JPS Diving: A Diving Community Built on NAUI Training
Two New NAUI Instructors Strengthen SHAPE Sub Aqua Club
Strong dive communities are built on trust, shared passion, and high-quality education. JPS Diving is a clear example of this philosophy in action. Founded in 2010, the group grew from a genuine love of scuba diving and a deep commitment to NAUI training standards. Over time, Jps Diving has become more than a dive group. It is a close-knit network of divers who support one another, train together, and continuously raise the bar for safety and skill development.
At the heart of JPS Diving is Jean-Pierre Sonnet, NAUI Course Director and Instructor (NAUI #52313). Diving since 1999, Jean-Pierre has logged more than 4,000 dives worldwide and remains fully dedicated to NAUI education. His focus is clear and consistent: mentoring instructors, organizing high-quality training programs, and ensuring that every course reflects NAUI’s core principle of Dive Safety Through Education.
That philosophy was recently demonstrated through the NAUI Instructor training of Kana Losano from the United States and Xavier Michelot from France, both members of the SHAPE Sub Aqua Club (SSAC) in Mons, Belgium.
A Dive Club at a Crossroad
The SHAPE Sub Aqua Club operates on the NATO SHAPE base and serves a diverse, multinational community of military personnel, civilians, and their families. With access to on-base facilities including a swimming pool, compressor room, classrooms, and club equipment, SSAC has long played an important role in providing safe and accessible scuba diving training.
When the club’s previous instructor was forced to step away for health reasons, all formal training activities stopped. New certifications could not be issued, try dives were suspended, and the long-term future of the club was uncertain. This challenge was made even more complex by the constant personnel rotation common in military environments.
Recognizing the urgency, Kana reached out to NAUI in search of a structured, professional, and objective instructor pathway. That search led both him and Xavier to Jean-Pierre Sonnet and the Jps Diving training environment.
Two Instructors, One Shared Philosophy
While their backgrounds differ, Kana and Xavier shared the same motivation: to ensure continuity, safety, and quality education for their dive community.
Kana Losano is a federal civilian working at SHAPE with roots in Hawaii. He discovered scuba diving later in life through SSAC, where diving became a powerful tool for recovery, confidence, and personal growth. As a disabled veteran, he places strong emphasis on diver safety, emergency preparedness, and thoughtful instruction. He chose NAUI for its student-centered training philosophy, flexibility, and strong focus on real-world diving practices and responsible leadership.
Xavier Michelot, a cybersecurity manager at SHAPE, began diving in 1999 and has accumulated experience across multiple regions worldwide. Over the years, he worked closely with SSAC’s former instructor and became a key pillar of the club. When his mentor retired, stepping into the instructor role was not just a personal milestone, but a responsibility to the SHAPE diving community.
Inside the Jps Diving NAUI Instructor Course
The NAUI Instructor course delivered by Jps Diving was intentionally demanding and comprehensive. Candidates were challenged academically, practically, and as educators. Training covered in-water skills, teaching methodology, risk management, legal considerations, course organization, and real-world instructional scenarios.
Throughout the course, NAUI’s Dive Safety Through Education philosophy remained central. Both candidates developed a deeper understanding of why skills are taught, how to adapt instruction to individual students, and how to build confident, self-aware divers rather than simply issuing certifications.
What truly set this program apart was the Jps Diving group dynamic. As a tight-knit group of friends and mentors, the Jps Diving team provided realistic teaching environments, constructive feedback, and continuous support. Staff members assisted during training sessions, evaluations, and logistics, reinforcing the idea that strong instructors are developed within strong dive communities.
Final evaluations were conducted with professionalism and care. Special thanks go to NAUI Representative Jan Willem van Gelder, who, together with Rob Peters, ensured both candidates fully met NAUI standards.
Immediate and Long-Term Impact at SHAPE
With two newly certified NAUI Instructors, the SHAPE Sub Aqua Club has regained stability and momentum. Try dives have resumed, Open Water Diver courses are scheduled, and continuing education programs including Rescue and First Aid training are expanding.
One particularly important development is the growth of youth diving programs. Drawing on his experience teaching junior lifeguards and swimming courses, Kana is now offering youth diving instruction aligned with NAUI Youth Program standards. This creates new opportunities for families at SHAPE to safely introduce children to scuba diving while strengthening the club’s long-term future.
Interest from the SHAPE community has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting how essential instructor continuity and flexible, high-quality education are in multinational and high-rotation environments.
A True Win for the Diving Community
This journey represents a clear win on every level:
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SHAPE Sub Aqua Club regains stability, growth, and instructor continuity
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Jps Diving fulfills its mission of mentorship and high-quality NAUI education
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NAUI sees its values and youth-focused programs successfully implemented in a complex, international setting
For Kana and Xavier, becoming NAUI Instructors is not an endpoint, but the beginning of a new chapter focused on leadership, teaching, and giving back to the dive community. For Jps Diving, it reinforces a simple truth: passion, friendship, and uncompromising educational standards remain the strongest foundation for sustainable scuba diving.
