Make this year a safe swimming year

Swimming can be a fun activity and with spring and summer approaching, what better time than now to make your child water confident.

“In the past four to five years there have been more than 3 000 drownings in SA of kids aged between two and five years old and quite a large percentage of these drownings were attributed to private homes and complexes with pools,” said Robert De Maudave, coach and owner of Swimrite Vorna Valley.

“To avoid such an unfortunate event, some basic swimming techniques should be taught based on a good solid curriculum. We believe repetition is the mother of all skills especially for young kids between the ages of two to eight years old and these can be taught in just a few months.”

He added that upon opening the swimming school, it was quite alarming that between 30 to 40 per cent of the parents asked if they gave adult swimming lessons because should their child fall into a pool, the parents would not be of any help to save them. “We teach as many as 20 adults per week and this number is steadily increasing.”

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Drownings and near drownings require immediate CPR and most families should also acquire this skill set, he added.

In ensuring that children are water safe before they go to the next swimming party or decide to swim with their peers without adult supervision, Swimrite Vorna Valley provides a free assessment to children and parents as to their ‘readiness’ in terms of safe swimming techniques.

In addition, 10 free swimming lessons for children of the Vorna Valley/Halfway Gardens area are on offer and interested parents should email their motivation as to why their child should be enrolled. Parents are please asked not to base their motivation on monetary issues but rather, for example, on a near drowning experience of either their child or family member.

Details: Robert De Maudave, demaudave25@gmail.com, 082 897 1489, www.swimritevornavalley.co.za