Swimming: part of life of all of us!

I often catch myself thinking about swimming through, sometimes, some unrealistic dimensions, in the sense that swimming is part of life of all of us. That everybody can swim, that we were born swimmers, as some little ducks and otters! We would all be safe in the water and around it, but would we devote ourselves to it this much, I’m not sure. Would we be curious about the vast and unknown blue world…

I imagine:

• I imagine all schools having pools and that swimming is part of culture and education of all children!

• I imagine all schools having an experienced swimming teacher apart from the PE teacher…

• I imagine every parent being ready to invest in his/her child to learn how to swim.

• I imagine every child in this world knowing how to swim and stay safe in water.

I can only imagine it...

I wonder:

• I wonder if every swimming instructor in school is there because he/she knows how to teach children how to swim, and not because he/she is «a good speaker»?

• I wonder if you enrol your children in swimming schools to have them competing and winning medals one day in the future or to really learn how to swim, feel safe in the water and near it?

• I wonder if you are afraid of water and can’t swim, do you expect the same of your children?

• I wonder what needs to be done to make all humans learn how to swim?

I just wonder.

How come?

• How come that some people have all the preconditions to swim, do sports, but just don’t feel like it, or don’t have time for it?

• How come that we all know how dangerous it is for our children not to know how to swim but we still wait for them to turn 10 to start with learning?

• How come that in 80% of cases the first sport our children learn is not swimming or we wait for 5-6 years before they start doing some sports. What other sport can a four-month-old baby enjoy that much!?

• How come that some schools, towns, have swimming pools, but don’t use them, letting them go to rack and ruin…

I don’t wonder anymore.

I believe:

• I believe that swimming should be and that it will be part of our general knowledge.

• I believe that swimming is the healthiest sport.

• I believe that we are all aware enough how water can help and harm our children.

• I believe that everybody will have equal chances to be swimming professionals in the future.

I believe in it more and more.

I want:

• I want swimming to be accessible to everyone and that everyone gets a chance to learn how to swim.

• I want the parents to stop standing next to the pool, pretending to be instructors, but keep being parents.

• I want all children to start loving water sports and enjoy them with the support of their instructors and coaches who will also enjoy themselves teaching them

• I want to use swimming to help everyone. Those who are afraid of water and those who can’t swim, those who just have no opportunity, and those with special needs, and those with correction body needs, and the elderly and the young, the sad and the obese ones, the lonely ones.. EVERYONE!!

I really want it.

Swimming is the beginning of everything. It’s easier to learn how to swim first than how to walk. It’s easier to use swimming as a prevention than as a treatment. It’s easier to learn how to swim first than to experience a water-related accident, and then decide to do it. It’s easier to start swimming when we’re young than when we’re old. Everything is better and easier with swimming.. Choose the easier way, swim.

Include swimming into your life, before it excludes you!