Greek Lifesaving Sports Association: Games Played, Lives Saved
The Greek Lifesaving Sports Association (GLSA) is a non-profit organization for lifesaving in Greece. It is certified by the General Secretariat of Sports of the Ministry of Sports for sport recreation and by the Athens Court of First Instance for water safety. The GLSA leads, supports and collaborates with national and international organizations engaged in water safety and lifesaving sport.
Under the direction and vision of founder Stathis Avramidis, Ph.D. aims to:
- Facilitate the circumstances to reduce aquatic injuries nationally.
- Strive to maintain GLSA as the national and most respectful authority of lifesaving sport in Greece.
- Benefit specific target groups such as children, university students, lifeguards, public, armed forces, first aiders
- Enhance drowning prevention through alliances and collaborations.
- Expand lifesaving sport and water safety activities in Greece and internationally.
- Create a sustainable business model.
- Act locally and impact globally.
- Collaborate with every national and international organization that corresponds with our vision, mission, values, aims and objectives
Over the years, the GLSA has done the following:
- organized 3 Pan-Hellenic Lifesaving Championships (2015, 2016, 2017)
- organized 1 Greek Military Lifesaving Tournament (2017)
- organized University Lifesaving Competitions in Greek Higher Education (2019)
- support teams that participate in the British University Lifesaving Clubs’ Association Championships
- organize inter club competitions across Greece
- publish and distribute freely the monthly e-magazine “Sport Lifesaver” of applied lifeguarding and lifesaving sport in 120+ countries
- facilitated the inclusion of the sport in Higher Education
- teach annually dozens Sport Science and Physical Education students in the University of Athens on lifesaving sport as academic carrier and spread it with practical demonstrations in various clubs nationally
- facilitated the inclusion of lifesaving sport in the Hellenic Water Safety Program of the Hellenic Ministry of Health
- teach annually thousands of children water safety and lifesaving sport in schools, summer camps, sports clubs, lifeguard agencies and youth organizations
- teach annually dozens of lifesaving sport judges
- honor prestigious personalities (see here)
- maintain the largest historical archive of Greek lifesaving sport including photos, videos, documents
- maintain the largest water safety library in Greece that is available for scholarly work to its members
- publish lifesaving sport and water safety books and research (see here and example below)
- create conferences and courses for public, coaches, judges
- promote lifesaving sport and water safety in media (TV, radio, newspapers, internet, social media)
- collaborate with prestigious organizations to enhance water safety (see here)
- have numerous prestigious personalities as Honorary Members (see here)
- have numerous prestigious personalities as Supporters (see here)
- its membership span includes Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Cyprus, England, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Syria, Uganda, USA
Near-Death Experiences While Drowning
Of the millions of people who survive drowning each year, about 20% report a near-death experience (NDE): a reported memory of profound psychological events that contain certain paranormal, transcendental, and mystical features. NDEs are usually hyperreal and lucid experiences dominated by pleasurable feelings and more rarely dominated by distressed feelings. This book presents a summary of 40 years of research on NDEs. It contains 22 drowning NDE accounts and recommendations for how water safety professionals can use NDE-related information in their work with people they successfully resuscitate.
“A wonderful book about those that reached the borderline of death and returned to the land of living.” —Patriarch/Pope Theodore II of Alexandria “A book worth reading by all lifeguards of the world.”
For more information, visit here.
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