Sea swimming clinics a lifesaver

SEA BOUND: Swim coach Haydn Woolley helps Alex Schuck, 14, get ready to hit the ocean.

A swim coach says without dedicated sea swimming lessons the high number of drownings will "continue to plague this country".

Haydn Woolley believes New Zealand children are not equipped to know how to swim properly in the sea despite parents investing time and money in years of swimming lessons at the local pool.

Mr Woolley, who is based at Auckland city’s Tepid Baths, says while lessons in swimming pools are essential for children, sea swimming requires a different set of skills that simply cannot be taught in pools.

"New Zealand has one of the highest rates of drowning in the world despite the fact our schools have strong programmes and community based swimming lessons are part of most Kiwi kids’ sporting menu," he says.

"I have more than a dozen years of coaching experience behind me and have decided it is time to do something about reversing the statistics."

Mr Woolley has provided sea swimming classes to adults for seven years but this summer is launching a kids’ clinic.

"I am targeting children as young as six and up to 16. The classes will be in the open-water specifically with the aim of teaching kids safety, open-water swimming skills and building on their ability to swim longer distances in the sea and faster."

Four blocks are available based at Mission Bay and Milford Beach from lateNovember to late March that each include three clinics on consecutive Saturdays.

Each block starts with two sessions focusing on skills aimed at preparing children for the final session that is a fun openwater sea swimming race.

"All that is required are snug-fitting rash tops or a wetsuit, togs, sunscreen and goggles."

Skills covered in the clinics include landmark referencing, sighting, endurance between buoys, endurance treading water, in and outs, swimming with your goggles off, rounding buoys and swim specific warm-ups.

Mr Woolley has set minimum levels of abilities for the children – Rocklobsters who can swim more than 25 metres, Minnows more than 100 metres and Barracudas more than 400 metres of non-stop freestyle.

The first clinic is on November 28.

For more information go to the website www.ocean clinics.co.nz.