, or skin diving, is a mode of underwater diving that relies on breath-holding until resurfacing rather than the use of breathing apparatus such as scuba gear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spearfishing</span> Hunting for fish using a spear

Spearfishing is fishing using handheld elongated, sharp-pointed tools such as a spear, gig, or harpoon, to impale the fish in the body. It was one of the earliest fishing techniques used by mankind, and has been deployed in artisanal fishing throughout the world for millennia. Early civilizations were familiar with the custom of spearing fish from rivers and streams using sharpened sticks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diving activities</span> Things people do while diving underwater

Diving activities are the things people do while diving underwater. People may dive for various reasons, both personal and professional. While a newly qualified recreational diver may dive purely for the experience of diving, most divers have some additional reason for being underwater. Recreational diving is purely for enjoyment and has several specialisations and technical disciplines to provide more scope for varied activities for which specialist training can be offered, such as cave diving, wreck diving, ice diving and deep diving. Several underwater sports are available for exercise and competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finswimming</span> Competitive watersport using swimfins for propulsion

Finswimming is an underwater sport consisting of four techniques involving swimming with the use of fins either on the water's surface using a snorkel with either monofins or bifins or underwater with monofin either by holding one's breath or using open circuit scuba diving equipment. Events exist over distances similar to swimming competitions for both swimming pool and open water venues. Competition at world and continental level is organised by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. The sport's first world championship was held in 1976. It also has been featured at the World Games as a trend sport since 1981 and was demonstrated at the 2015 European Games in June 2015.

CMAS one-star scuba diver is the entry-level diving certification for recreational scuba diving issued by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS).

Underwater sports is a group of competitive sports using one or a combination of the following underwater diving techniques - breath-hold, snorkelling or scuba, usually including the use of equipment such as diving masks and fins. These sports are conducted in the natural environment at sites such as open water and sheltered or confined water such as lakes and in artificial aquatic environments such as swimming pools. Underwater sports include the following - aquathlon, finswimming, freediving, spearfishing, sport diving, underwater football, underwater hockey, underwater ice hockey, underwater orienteering, underwater photography, underwater rugby, underwater target shooting and underwater video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques</span> International organisation for underwater activities

Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) is an international federation that represents underwater activities in underwater sport and underwater sciences, and oversees an international system of recreational snorkel and scuba diver training and recognition. It is also known by its English name, the World Underwater Federation, and its Spanish name, Confederación Mundial De Actividades Subacuáticas. Its foundation in Monaco during January 1959 makes it one of the world's oldest underwater diving organisations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fédération Française d'Études et de Sports Sous-Marins</span> French diver training and certification agency

The Fédération Française d'Études et de Sports Sous-Marins (FFESSM) is a French sports federation specialized in recreational and competition underwater sports, like scuba diving and freediving. It is the main diver training organization in France.

The Nederlandse Onderwatersport Bond, (NOB) is the national governing body for recreational diving and underwater sports in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962. In 2008 there were 290 scuba diving clubs and schools with a total of 20.000 members. The NOB is a member of CMAS Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. The aim of the NOB is to develop recreational scuba diving in the Netherlands.

The Australian Underwater Federation (AUF) is the governing body for underwater sports in Australia.

Sport diving is an underwater sport that uses recreational open circuit scuba diving equipment and consists of a set of individual and team events conducted in a swimming pool that test the competitors' competency in recreational scuba diving techniques. The sport was developed in Spain during the late 1990s and is currently played mainly in Europe. It is known as Plongée Sportive en Piscine in French and as Buceo De Competición in Spanish.

The Spanish Federation of Underwater Activities is the governing body in the field of Spanish aquatic sports. As of 2022, the federation has 895 registered clubs and 32,289 federated athlets.

Scuba Educators International (SEI) is a non-for-profit underwater diving training organization established in the United States during 2008 to continue the underwater diving training program known as the YMCA SCUBA Program which ceased operation in 2008 and the PDIC Diving program becoming SEI in 2008.

British Underwater Sports Association (BUSA) is the British affiliate of the Sports Committee of Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South African Underwater Sports Federation</span> Official World Underwater Federation representative body in the Republic of South Africa

The South African Underwater Sports Federation (SAUSF) is the official CMAS (World Underwater Federation) representative in the Republic of South Africa, and is affiliated to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

Underwater orienteering is an underwater sport that uses recreational open circuit scuba diving equipment and consists of a set of individual and team events conducted in both sheltered and open water testing the competitors' competency in underwater navigation. The competition is principally concerned with the effectiveness of navigation technique used by competitors to swim an underwater course following a route marked on a map prepared by the competition organisers, a compass and a counter meter to measure the distance covered. The sport was developed in the Soviet Union during the late 1950s and is played mainly in Europe. It is known as Orientation Sub in French and as La Orientación Subacuática in Spanish. Historically, the sport has also been known as Technical Disciplines.

Underwater photography is a scuba-based underwater sport governed by Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) where teams of competitors using digital underwater camera systems all dive at the same saltwater ocean sites at the same time over a two-day period. The submitted digital images are then assessed and ranked by a jury using a maximum of five photographic categories as well as an overall score. The sport was developed prior to 1985 as a photographic film-based event and is currently mainly practised in non-English speaking countries.

The NOGI Awards is an award presented annually by the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences (AUAS) to diving luminaries and is "considered the Oscar of the ocean world." Selection of recipients is based on their record of accomplishments and excellence in the diving world. NOGI awards are given out to world-class standouts of the diving community who have distinguished themselves and made a global impact on diving in one or more of four general categories: Science, Arts, Sports/Education, and Environment. A fifth NOGI is given for Distinguished Service.

Diver organisations are membership based organisations where the membership is wholly, or at least in large part, underwater divers, and the organisation is intended to further a mutual interest related to underwater diving or the aquatic environment as it affects divers or diving activity. Some organisations have more than one focus of interest.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "WHAT HAS THE SOCIETY DONE?". The Underwater Society of America. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Mike Gower - Distinguished Service - 2008". Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "History Timeline". International Underwater Spearfishing Association. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "C.M.A.S." Official site dedicated to Luigi Ferraro. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Competitions". THE UNDERWATER SOCIETY OF AMERICA. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "UNDERWATER SOCIETY OF AMERICA". Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "Federations". CMAS America. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "Underwater Society Of America". DEMA SHOW 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "Multi-Sport Organizations". United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS". Scuba Educators International. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  11. ↑ "NOGI - Diving's Most Prestigious Award". Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "USOC OLYMPIAN ATHLETES OF THE YEAR". The United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  13. ↑ "About The Women Divers Hall of Fame". The Women Divers Hall of Fame. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  14. ↑ "WORLD RECORD CERTIFICATION FOR BLUEWATER FISH". International Bluewater Spearfishing Records Committee. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  15. ↑ "INTERNATIONAL BLUEWATER SPEARFISHING RECORDS COMMITTEE (IBSRC)". UNDERWATER SOCIETY OF AMERICA. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
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