Swimming school owner encourages water safety
RANDBURG – With the stunning weather that we have in South Africa, and the prevalence of swimming pools in many homes and complexes, the importance of swimming lessons simply cannot be stressed enough.
As the owner of one of the best-known swimming schools in the Randburg area, no one knows better than Vorn Jones the importance of teaching people, both young and old, to swim.
“With the stunning weather that we have in South Africa, and the prevalence of swimming pools in many homes and complexes, the importance of swimming lessons simply cannot be stressed enough,” said Jones, owner of Vorn’s Lifeguards.
She added that swimming lessons not only taught your child how to swim correctly, efficiently and effortlessly, but it also provided children with the knowledge they needed to understand about the dangers of water, how to get themselves out of a sticky situation and potentially, even how to save another person’s life. Swimming lessons were an investment in your child and provided an essential life skill. “It is just as vital as learning to read and write,” said Jones.
Jones advised parents to do thorough research before signing children or themselves up for lessons. “Make sure you go to the facility to speak with the owners and teachers and get a feel for the environment. Be prepared to settle in with the school and become part of the furniture there, as swimming is a process and it takes time to master this skill.
“There is no quick fix, short course when it comes to swimming. I would say when your child can comfortably and confidently swim all four strokes, then you can pull your child out of lessons. Swimming lessons should come before ballet, karate, soccer and any other extramural.”
But swimming is also not only a skill for the young at heart, and adults should feel confident about signing up for lessons as well if they need to. “If you as the parent cannot swim, enrol yourself as well. Swimming is a lifelong gift. So much of what we do in South Africa is around water. Be consistent with your attendance.
“Practise what you see at lessons at home with the kids and get in the water and have fun too. The children will see the enjoyment as a family and will land up learning much faster when they are having fun. Swimming is a fun activity but at the same time, it is a risk we face every day when having any persons get in the water. Stay safe out there and keep on swimming.”
