With the new school term back in full swing, some 300 students from Point Fortin primary schools are not only learning English and Maths but are also being groomed to be future competitive swimmers.
Through the Primary Schools Learn to Swim Programme, sponsored by LNG producer Atlantic and conducted at the Point Fortin Community Swimming Pool, the students are being exposed to the coaching practices of Swim America, the programme used to train the US Olympic swim team. The programme is currently being used in over 900 locations across the United States and the world.
Marlon Grant, team Lead Sustainability at Atlantic, said Atlantic was committed to providing opportunities for Point Fortin youth to participate in sports and extracurricular activities that would help to make them all-rounded and would also help to build the foundation for future sports competition.
"By working with NGOs and sporting bodies that are professionally trained, Atlantic is able to ensure that the children of our home community get the latest skills and techniques of various sports," Grant said. "With the Primary Schools Learn to Swim Programme, we want to build on these children's natural swimming talent and the ready coastal environment that Point Fortin provides."
"I have to confess that we are eagerly exploring the possibility of helping to develop the next George Bovells of this country," Grant said.
Anil Sookhai, a senior coach of the Atlantic Primary Schools Learn to Swim Programme said the Swim America coaching method was specifically designed to teach children swimming skills for a lifetime of safety in the water.
"The first priority of all our coaches is the safety of our students" Sookhai said. "We have to maintain the safety standard of eight students per coach. On days when resources are limited and we only have one coach, we cut the sessions to twenty minutes per group of eight students, so that at least two sets of eight students can enjoy the class safely."
Sookhai said another key component of the Programme was its focus on making every student able to swim 300 yards freestyle.
"We focus on building up the children's endurance and making the distances in longer pools easier for them to manage as they progress through the training," Sookhai said.
Latisha Sierra John, a nine-year-old student of Egypt Village Government Primary School said the Atlantic Primary Schools Learn to Swim classes had helped her to learn many different swimming strokes such as the back stroke and forward glide which she really enjoyed.
"During swimming classes the coaches taught us how to breathe under water with our eyes open through bobbing exercises," Latisha said. "We also had lots of fun learning how to kick in the water as we're able to make great splashes with our legs."
Nine-year-old Riad Ali, also a student of Egypt Village Government Primary School who has been swimming for the last two years, said he loved to be in the water.
"To me, the freestyle is the best swimming stroke," Ali said. "During our classes we also learn how to do the doggy paddle and other strokes. In addition to the strokes we learn obedience and respect, because our coaches and teachers will not allow us to swim if we are disobedient. Because I love to swim I do as I am told."
Coach Sookhai said that the programme was effective as it taught a wide cross section of students from primary schools in the Point Fortin area how to swim.
"Twenty-five students from each primary school spends one year at this programme and more times than not they become avid swimmers," Sookhai said. "I encourage all parents to ensure their kids learn how to swim, as we do live on an island and we want to have an enjoyable but safe time while at the beaches and pools."