13 Feb 97 21:00, Joe Dzurinda wrote to Beery Miller:
 JD> That's interesting!  When I took the course I was told swimming was not 

 JD> requirement.  I wonder why, and if it was something the instructor just
 JD> doesn't do.  For the PADI classes I help with 8 lengths of the pool is
 JD> required, something that would have taken me all night to complete with 

 JD> dog-paddle.  I still do not consider myself a swimmer, but I can swim, 
I'm
 JD> just not graceful.
I didn't require people to swim like Johnny Weismuller.....I just wanted to 
be confident that they wouldn't drown if they fell in and had to fend for 
themselves for a while.  I asked for four different strokes, not as a hard 
requirement, but just to see what they could do.  If a person only had one or 
two different strokes, but could do them for a while, that was good enough 
for me.  We also had an underwater swim and an extended 
treadwater/float/survival swim period (minimal energy outlay).  By the time 
we went through that I knew whether I had to worry about the student or not.  
The ones whom I felt were a danger to themselves were offered the refund.
I was not interested in teaching students 1) that were dangerous;  2) weren't 
there for themselves; or 3) not sure they wanted to learn scuba (ie, the ones 
you have to coax into the water.....screw that.)  I was in it for the money, 
sure.....that's how I paid my bills, but some things aren't worth any amount 
of money.
Jay
PADI M-9033
--- GoldED/386 2.50+
(1:379/41.5)
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