Dive into Scuba at the Kroc Center
Scuba diving might not be the first recreational activity that comes to mind for those living in landlocked Nebraska, but local scuba diving professional Jeff Steiner and his students at The Salvation Army’s Kroc Center are determined to change that.
Steiner, who has been diving for more than 25 years and is the owner of Steiner Scuba in Omaha (he also recently acquired Underwater World), teaches several scuba diving classes each week at the Kroc Center.
Originally launched as a private scuba class for a local Boy Scouts troop, Steiner and Kroc Center Health and Recreation Director Sandy Anderson decided to offer the class to the general public. “Discover Scuba” – a single, 1.5-hour session that introduces basic scuba concepts to those unfamiliar with the sport – launched in April. In June, the Kroc Center launched “Open Water Diver” -- a three-week scuba diver certification course that includes both classroom and pool instruction, as well as four “open water” dives in nearby quarries or lakes.
“Open Water Diver” student Vanessa Donnelly first tried scuba on her honeymoon eight years ago and has been trying to muster the courage to earn her diver certification ever since.
“I was pretty nervous, especially the first night we got into the pool,” she admitted, “but once I was in the water, I fell in love with scuba immediately. The instructor is great. He’s very approachable, and he puts us completely at ease in the water.”
Steiner also teaches the Kroc Kids Scuba Program, which offers youth who are enrolled in the Kroc Center’s afterschool program and summer camps a taste of scuba and the experience of breathing underwater.
“The great thing about the Kroc Center is that there are kids here who might not ordinarily be able to afford a typical scuba class, but they get a chance to try it here,” said Steiner.
“Scuba is an adventure,” he added. “People develop a passion for it. And I’m excited to introduce that passion for scuba to more people here at the Kroc Center.”
For more information about the Kroc Center’s scuba classes or to register for upcoming courses, please visit Steiner Scuba’s Kroc Center Scuba webpage.
