Courses in place to help you to learn how to swim

As aquatics manager at the Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) and national swimming coach Mr. Smith has initiated programmes to encourage both children and adults to the joys and physical benefits of swimming.

“I create the programmes that BASA provides and oversee them,” Mr. Smith said. “I am responsible for the pool that BASA operates at Saltus, for its maintenance and usage.

“I must communicate and coordinate with all outside agencies that work with BASA, including the Department of Youth and Sport and the Bermuda Olympic Association.”

He noted that because we are surrounded by water we should be comfortable and safe in that environment.

He defined swimming as both sport and exercise and termed it a great tool for developing young people’s life skills.

“I have had the opportunity to work with West Pembroke Primary doing a learn-to-swim programme organized by Wendall Smith,” Ben Smith said.

“The kids come to the pool before school. They are focused and work hard, and the results that we saw during the fall were amazing.

“When you have an opportunity to make that kind of positive change in a child’s life, there is nothing more important.”

The aquatics manager and his national swimming coach colleague, Richard Goodwin, bring in new members through word-of-mouth and tryouts, rather than recruitment.

And whether for club swimmers or national team, no priority exists, according to Mr. Goodwin, who said: “Both are of equal importance, more akin to a symbiotic relationship”.

Noting that the two national coaches work with all the swimmers, Mr. Goodwin said: “There are some with a natural affinity for the water, and there are some who progress through determination and work ethic.”

“The basis of skill recognition,” he explained, “can lead to specific stroke development.”

“I believe swimmers are especially required to focus on details and the need for constant assessment and self correction. These provide a good grounding for very important life skills,” Mr. Goodwin said.

But it all begins with learning to swim — the White’s Island/Darrell’s Island and Get Wet programmes.

School swimming, club swimming, national team training and masters swimming help guard that earliest grounding.

Aquatics manager Smith observed:  “I have to be involved in all of these programmes… I would love to say that every person in Bermuda knows how to swim. I would love to have swimming as one of the most popular and important activities for the country. I would love to increase our base of swimmers who compete so that we can continue to have success in the sport.”

“Most important for me,” he said, is that we continue to have our swimmers enjoy the journey in getting better and improving.

“At the end of the process, I hope that I can help to produce a better people while training swimmers to be the best they can be.”

With that, Mr. Smith added: “BASA would love to reconnect with its past members. If you were a swimmer or the parent of a swimmer from a local swim club, we would love to hear from you.

“We are trying to build an alumni programme so that we can keep in touch with the people who were so important to swimming in Bermuda.

“We want to collect old photos, stories and knowledge from the swimmers of the past to help us with our future. If you were part of swimming, or know someone who was, please contact us. Call 292-1713 or send an email to [email protected].”