In November, Scuba Diving Classes Are on Tap at Five Seasons Northbrook
For many people, there is a tension when it comes to scuba diving: while they know its reputation as one of life's most thrilling experiences, they are also leery of being under water for minutes at a time.
Mindful of that tension in many individuals' minds, since 2003 Five Seasons Family Sports Club in Northbrook has helped more than 50 people take the plunge by offering orientation classes-in and out of the pool-from Capt. Darrick Lorenzen, a nationally renowned instructor.
The next set of orientation dates: Wednesday, November 9th, and Saturday, November 12th at the club, 1300 Techny Road.
On Nov. 9th, there is a free 6-7:30 p.m. session in the conference room of the club. Three days later, there will be an all-day gathering that begins in the conference room (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and wraps up with a 2-5 p.m. session in the indoor pool of Five Seasons.
The next two-phase session is scheduled for Wednesday, December 14th and Saturday, December 17th.
The class, which uses a curriculum designed in conjunction with NAUI Worldwide (the National Association of Underwater Instructors), far exceeds the required level for scuba certification, said Lorenzen, owner of Divemax Scuba Schools.
"This is the most comprehensive and complete course of scuba instruction in the Midwest," Lorenzen said. "We provide 12 open water training dives, which is three times the industry standard."
A few years before offering scuba training at Five Seasons Northbrook, Lorenzen began providing classes at one of Five Seasons' sister sites, in Indianapolis. That relationship continues to this day.
One recent student from Five Seasons Northbrook, Marina Payne, lauded Lorenzen's skill in training her and her husband, Brent.
"Captain Darrick is the most experienced scuba instructor we have ever met-and most of my husband's family scuba dives," said Payne. "Darrick is a great teacher-- patient, informative, and able to add levity, especially when I got nervous about certain scuba skill exercises."
In the Midwest, Lorenzen's name has become synonymous with "scuba," an acronym for "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus." In 2011, Lorenzen received the NAUI Worldwide Training Excellence Award, a recognition given to fewer than 1 percent of scuba schools. Lorenzen has also received the U.S. Coast Guard's Public Service Commendation for Personal Courage and Selfless Initiative.
He has performed more than 10,000 dives around the world, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and Florida-his favorite spot because of the ease of traveling to the Keys and other locations off the coast of the Sunshine State. Lorenzen's students have gone on to thrilling experiences all around the globe, including the Red Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, Belize and Honduras.
To register for the training at Five Seasons Northbrook, call 847-897-5030. To learn more about Divemax Scuba Schools, visit www.divemaxscuba.com.
Five Seasons is the premier year-round high-energy, high-touch sports club focused on family leisure and entertainment, improving sports performance and maintaining overall health.
The club is at 1300 Techny Road and online at http://www.fiveseasonssportsclub.com/northrbrook/. Phone: 847-897-5030. Facebook: www.facebook.com/FiveSeasonsNorthbrook. Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiveSeasonsNB.