swimming lessons

[shilton dipper]

Re: swimming lessons

hated the swimming lessons........nearly drowned and i remember a boy called peter dragging me back to the side...........consequently i have never learned to swim and have no intention ever of going to a pool...........infact last visit was in 1979 lol

[darren]

Re: swimming lessons

im 35 and still cant swim.
when u was in primary school the teacher tried to reach me.
the way he did it was he would along beside the pool holding a long brush shaft.
id hold the other end with hand then every minute id have to let go.
this went on for yrs and never got the hang of it.

a few times i nearly did drown.

[Trickyvee]

Re: swimming lessons

I certainly didn't learn to swim with the school and never would have done. My mum taught me. I had to have someone in the pool holding the straps of my costume! I was passable by the time school swimming lessons started, thank goodness!

[Marcella]

Re: swimming lessons

I remember the Certificates Kass, I got the 4 reaching the Intermediate, and then the Bronze, but no further, I can't for the life of me think why I didn't have the chance to try for the rest!..

I remember having to do for one certificate the putting on of clothes, then having to remove them while in the water, but the one that caught me was the diving for the 'brick' only being allowed to pick it up with one hand, I tried and tried to get it but my hand must be mega small, so on the last attempt I dived in, grabbed it with both hands, and brought it to the surface in one hand, my swimming teacher was happy and I passed!..

[FLYING SAUCER]

Re: swimming lessons

Marillion, my sentiments too! What was with all the bullying, and yelling business? Our sports teachers were truly horrible, and they wanted to SHOUT SHOUT SHOUT and ruin what could have been a pleasurable and relaxing lesson?

I taught myself too, and noticed that the very timid kids never learnt proficiency and confidence in the pool.

I do so hope it is different for pupils now.

[Marillion]

Re: swimming lessons

I know what you mean, Amethyst Witch, except with me it was the other way round. I never made much progress in school swimming lessons - I was always too nervous. But some fifteen years later, when I was about thirty, I went by myself to the local baths (not the same ones as we'd used at school), and taught myself to swim in a couple of evenings.

It's not difficult to see why. I was there because I wanted to be there. No one was telling me what to do. The people there were all much friendlier than the kids at school, because, like me, they were there because they wanted to be there. The place was a lot nicer, too - the schooldays baths were built in the thirties and had a rather grim, clinical look to them.

I'm not a particularly great swimmer, and can only do breast stroke for a short distance. And I've got back out of the habit of going swimming - I don't know anyone else who goes there. But I learned to swim. And I can visit a swimming pool anytime I like, knowing that this time it's something nice, not an ordeal to be endured.

[AmethystWitch]

Re: swimming lessons

I love swimming, ever since I was tiny, my folks used to say I could swim before I could walk lol but there was just something very wrong about swim lessons lol I didnt like it that much, having this miserable lady yelling at you constantly, making you do this and that, swimming is supposed to be fun! not a punishment! lol I did enjoy going under the water to collect those bricks and what not, as I think I was one of the only ones that could do it lol

[moonvisage]

Re: swimming lessons

When i was in the third form,i was prevented from using the school swimming pool,and participating in sports,because i had veruccas on my feet.The school would never allow me to use the swimming pool or the sports changing rooms after they discovered i had veruccas,and i never went swimming or played sports at school for the rest of my time there,about 3 years solid.

[Marine Boy]

Re: swimming lessons

I just had to come back to this thread. I work in a primary school and have recently been taking the kids to the local pool for lessons. The experience has for some reason reminded me of so many other events from my childhood.

The pool with the changing rooms that were just alcoves - no doors or curtains. The water that obviously had too much chlorine in it, (yes Saucer, I have clear memories of that). The boys that had ill-fitting trunks which came down when they got out of the pool - or even came off completely in some instances. The slime that seemed to accumulate on the steps and even the floor of the pool. Gawd knows what that was!

And the variety of designs on our trunks. Mine had red and orange rectangles on them. .....well it was the 70s! lol

[FLYING SAUCER]

Re: swimming lessons

My little memory of school swimming lessons was:

The vile chlorine bleach smell of the pool! so strong it made your eyes run for ages (it isnt half so bad now) And then being SHOUTED AT to get changed with no time to dry properly! It 100% ruined swimming for me!

[kazboot]

Re: swimming lessons

When I did my certificates I think they went in order :- Beginners, Elementary, Intermediate and then went to Bronze, Silver, Gold and Lifesaving (with maybe some in between)
I only passed up to my Intermediate, but my husband got his Gold.

[old git]

Re: swimming lessons

Brilliant to see those certificates!

Thanks! shame i couldnt swim more tham 100m lol.I still remember geting my 10m certificate in the school assembley whan i was 9.

[Marine Boy]

Re: swimming lessons

Brilliant to see those certificates!

[old git]

Re: swimming lessons

Look what i just found! a bit old and battered but not bad for 30 years old.

[ziggy1a1]

Re: swimming lessons

My only memories of swimming lessons at school was the barbaric swimming teacher, he would stand on your fingers if you held onto the sides and one girl got out crying with fear and he dragged her back in by the hair!! He'd be hung, drawn and quartered for that these days!
No wonder I refused to do it after the 1st couple of lessons despite the shouted threats and physical shaking by the shoulders of my school teacher ( again she'd be taken out and shot for that now)