I’m no different to most parents that walk through the doors of every Paul Sadler Swimland across the country on a daily basis.
I’m the father of two girls, Charley (6) and Georgi (3). Like many of the committed families that attend swimming lessons weekly, my girls have been attending Paul Sadler Swimland since they were 6 months of age. They love the water; however it has not been an entirely smooth process with both girls hitting difficult periods of development along the way. With the support and experience of the teachers and deck supervisors, and a little practice, we have managed to negotiate through.
Due to my work commitments, like most families my wife has done the major share of the work in relation to taking the girls to their lessons. She has made the 50 minute round trip for the best part of 6 years regardless of the weather and other distractions that can present themselves. The colder months can be challenging however the belief that those months are the time to prepare the skills for summer has us as parents maintaining our resolve to swim all year round. Whilst there have been many proud moments along the way when the girls have received certificates or displayed newly acquired skills in the water, one moment alone this summer has validated our decision as parents to swim year round to this point.
Over summer we spent a weekend at the beach and I convinced Charley to try boogie boarding for the first time. After an hour of practice with my support, with the aid of flippers, she was able to kick herself out approximately 25m and ride the biggest wave she could find back to shore. Eventually I was able to stand and watch her. To see the joy on Charley’s face as she experienced for the first time in her life one of the great recreational options open to her because of our families’ commitment to swimming was one of life’s great moments as a parent.
This weekend Charley will take this experience to another level and begin learning how to surf. This will more than likely develop a passion for being in the water for a lifetime and it all started with a swimming lesson at Paul Sadler Swimland. I’m no different to most parents that come into Paul Sadler Swimland and I know that thousands of parents have experienced a similar joy to myself with their children. I know this because I work at Paul Sadler Swimland and have done so since 1995. To experience the benefits of year round swimming from a parent’s perspective for the first time was an extremely rewarding experience and one as a parent I would highly recommend. Jason Arnold National Operations Manager