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[WHAT HAS THE SOCIETY DONE?] [COMPETITIONS]
[SAFETY, CONSERVATION & LEGISLATION]
[AWARDS] [PUBLICATIONS] [DOCUMENTS] [CALENDAR] [MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS] [OFFICERS] [LINKS]
THE UNDERWATER
SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Underwater Society of America was
formed in 1959 by the then existing skin-diving councils; it was composed
of and represented all divers in North America.
It is still the public diving organization of the United States. It is controlled
by its executive committee, board of governors and delegates of the member
councils and clubs meeting annually. The Society functions to give national recognition to divers.
WHAT HAS THE SOCIETY DONE?
One of the main
functions of the Society is
education and information - keeping divers, councils and clubs aware of the
issues affecting them.
Since 1959,
the Society has been active in
issues affecting divers right to dive, marine ecology, safety, legislation,
conservation and the like. The Society offered testimony opposing a
proposed extremely restrictive California
regulation; as a result, the infamous ‘LA Ordinance’ was not
enacted state wide. Working with the councils, areas closed or restricted
to diving have been opened. USOA
has offered written and verbal testimony to both Congressional Houses and
the National Park Service regarding proposed ‘Wreck Diving
Bills.’ The Society has
worked with and offered testimony to the Coast Guard in support of the red
and white ‘divers’ flag.
OTHER BENEFITS, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
C.M.A.S.: As a charter member of
the World Underwater Federation (C.M.A.S.), the Society is the sanctioning body for underwater sports in the US.
CMAS is headquartered in Rome where USOA sits on the CMAS Sports Committee.
As a member
of CMAS, the Society sanctions yearly local,
regional and national underwater champion ships in Scuba, Free Diving, U/W
Hockey, U/W Rugby, Fin Swimming and U/W Photography. The Society is also eligible and sends
teams to the World U/W Sports Championships.
The Society is also a member of USOC - United State Olympic Committee and DEMA - the Dive Equipment
and Marketing Association.
COMPETITIONS
Since 1959,
National Championships have been conducted in Skin Diving and Scuba Diving.
Underwater Hockey started in the US. in the late 1960’s,
and Nationals have been held annually since 1976. Fin Swimming started with
regional competitions in 1985 and National Championships in 1989.
Underwater Photography competitions such as the Beach Photo Championships
were first held in 1987 and ‘mail in’ competitions have been
held. U/W Rugby is played on a regional level.
United
States National Skin Diving Champions have represented the USOA in all the biennial World
Championships and have placed as high as second.
World U/W
Hockey Championships are also biennial. In 1984 USOA hosted in Chicago,
IL and hosted again in 1998
In San Jose, CA. The USOA
Women’s teams have medaled often - Silver in 1988 - and in 1994, the
Men’s elite team took Bronze in France. Competition now
includes Masters and Juniors Divisions. 1998 Medals were Women and Open
Masters, Bronze and Masters Women, Silver. In 2002 the US Open Masters Team
took Gold in Canada
and again in 2004 and 2006. And the US Women Masters took Gold in 2004. The
US Juniors took Silver in 2002.
In 2008,
the USOA underwater hockey committee started a major Development Program
whose task it is to increase participation, increase the level of play and
increase uw hockey education on all levels.
USOA Fin
Swimmers participated at biennial World Championships for the first time in
1986 in Berlin and recently in 2007 in Bari Italy.
A team of fin swimmers represented the Society
at the World Corporate Games in 1988 and 1989. This is a new sport with
building enthusiasm.
U/W Rugby
World Championships are quadrennial. In 1999 the USOA Men's team participated for the first time a the
Championships held in Germany
and again in 2003 in Denmark.
World U/W
Photography Championships were first held in Spain in 1987. USOA has sent teams to each
biennial competition, placing in the top 10 at the 1994 Championships in South Korea.
USOA u/w photographers did well
at the biennial ‘50 Judges World Competition’ last held in 1999
taking a Bronze.
Anti doping
information including banned and legal substances, and methods and
procedures for drug testing are available from WADA.
Underwater Sports Awards:
In 1989 the
Society was admitted to the United States Olympic Committee as
an Affiliated Sport. The first opportunity for Olympic competition may come
in 2002 in Greece
for Fin Swimming. Each year the USOA
nominates the MAN AND WOMAN ATHLETE
OF THE YEAR AWARD winners to USOC.
USOA athletes are also honored with
all sports national champions comprising the ALL AMERICAN DIVE TEAM. Each sport also awards their MAN &
WOMAN ATHLETE OF THE YEAR. There are two Sportsmanship Awards: DAN WILKINS MEMORIAL AWARD for U/W
Hockey Nationals and the CARL JUDD
MEMORIAL AWARD for U/W Hockey Pacific Coast Championships.
.
SAFETY, CONSERVATION & LEGISLATION
The Society Legislative Director works
with member councils and clubs on issues of diver/diving access and
regulation and is ready to offer testimony and/or support for divers facing
unnecessary or restrictive legislation. Member councils and clubs assist
their state legislatures on matters of access, fish & game laws,
underwater parks, aquatic environment and safety. The Marine Environment
Director acts in a similar fashion advising on matters that threaten
species or the marine/ aquatic environment.
An activity
to further highlight the Marine Environment is the annual Ocean
Pals Children’s
Poster Contest. This Contest was developed in 1984 by Beneath the Sea Dive
Exposition in New York,
and the winning posters are displayed at that Show each March. This is a
contest for grade school children to heighten their awareness of the
dangers to the ocean. In 1988 Ocean Pals was regionalized, and
the US
sponsors the Western Regional Competition - 7 western states and US Trust
Territories.
AWARDS
Since 1960,
the Society has sanctioned four
special awards: The NOGI. The
award is symbolized by statuettes awarded in four categories: Arts,
Sports/Education, Science, Distinguished Service. The NOGI is the ‘Oscar’ of diving and has been
awarded to Jacques Cousteau, Sylvia Earl, Glen Engstrom, Valerie Taylor,
Paul Tzimoulis, Al Giddings, Stan Waterman and Jack Mc Kenny to name only a
few. The Society also recognizes
divers at the regional level, The
Regional Divers of the Year Award in the categories of Art, Sports,
Education, Science & Service.
Recently, the Society endorsed and became a
sponsor of the new Women Divers Hall
of Fame. Women members Carol Rose, Jana Bradley, Brigit Grimm, Mary Jo
Ferris-Fischer, Linda Gray and Dr. Anne Giesecke were selected as inaugural
honorees.
PUBLICATIONS
The Society publishes a quarterly
newsletter, Visibility which is a
benefit of membership. Other publications include ‘How to Form a Dive Club,’
underwater sports outlines, 'How To
Start UW Hockey' Guide, UW
Hockey Referee Manual, an Underwater
Hockey Program for Skill Building in Skin Diving Instruction and rules
books for national and international u/w sports.
INSURANCE
The Underwater Society of America
provides liability insurance for its member councils and clubs. Such
insurance is usually required by uw hockey clubs to enable them to rent
pools for play; for skin diving clubs enabling them to ‘stage’
from state beaches and parks; for member clubs for their annual film festivals
and holiday events.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
The Society is a dues supported
membership organization. Dues currently are $15/year. Membership is open to
ALL divers. Membership benefits include the newsletter, insurance program,
car rental discount, credit card and other services. There are also logo
decals, pins, patches, t shirts, special World Competition logo goods,
video lending library and so forth.
Benefits of
membership are also intangible - being a winner in u/w sports competitions,
representing the USA
as World Championships, advising law makers, meeting other divers from
across the nation and the world and being a safe buddy. Members help it all
to come about just by being members. So, join the Society and be a proud member!
DOCUMENTS
Standard Competition Rules 2006
Bylaws
2005
Download
2008 USOA Hockey Waiver
CALENDAR
April
April 5-6 George Mason UW Hockey Tourney
April 19 Passover Begins Sundown
April 19-20 OceanFest Dive Show
Ft Lauderdale by
the Sea, FL
April 21-May 3 World
Championships Aqua Challenge
Durban So Africa
April 26-27 UW
Hockey Tournament UMass/Lowell
May
May 3-4 Northwest Dive/Travel Expo
Tacoma Washington
May 11 Mothers Day
May 17-18 Atlanta
Dive Show
May 20-25 CMAS Annual Meeting Egypt
May 26 Memorial
Day Holiday
June
June 14 Flag Day
June 15 Fathers Day
June 21 First Day Summer
June 21-22 Scuba 2008 Long Beach Show
July
July 4 Independence Day Holiday
July 25-27 UW
Hockey National Championships
Gainesville Florida
July 27-29 NASO Annual Meeting Cleveland
August
August 7 Skin
National Championships
Newport Rhode
Island
September
September 1 Labor Day Holiday
September 11 Patriot Day
September 22 First Day Fall
September 26-27 DC Dive Show - NEW!
National Ships to
Reefs Meeting DC
September 29 Rosh Hashanah Begins Sundown
October
October 8 Yom Kippur
Begins Sundown
October 11 Randy Fry
Memorial Meet CA
October 13 Columbus Day
Holiday
October 22-25 DEMA Las Vegas
October 31 Halloween
November
November 2 Daylight Savings Ends
November 4 Election Day
November 11 Veterans Day Holiday
November 27 Thanksgiving Day Holiday
December
December 6-7 Florida Show, South
Florida
December 7 Pearl
Harbor Remembrance
December 21 First Day Winter
December 21 Hanukkah Begins Sundown
December 25 Christmas Day Holiday
December 26 Boxing Day/Kwanzaa Begins
January
2009
January 1 2009 New Years Day Holiday
January 3-4 Denver UW Hockey Event Tentative
January 19 MLKing Holiday
February
February 14 Valentines Day
February 16 Presidents Day Holiday
Date/location not set:
- PCC
Hockey
- PCC
Skin Diving
- Fall
CCC Meeting - LA hosting
MEMBERSHIP
BENEFITS
The
Society is a dues supported membership organization. Membership is open to
ALL divers. Membership benefits include the newsletter, car
rental discount, credit card and other services. There are also logo
decals, pins, patches, t shirts, special World Competition logo goods,
video lending library and so forth.
Benefits
of membership are also intangible - being a winner in u/w sports
competitions, representing the USA as World Championships,
advising law makers, meeting other divers from across the nation and the
world and being a safe buddy. Members help it all to come about just by
being members. So, join the Society and be a proud member!
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