Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

Australian Swim Schools Association highlights consistency as key to maintaining children’s aquatic skills

Australian Swim Schools Association highlights consistency as key to maintaining children’s aquatic skills
May 24, 2023

As the temperature drops and winter approaches, the Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) is urging parents and caregivers to recognise the importance of consistent swimming education for children.

ASSA General Manager Emily McNeill is aware that children's swimming abilities can deteriorate rapidly during extended breaks from swimming. While parents may assume that their child will effortlessly pick up where they left off, the reality is that regression can occur faster than expected.

Children, especially those under the age of three, do not yet possess long-term memory capabilities. This means that consistent practice is necessary to retain their abilities.

The impact of extended breaks from swimming was highlighted by the spike in drowning rates that followed the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when swimming lessons were cancelled for consecutive months. The Royal Life Saving 2021 National Drowning Report revealed a 9% increase in drowning incidents among children aged between 0-4 compared to the 10-year average.

McNeill advises “it is essential for parents to understand that the skills children acquire in the water can diminish quickly without regular practice.

"Every month a child is out of lessons, it can take several lessons to regain the fundamental skills learnt, and progress. Consistent swimming is vital for maintaining proficiency and ensuring our children stay safer around the water.”

Encouraging parents and caregivers to prioritise year-round swimming lessons to mitigate skill regression and ensure their children's safety in and around water, ASSA is launching its annual Keep Swimming SAFER Week from 29th May to 2nd June.

The campaign aims to encourage swim schools and families to prioritise consistent swimming, even during the colder months, to prevent skill regression and promote water safety.

Noting that data from the Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report 2022 showed 49 drownings occurred during last winter, accounting for 14% of the annual total, McNeill added “in light of the concerning trend in overall drowning statistics, it is important that we remain vigilant and proactive to avoid becoming complacent.

“Initiatives like Keep Swimming SAFER Week provide us with an opportunity to prioritise year-round swimming and foster a culture of water safety. ASSA is committed to raising awareness about the necessity of consistent swimming education and providing resources to support swim schools and families.”

Pointing out that swimming skills are just one layer of protection when it comes to creating a SAFER environment for children, McNeill stated “it’s also important for caregivers to be constantly supervising children around water, ensuring fences and gates are secure, and that emergency action plans are in place.

ASSA has developed the Safer Water Warriors to help swim businesses lead the charge to ensure children keep swimming safer, all year round.

Built on ASSA’s SAFERswimming Layers of Protection message, the SAFERwater Warriors are a team of friendly mascots aimed at under five year olds.

Related Articles

19th May 2023 - Forum highlights that collaboration is key to saving lives in South East Queensland

19th May 2023 - AUSTSWIM to hold its ‘Soak it Up’ International Conference ‘Reimagined’ 2023 on the Gold Coast

2nd May 2023 - Counting down to 2023 edition of the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson

21st April 2023 - Swim coaches welcome $3.9 million funding boost for women in coaching

14th April 2023 - Skill shortage sees Shepparton Aquamoves cancel some swimming lessons

14th April 2023 - Belgravia Leisure Learn to Swim Program engages Liverpool’s Indigenous Youth

8th April 2023 - Swimming Australia’s Deadly Little Dolphins initiative to strengthen swimming skills for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

5th April 2023 - Goldfields Spirit Swimming Carnival part of Royal Life Saving WA anti-drowning initiatives

4th April 2023 - Audit of Queensland State Schools shows 99% deliver swimming lessons

31st March 2023 - Australian Swim Schools National Award Winners announced at Adelaide conference

28th March 2023 - SWIM It Forward fundraising initiative reaches $50,000 in donations

17th March 2023 - JUMP! Swim School franchise breaks record for pre-registrations

13th March 2023 - Australian Swim Schools Association national conference to focus on swim safety

4th March 2023 - Summer drownings figures reveal 90 deaths across Australia

6th February 2023 - Victorian surfers save hundreds from drowning each year

9th November 2022 - More than 500 children lose their lives to drowning over past two decades

20th October 2022 - Swimming Australia announces new strategic partnership with Australian Swim Schools Association

16th September 2022 - 2021/22 drowning toll the highest in more than 25 years

7th June 2022 - FLUIDRA announces backing for ASSA’S SAFERWater Warriors program

1st December 2021 - Victorian drowning report reveals tragedies behind highest drowning toll in 20 years

9th October 2020 - ASSA launch new water safety campaign


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

Click here to view our subscription options.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

Sportybots

We are the leading providers of kids fun multi-sports programs for Sport and Recreation Centres. Programs cover twelve common sports as well as Gross Motor Skill Development and suit children from as…

read more

Fitness / Play / Recreation / Sport / Wellness

 
 

WATERPLAY Solutions Corp

Whether your goal is increasing your centre's revenues or creating an engaging environment, why not add play to your project? If you're looking for stylish aquatic play features, kid-tested…

read more

Aquatics / Attractions / Play / Recreation / Waterparks

 
 

Technogym Australia

Technogym is the leading company in the Wellness and Fitness field all over the world. With 2,200 employees, 14 branches in Europe, U.S., South America, Asia  and Australia, Technogym exports its…

read more

Fitness / Technology / Wellness

 
 

Ticketworx Pty Ltd

Ticketworx (formerly House of Tickets) is Australia and New Zealand’s foremost ticket specialist servicing some 2,700 clients and producing in excess of 30 million per tickets per annum.…

read more

Entertainment / Events / Technology / Ticketing / Venues

 
 

TicketSearch Pty Ltd

TicketSearch is focused on providing businesses, organisations, and venues with affordable, efficient, and powerful self-managed ticketing solutions. The organisation has offices in Australia, New…

read more

Attractions / Entertainment / Technology / Ticketing / Venues

 
 

Exerp

Exerp is a global IT specialist in member management software for the fitness and leisure industry. By focusing on the needs of large enterprises, where streamlining, control and scalability are…

read more

Fitness / Technology / Wellness

 
 

BH Fitness

BH Fitness, part of the long-standing and iconic bike manufacturer BH Group, is a global leader in fitness equipment for both Commercial and Home markets. The company, with the headquarters based in…

read more

Fitness / Recreation / Sport / Technology / Wellness

 
 

Augmented Creative

Augmented Creative is an open organization of like-minded and highly dedicated, creative people who conceive, plan and execute visual solutions. We pursue new and innovative visual ideas to help…

read more

Arts / Attractions / Consultants / Design / Tourism

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business