National Instructor Will Schwarz enjoys being part of the BSAC team that turns divers into nationally qualified instructors. Interview by Kristina Pedder
FACTFILE
Name: Will Schwarz Job title: Instructor Trainer
Will Schwarz’ s early diving memories begin at the age of seven, inspired by James Bond’ s adventures in Thunderball and Never Say Never Again.“ I remember buying an oval mask, black rubber with a yellow frame, with my pocket money while on holiday in Tenby, South Wales,” he says. His interest in the underwater world led to membership of Swansea Yacht and Sub-Aqua Club( SYSAC). From age 11, Will spent his time snorkelling and doing try dives until he reached 14 and could start Novice training( now Ocean Diver).“ It was incredible,” he says.“ It was and still is a brilliant branch. We did so much diving and so many trips, which inspired a young and impressionable teenager.”
“ It was a rite of passage that when you became a diver you were expected to give back to the branch by becoming an instructor and teaching,” Will explains.“ I now love coaching and mentoring, developing people’ s skills and tweaking them into something awesome.”
As a National Instructor, Will teaches at different levels all over the UK. He’ s volunteered on the Instructor Trainer circuit for a few years now, both as a syndicate lead and as a senior instructor bossing courses.“ The challenge has been to develop my instructing, coaching and mentoring skills as I progressed as a trainer across the whole suite
VOLUNTEERLIFE of instructor courses and exams,” he says.
Laying foundations
National Instructor Will Schwarz enjoys being part of the BSAC team that turns divers into nationally qualified instructors. Interview by Kristina Pedder
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An invigorating swim in Plymouth
SKILLSTIP
Diving should be fun. Diving
“ should be safe. If you are not having fun, it’ s not safe. If it’ s not safe, it’ s not fun. I am all for pushing boundaries and gaining experience; but, if you are scared, ascend, gain more experience in more familiar surroundings then return. Diving is not a race with anyone.
”
On a well-known charter boat