Swimming lessons having impact in region
After seeing the highest national drowning rate in four decades, a Taranaki swimming trainer is emphasising the importance of teaching youngsters water skills.
Cecilie Elliott is the Swimming New Zealand aquatic education and water safety adviser for Taranaki and Whanganui, and said in-school lessons were something children ‘‘absolutely’’ carry for life.
That is why she is still so passionate, and recognises the ‘‘impact’’ of, going around schools with the water skills for life programme, dry land survival skills course, too.
‘‘If they learn these basics at school, they’re going to be better swimmers,’’ Elliott said. ‘‘Just like how they’re learning math.’’
In the past two years there have been two drownings in Taranaki – Kristi McIntyre at Oakura Beach in January 2020, and Jordan Adams at the Wawhakaiho River in November last year.
However, since Christmas Eve, there have been 23 drownings across New Zealand, Elliott said. ‘‘For us, that’s the highest in over 40 years.’’
She said the nationwide drownings were a result of swimmers not being familiar with different water environments, or ‘‘over-estimating their own ability’’.
Those are two things Elliott, who has been teaching children to swim for about 30 years, tries to make youngsters aware of.
While the students are taught to swim in pools, Elliott also teaches river and beach safety, and the ‘‘hazards of all aquatic environments’’.
‘‘It’s to make sure our young people can make safe decisions.’’
She said some children are very quick to learn how to do laps in a pool, but that ‘‘doesn’t mean they’re going to survive’’ a rip, or changing river.
‘‘It’s about educating the community,’’ Elliott said. ‘‘The schools are the focus.’’