Magazine Sep-Oct 2016

AQUATICS

air, also known as Aerobic swimming. Scientists have found that humans can swim 200 yards without being able to breathe, effectively. SwimAmerica goes above and beyond by ensuring that all students are able to swim 300 yards without stopping, and are able to swim six different styles of swim strokes before they can be considered swimmers. Why SwimAmerica for my child? Firstly, SwimAmerica is technique-oriented. This means that from the very first day your child is enrolled in the Learn to Swim program, he will be taught expert techniques used by Olympic swimmers, hence ensuring he develops the proper stroke technique right from the start. Secondly, SwimAmerica is goal-oriented. Unlike other swim classes where faster learners often have to wait for slower learners to catch up, coaches at the Learn to Swim Program adopt a more individual approach. Students are encouraged to learn at their own pace, and faster swimmers will be able to progress through the curriculum more rapidly. All SwimAmerica programs are taught by members of the American Swimming Coaches Association who are certified to teach swimming and are experts in the proper development of stroke technique. How frequently should my child take swim lessons? Lesson are recommended twice a week as more lessons means more learning time and a faster progression for your child. Children learn through repetition and the more often they can be in the water practising correct techniques, the easier it will be for them to develop muscle memory and the ability to build on the basic techniques. Should my child take group or private lessons? SwimAmerica favors group swim lessons, where children in small groups of five or less can get to practise and watch each other perform skills they have learned. However, private and semi-private lessons can also be arranged. How will I know what level my child will be in compared to their Starfish Swim School level? In August, all existing Starfish Swim School students will be assessed and presented with certificates announcing their new levels in SwimAmerica.

The American Club and The Starfish Swim School are very excited to announce the launch of the SwimAmerica Learn to Swim Program from September 2016! The American Club is the ONLY location in Singapore offering the SwimAmerica program. We will provide world- class standard teaching and coaching levels with the backing of SwimAmerica. What is SwimAmerica? SwimAmerica is a US national learn to swim program operated by the American Swimming Coaches Association through over 500 Program Directors at over 900 sites across the USA. It is the state-of-the-art learn to swim program in the world today, brought to you by the same people who have produced the most successful sports team on the planet – the USA Olympic Swimming Team. Just like how NASCAR and INDY car races inspired the development of great cars, SwimAmerica adopts the techniques of world record- setting swimmers and teaches them to new swimmers. When and at what age should my child learn to swim? As soon as your child is capable of independent motion, he is susceptible to accidental drowning. Therefore, toddlers as young as 6 months old can already start attending swim lessons. Due to the weight of their heads and body proportions, young children cannot readily “learn to swim” in the beginning – the focus is on keeping them safe. SwimAmerica teaches them how to surface when underwater, roll onto their backs, maintain themselves, breathe and yell for help. Once they have mastered this skill, they can begin to learn “real swimming”. How do I know when my child knows how to swim? The SwimAmerica program aims to teach every child how to maintain himself indefinitely in the water. To do so, he will have to learn the ability to exhale used air and inhale new

57 THE AMERICAN CLUB SEP / OCT 2016