Swimming

DonTheKing

DonTheKing

Well-known member
Just read a mad statistic about adult swimmers in uk and 31% apparently cannot swim.
I can swim but not to a great level. (Not open water either)
Anybody on here a non swimmer?
 
Zoophonic said:
I would imagine that percentage of non swimmers has gone up over the past number of years as a result of a lot of council run swimming pools have closed. As a boy had good access to a pool and lessons were cheap and accessible.
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The pools used to be subsidised and then that was removed in the 1980s. I suppose we now see the cost.
 
Things like swimming cost money and time. Both of which nowadays are less readily available to a family.

Schools don't have the resource and offer reduced swimming provision, if at all.

Being able to teach your kids to swim/ afford to pay for swimming lessons is a luxury for a lot of people. Cheaper to get a season ticket.

My goal is for my kids to be able to read, write, count, ride a bike and swim. Then I will let them go free to roam the lands.
 
Chutney said:
Had all of those on a denim bucket hat. And a few of the square life saving ones as well.

My kids had swimming lessons but never really got that good - they wouldn't drown (or at least not immediately), but compared to me and my mates as kids they're pretty abysmal.
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I can remember doing the lifesaving but not sure if I got the badge. Did the bronze, silver and gold as well. Treading water then making a life jacket out of pyjama trousers 😁
 
Centralscrutinizer said:
I can remember doing the lifesaving but not sure if I got the badge. Did the bronze, silver and gold as well. Treading water then making a life jacket out of pyjama trousers 😁
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Yup, that's the one. Think the gold was more hardcore - had to remove a pair of jeans to make the lifejacket. Thankfully no such thing as skinny fit in my wardrobe back then.

And diving for that rubber brick...
 
I hate swimming. I hate putting my head underwater and getting disgusting swimming pool water in my eyes, ears and nose. I hate noise smelly chemical filled swimming pools. I hate swimming pool changing rooms.

I can just about do a length or two with my own uniquely weird swimming stroke.
 
Every primary school has to offer swimming to pupils at some point in time as it’s part of the PE national curriculum. This can be at any point though and due to costs, may only be for a two week block out of the whole time they are at primary school.

My school takes pupils in KS2 (years 3-6) swimming for two weeks out of every year so they have 8 weeks swimming in primary school in 4 years. In comparison, my children’s primary school only goes for two weeks in year 3 and that is it. My schools offer is better than most schools but unfortunately, swimming just in school time is not enough to learn for the majority of pupils. This needs to be done outside of school as well which is obviously very expensive for families.

Each years, primary schools have to report (on the school website by the end of July as part of the terms of receiving the PE Premium money from the government) on what percentage of their year 6 cohort can swim 25m confidently as it’s the aim that 100% can achieve that. It also has to be reported on what percentage can swim different strokes and can use life saving techniques that they are taught.

I’m quite a confident swimmer, swam from a young age and feel confident enough in the sea, rivers or pools. I had to do a lifeguard qualification prior to training as a teacher so have learnt lots over the years. My children however are not the most confident despite taking them swimming and they attended lessons for years.
 
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Eston Baths used to be free during Eston Play Week, which was a fortnight, but I guess that doesn't sound right. Kids from all over the TS6 and Thorntree area would go to the baths on a daily basis. You soon learned to swim or you would be the chaser at tigs throughout the session.
 
What are people doing when going on holiday? Every time I go all the kids are in the pool and doing alright. Or is this more those from tougher backgrounds who can't afford to get away on holiday?

I suppose our location doesn't help, being cold, not exactly great for open water swimming without freezing your nuts off.

I get most of us possibly learnt to get better or fully learned at school, but my first lesson was on holiday when I was about 5/6 and my dad chucked me in with arm bands, on my own, and said "learn" :LOL:
 
Love swimming. But the last swim I had was when I swam the "Great North Swim" one mile in Windermere in 2019! Since then we have had a Global Pandemic and then Darlo council closed the Dolphin Centre for six months "refurbishment" and has only just reopened. It's on my "to-do list"...

I hope to do some more open water swimming when the weather warms a little.
 
I learnt in Thornaby baths but was not great until I discovered the sea. Used to be in the sea everyday on holidays in Scarborough, even though it was full of sewage near Thornaby Mills (?).
When my kids were small, they did the basics in swimming lessons with me at the local baths. Then bought them wet suits and buoyancy jackets and started them surfing in the south west. They both swim like fish, but have a healthy respect for water. Love days out water skiing, kayaking, surfing and jet skiing. The water can produce endless ways to have fun.
 
GibbosEmpire said:
I can swim a length on my front, but swimming backwards i can do multiple lengths.
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i swim breast stroke slowly for a length then swim backwards for a length i have done about 36 lengths but usually circa 20, the problem is i get bored so don't go as often as i should.
 
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