Em-em teen swimmer-trainer

Multi-awarded teenage swimmer Em-em Velasco, bidding to get back into competitive form after a two-year layoff, has resumed her own swimming lessons while helping kids learn the basics at the Rizal Racket Club at the Kapitolyo in Pasig.

This clinic, which runs until June 30, from Monday to Friday, will complement the ongoing camp at the venue by the Lozada swimming school, which started last March.

"Em-em is a very talented swimmer and a pride for our country, in spite of her busy schedule in preparation for the SEA Games tryouts in July, she has found time to support the development of young swimmers which is very laudable," said Mario Lozada, head of the Lozada swimming school.

Em-em, who became the youngest swimmer at 8 to receive both the PSA and SCOOP citations for swimming, has had two years of training in Brisbane, Australia with Olympic champions Susie O’Neil and Samantha Riley as her teammates under veteran coach Michael Bohl and has vast experience in starting young kids with the right fundamentals.

Only 16 years old, Em-em was the youngest at 13 to represent the country at the 2000 Asian Championships in Busan, Korea and has won gold, silver and bronze medals in the SEA age-group competitions in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Suffering from burnout and some shoulder injuries, Em-em was out of serious training for almost two years. She has again started serious training under coach Aries Lim at Ayala Heights last August and should be back in stride by the end of the year.

"The lay off has given me time to enjoy things I missed since I was 3 years old and I also started my radio program every Sunday on Sports Radio DZSR 918 and this gave me a chance to talk to young athletes from other sports. I love the water and I love small kids," said the dusky incoming fourth year high school student of Reedley International School.

Inspired by athletes like Tony Leviste of equestrian and Kenny Asuncion of badminton, Em-em who dreams of a broadcasting career took up the challenge of teaching the basics to young kids.

For further details about the clinic sponsored by Fun Chum and supported by Arena Swim Wear, please call Cherry Amos at tel. No. 633-0480.

Having seen the success of PSC chairman Eric Buhain and Akiko Thompson, Em-em believes that we should have a good base of tall swimmers and plans to personally talk to PBA stars to introduce their kids to swimming.

"My mother has business with Purefoods so we will start from there and go all the way down up to the PBL. I would love to see parents to lure their children away from TV and video games long enough for them to discover that they are a potential Eric Buhain and Akiko Thompson and what better time to start than during the school vacations," concluded the youngster who amassed more than 300 gold medals in local age-group swimming before she was 12 in the process making numerous records.

For further details about the clinic sponsored by Fun Chum and supported by Arena Swim Wear, kindly call Cherry Amos at tel. No. 633-0480.