I didn’t set out to start a dive group. In fact, it wasn’t even my idea. It was my mom’s. As a homeschooling parent, she was always looking for ways to enrich my education, but also to support the things I was passionate about. We had a deal that once I found a passion and could “deep dive” all the things about it, she would help me find a way to keep going and learn- ALL. THE. THINGS.
The challenge was pretty clear early on: most diving trips were geared toward adults, or they happened on weekends when sites were overcrowded. My mom wanted to change that. She wanted me to be able to dive during the week, offering a safer, emptier and more serene learning environment. But more than that, she wanted me to have a community and hoped I would find my tribe- fellow youth divers who could grow alongside me.
So, she built it.
Not Just Science Diving—All of Diving
There are already some incredible science diving programs for kids—opportunities that focus on marine biology, environmental monitoring, or underwater archaeology. Those programs have their place and serve a great purpose.
But my mom noticed there wasn’t a space for youth who loved diving itself—for the adventure, the history, the exploration, the rescue work, the artistry, the gear, the technology, and the stories. She wanted to create something broader, something that opened the door to all the different facets and careers diving has to offer—not just the scientific side.
That’s how this group came to life.
A Group Built From Scratch
With support from Dive911 and Mac’s Sports, we had the dive logistics covered. We had gear, guidance, and mentorship from professionals. But my mom wasn’t content to just create dive opportunities. She saw the potential for something much more impactful: to bring the diving world—its experts, its legends, its institutions—into our homes and even meetups around our communities.
Through a series of carefully arranged virtual sessions, our little group suddenly found itself speaking with some of the biggest names in diving. We had Zoom calls with:
- Treasure hunter Carl Allen, who shared stories of exploration and recovery from the depths of history.
- Edd Sorenson, considered one of the greatest cave rescue divers of all time.
- Jill Heinerth, whose documentaries and expeditions have inspired countless divers around the world.
- Phil Short, world-renowned cave explorer, technical diving instructor, and scientific diving consultant.
- Stratis Kass, Greek cave diving instructor, award-winning filmmaker, and author.
- Jim Sinclair veteran marine archaeologist and ocean explorer with over four decades of experience in shipwreck discovery and artifact conservation.
- Dan Orr, past President of the Divers Alert Network and a leading voice in dive safety and education.
- Brent Kiomall, social media and explorer extraordinaire.
- Kirk Krack, global leader and a pioneer in the field of multidisciplinary diving.
- Mike Young, is a renowned cave diver and equipment innovator.
- Jeffrey Bozanick, distinguished technical diving instructor, marine scientist, and author.
- Dr Joe Dituri, biomedical engineer, retired US Navy diver, Project Neptune 100
- Dr Douglas Ebersole, avid technical cave diver and instructor as well as renowned cardiologist whom consults for DAN
We virtually toured the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Lab, where astronauts train for space missions underwater. We became the only Americans to take a remote, behind-the-scenes tour of Deep Dive Dubai, the world’s deepest pool. We connected with technical divers, law enforcement dive teams, and members of Karst Underwater Research. We dove and met the legendary Paul Heinerth. We were introduced to commercial diving at our local college.
Each session expanded our world a little more and showed us how diverse the dive community really is.
The End of a Chapter
After a year and a half of building something truly unique, she made the difficult decision to step away. Life had other priorities, and she had given everything to keep the group running at a high level but interests and commitments from others wavered.
For a while, there was silence. No Zooms. No group dives. No shared excitement over the next expert guest. I didn’t realize how much I’d miss it—until it was gone.
A New Beginning
Months later, I decided to start it back up. This time, it would be more relaxed—less structured, as I have become a more rooted diver and not needing a tight community as before but still rooted in the same love for diving and learning. A space to reconnect, share dive opportunities, teach about youth diving and keep learning from the dive community we’re so lucky to have behind us.
And the support hasn’t gone away. Many of the same dive professionals and groups are still willing to help. They believe in what this group was—and what it always was and will continue to be.
I hope to build a resource for youth divers like me. A place I wish had existed before my mom created it. I may be the one keeping it afloat now, but it’s still powered by the foundation she laid.
Because when diving and a determined homeschool mom collide, amazing things can happen.
If you’re a young diver, a parent, or just someone who loves the underwater world and wants to connect—join us. Whether it’s for a local dive, a virtual talk, or just to ask a question, the door is open. And who knows? You might just find the dive family you didn’t know you needed.
