Learning at the lake - Swimming courses in Bavaria are rare - Offer for Children
Children in Bavaria should be able to learn swimming at lakes in the Free State in the future. Suggestions are given in a new work guide of the Water Rescue, presented at the Karlsfeld Lake near Munich. The guide "Learning to Swim at the Lake" is a response to the bathing death. Swimming courses at natural waters have been criticized due to the higher risk potential until now, but the availability of suitable free or indoor pools is becoming increasingly scarce, the association pointed out and referred to parents who have long been waiting for a place in a swimming course for their children. Criticism comes from the Greens - not about the action, but about the state government.
Swimming in the lake - no taboo anymore
"For many municipalities, the retention or even new construction of a swimming pool, despite financial support, is an expensive undertaking," said the chairman of the Water Rescue, Thomas Huber. Therefore, other water surfaces are now also considered and the taboo is being broken. "One can learn to swim at appropriate places on lakes, but it is associated with higher safety precautions, more effort and preparation." Weather dependence is the same as in an outdoor pool. The highest priority is the safety of all participants, which applies to every Swimming Course.
Bavarian Parliament President Ilse Aigner (CSU) praised the work guide as part of the campaign "Bavaria swims". "Swimming in one of the beautiful Bavarian lakes is pure freedom! Since there are fewer and fewer swimming pools and many could not learn to swim during the pandemic, many children unfortunately still do not know this joy", she lamented.
Minister of Culture Anna Stolz (Free Voters) referred to state measures for the preservation of communal swimming pool infrastructure. "Every child in Bavaria must learn to swim from a young age", she clarified. Schools make a significant contribution here.
Shortage of swimming instructors
But not only the decline in public pools worsens the shortage of courses. Alexander Gallitz from the German Swimming Instructors Association names a shortage of volunteer swimming instructors and instructors. This leads to waiting lists. "I know colleagues who have a waiting list that cannot be worked through for a year."
Last year, more than 12,700 people participated in a swimming course with the Water Rescue Bayern. Here too, it was said, the waiting lists were not yet worked through.
Who cannot get a course place, the Water Rescue has a "Selfmade Swimming Course" ready, even if they fundamentally recommend a course. With the brochure, parents can teach their children to swim or familiarize them with the water before a swimming course, said a spokeswoman. "Getting used to the water, diving your head underwater or getting used to water sprays in the eyes creates a good basis for learning to swim." Starting should be done in shallow waters. In addition, there are videos with instructions and tips.
Parents should teach children themselves
From the perspective of the Bavarian Green Group, the state government is in charge of swimming instruction. The state government has been blind and deaf to this issue for years, criticized sports spokesman Max Deisenhofer. "The parents should teach the children themselves and thus compensate for what the state government has neglected. This does not solve the huge problems." It is finally time for more money to flow in to repair and secure sufficient training opportunities for lifeguards and swimming clubs.
- The Water Rescue's new guide, presented near Munich, suggests that children in Bavaria can learn swimming at lakes in the future, addressing the criticism of swimming courses at natural waters due to higher risk potential.
- Thomas Huber, the chairman of the Water Rescue, acknowledges the financial challenges of building or maintaining swimming pools in municipalities, leading to consideration of other water surfaces for swimming courses.
- Ilse Aigner, the Bavarian Parliament President, supports the Water Rescue's guide as part of the "Bavaria swims" campaign, emphasizing the joy of swimming in Bavarian lakes and lamenting the lack of opportunities for children due to fewer swimming pools and the pandemic.
- Anna Stolz, the Bavarian Minister of Culture, points out school's significant contribution to teaching children to swim at a young age, stressing the importance of every child in Bavaria learning swimming.
- The German Swimming Instructors Association highlights the challenges caused by shortages of volunteer swimming instructors and instructors, leading to long waiting lists for swimming courses, a situation exacerbated by the decline in public pools.
