Lifestyle

In the swim at the gym

In the swim at the gym 1 2 3

…Body for swimming. This is a national syllabus for delivering aquatics and provides stages for your child to progress and become competent, confident and safe in water, and to have fun at the same time.’

Classes actually begin at ‘foundation’ level, developing early years water confidence with parent and baby, pre-school sessions, and ASA Duckling Awards (designed for very young children, from a minimum of five months). Stages 1-7 are where they start to learn the basics and develop into true swimmers, with stages 8-10 providing more specialised training to develop what they call ‘Fundamental Sports Skills’, including competitive swimming, water polo, synchronised swimming, diving and rookie lifesaving. The stages are ability-based rather than age-based, and each is given an appropriately aquatic name, ranging from ‘Tadpoles’ to ‘Marlins’. There are also the Alpha Awards – gentler stepping stones for those who may need additional support.

Enjoyment is key – but other major motivating factors come into play, too

At a recent Swim Academy session at Jack Hunt School, The Moment had an opportunity to speak to parents about their experience. Young mum Vicky – who has a three-year old daughter and an eight-month old boy – had initially been drawn to the classes because of the safety aspect. ‘We’re planning a holiday to Cornwall this summer, and I wanted to feel my little girl was equipped to deal with the water to some degree.’ For the kids themselves, of course, the motivation is often rather different. Life-saving is all very well, but at the tender age of three, that alone is unlikely to get you to engage with the water. Enjoyment is key – but other major motivating factors come into play, too.

‘It has to be fun, and the kids have to want to do it in the first place. Once they get that, there’s no stopping them’

Vicky explains: ‘I think it’s really important for young kids to have something to aim for, and to have good local role models. I’ve told my little girl about Paralympic medallist Harriet Lee and she thinks she’s marvelous! The whole key to Swim Academy is that it has to be fun, and the kids have to want to do it in the first place. Once they get that, there’s no stopping them.’

Of course, they need the physical facilities in order to achieve that – and the superbly equipped new venue, Vivacity Premier Fitness at Hampton, certainly offers those, providing lane swimming at all times (the only pool in the city to do so) and sessions specifically for children. It’s not just about creating the next generation of gold medalists, though. Vicky adds: ‘Becoming a champion takes enormous dedication and hard work, and that’s not for…

In the swim at the gym 1 2 3

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