Learning how to swim

CEBU, Philippines - Hey, kids! What have you been doing for your summer vacation? If you have just been staying at home watching television all day or playing video games, it is time to go out and make your summer worthwhile.

There are many activities that you can do, such as joining summer classes to learn something new or harness your talents.

One of the summer activities that you can enroll in are swimming lessons. Swimming is a great form of exercise and aside from stretching those muscles, you will get to learn something new and meet new friends. Plus, you also get to spend time in the cool and refreshing waters of the swimming pool!

Coach Loy Rafols of the Maroca Swimming Pool in Talisay City shared that swimming offers a lot of benefits. “Aside from the physical benefits like developing motor skills, coordination, power, strength and balance, swimming also develops confidence. A child who is not afraid of the water will also develop confidence in all aspects of life,” he said, adding that swimming is also fun.

The Maroca Swimming Pool in Talisay, which is owned by Coach Loy’s family, was the most famous pool in Cebu during the 60s up to the 80s and was home to the best swim team in the province. It even produced some members of the Philippine Team. “Most Hall of Famers in swimming at that time came from Talisay and have been trained in Maroca. I am now doing my best to bring back Maroca’s glory days,” he said.

Coach Loy himself learned how to swim at a very young age, having been exposed to professional swimmers all his life. He was taught how to swim by his dad Manuel at the age of four and he started giving swimming lessons by the time he was in high school. He was an athlete and at the same time a coach for the Philippine Team for 30 years. He was based in Manila for 21 years and was also the swimming coach of schools like La Salle and St. Benilde.

“The ideal age for a child to have swimming lessons is five to six years old. At this age, they can already follow instructions and they already have the strength to do the different strokes,” he said.

He pointed out, however, that younger children may also be enrolled in swimming lessons but parents should not expect their child to immediately be confident in the water. “For younger children, the lesson is mainly to take away the fear of the water since they still cannot understand instructions or have the strength to do the different strokes,” Coach Loy added.

Developing confidence in the water is usually the first lesson that is taught to swimming students, especially the younger ones. My 6-year-old son Myles, who is taking lessons with Coach Loy, used to just stay in knee-deep waters. Now, he already knows how to float, flutter kick and can already swim in chest-deep waters!

Five-year-old Ericka dela Torre, who comes from a family of professional swimmers, also started having swimming lessons with Coach Loy this summer. At a young age, Ericka can already do the different swimming strokes. Her father Eric shared that he wants his daughter to be an athlete, just like her uncle, who was under Coach Loy in the Philippine Water Polo Team.

Ten-year-old Vinz Khyl Bartolaba goes to his swimming lessons with Coach Loy accompanied by grandmother Criselda.“He has just been staying at home the past weeks playing computer games. We enrolled him in swimming so he can exercise, too,” shared grandma Criselda, who added that all her children, including Khyl’s mom, learned how to swim in Maroca.

It’s not yet late to make your summer worthwhile, kids. Learn how to swim now!

Maroca Swimming Pool is located at Poblacion, Talisay City. You can reach them or Coach Loy at 5112260.