Cave Diving Hall of Fame

[Kelly Jessop]

Cave diving has a history of noted people that have contributed to the sport. These are names we know such as Exley, Zumrick, Irving etc etc. These people have provided a lasting mark on the sport. So, if we had a cave diving hall of fame what category (ies) would you consider important to put this person in the hall of fame. There are others I omitted,but list them as other and tell us what. Lets not list names of people,but qualities that make them hall of fame material

[tursiops]

Two comments: in addition to criteria, you need to determine which criteria are more important...in the sense of weighting. For example, given the six listed in your poll, I'd rank them as follows:
Exploration
Science/research
Invention/innovation
community improvement
Instruction
Leadership
I've put Leadership at the bottom, mainly because I'm not sure it should be on the list...it seems like an adjective on each of the others!
The key to weighting the criteria is to recognize that someone rated highly on only one of the lower criteria isn't comparable to someone rated highly on several of the top criteria.

Second, the Women Divers Hall of Fame has some well-tested criteria...seems like a good basis to start from.
"Successful nominees have credentials of the following caliber, and in more than one category:

1. One whose contributions have had a significant impact on the diving community’s knowledge, safety, enjoyment and/or protection of the underwater environment. (Example: one of our members worked for eight years in the Eastern Caribbean to obtain the only recompression chamber for use by 10 Caribbean islands, thus enhancing the safety of diving throughout the Eastern Caribbean.)

2. One who has set/broken a world record in the field of diving. (Examples: one of our members was the free diving world champion; another set the world record for deep ocean solo diving.)

3. One who was the “first” or a pioneer in a diving-related field that is recognized as significant. (Examples: one of our members was the first woman to dive the renowned Andrea Doria; another was the first woman to graduate from the US Navy’s Deep Sea Diving School.)

4. One who is the Founder or CEO of a major diving organization or program. (Examples: one of our members created an innovative program for handicapped divers; another was the first woman Executive Director of the YMCA Scuba Program.)

5. One who is well known and strongly endorsed by major leaders and/or experts in her diving-related field. (Example: one of our members is a recognized underwater archeologist who was strongly supported by the resident archaeologist of the Guernsey Maritime Trust.)

6. One who is a proven leader within her diving community and/or has demonstrated outstanding leadership in her profession. (Example: one of our members is a world-renowned ambassador for ocean science and stewardship, often representing ocean environmental perspectives in preeminent international meetings and panels.)"

[FW]

How about "all of the above"?

[Jack Hammer]

I wiuld add Conservation and commitment to the list

[MikeT]

Kelly, under what category does "safety" lie? Safety, Exploration, and Conservation would have been my top three.

[Puttzer]

6. One who is a proven leader within her diving community and/or has demonstrated outstanding leadership in her profession. (Example: one of our members is a world-renowned ambassador for ocean science and stewardship, often representing ocean environmental perspectives in preeminent international meetings and panels.)"

So who decides? The NACD Board of Directors? I think general guidelines are fine but you will tend to get people that are the "favorites" of the selectors of the awards.

Perhaps a committee could select many candidates and let members of that organization vote. And yes the committee could be volunteers who themselves could be approved by some sort of election.

[Kelly Jessop]

Kelly, under what category does "safety" lie? Safety, Exploration, and Conservation would have been my top three.

I made the category of community involvement for safety,conservation, picking up trash in the river etc.

[OFG-1]

Well, you missed a few important qualifications, including
1 - Willingness to carry their buddies tanks and scooter
2 - Snacks and beer provided
3 - Ease in which they travel through the woods at night, quietly, with no lights - its important
4- Differential length between hair and beard, as plotted on a standard curve.

[w ripley]

Kelly,

I'd like to add photographers to your list. There are some people out there that are just making the caves come alive, and exciting to old & new cave divers + lots of people that get excited about becoming cave divers - and start down the long road to becoming one - from looking at their pixs & videos. I think their contribution should be considered.

[Kelly Jessop]

Kelly,

I'd like to add photographers to your list. There are some people out there that are just making the caves come alive, and exciting to old & new cave divers + lots of people that get excited about becoming cave divers - and start down the long road to becoming one - from looking at their pixs & videos. I think their contribution should be considered.

Good comment.