Issue 5 – March 2011

March 2010: Issue 5
www.tbss.co.nz / Phone: 845 4599
Welcome to Term 1
Swim Tip
TBSS Summer Camp
Great to see everyone back this term
and a very big welcome to all our
new swimmers. We are looking
forward to a great term.
You may have seen the advert on TV
advertising learn to swim with the
teacher showing the children how to
blow bubbles. At Trent Bray Swim
School we have moved away from
teaching the children to blow bubbles,
instead we are teaching the children to
hold their breath.
Swimmers from the TBSS Squads had
a very successful six day Summer
Camp at Mahurangi College during the
holidays in January. Each day they had
two swimming workouts, one dry land
workout, team games and activities
and lots and lots of fun.
We have had a fantastic summer
which means lots of time spent in or
around water. Unfortunately this
year there have already been 31
deaths from drowning. Of these
drowning 6 have been children
under the age of 5, which represents
a fifth of all drowning so far this
year.
Take some time to read our water
safety tips to ensure that your child
or children in your care at supervised
all times whilst swimming or near
water. Even children who have had
swimming lessons need to be
supervised at all times.
Think of your child’s lungs as a balloon.
When the lungs are inflated and full of
air it is impossible to sink. This is why it
so important for children to be able to
hold their breath when learning to float.
Holding their breath also allows them to
stay under the water longer and helps
them to be relaxed while submerged.
Try this. Take a big breath in then
blow out all your air. With a stopwatch
time how long it takes before you need
to take a breath. Repeat this again, only
this time when you breathe in hold your
breath and see how long you can hold it
before breathing out again.
How can I help my child?
Important Dates
Term 1 Ends
Sunday 17th April
Assessment Week
28th March – 3rd April
Term 2 2011 Bookings
Existing customers – Week 3 to 9
New customers – From 5th April
Intensive Holiday Programme
Bookings
18th – 21st April
and
th
26 - 29th April
Bookings for the Holiday Programme
are now open. Come to the front
desk and ask us to assess your child,
we can then book them into the
holiday programme.
Sitting at the table, get them to have a
big breath in. You should hear them
taking the breath in. Then explain “while
you are under the water we hold our
breath and when you come up we blow
our air out.” This way they will not suck
any water in when they are submerged.
If they blow all their air out under the
water they will try to breathe in again.
This causes them to swallow water and
come up coughing and spluttering.
The swimmers came home at the end
of the week fitter, stronger, wiser and
rather tired. But they had a big smile
on their faces – they had heaps of fun.
A big THANK YOU to Jane and Richard
Lawrence and Sarah Williams, our
parent helpers who did an awesome
job keeping our swimmers fed (a
never ending process) for the week.
A big THANK YOU also to WATTIES
who helped with Watties products to
keep our swimmer fuelled
Entering the Pool
TBSS WEBSITE
www.tbss.co.nz
Parents please do not let your children
get into the pool until they have been
invited in by their instructor. We
understand that there are empty lanes at
times, however it is very distracting for
the children that are having a lesson
when children are playing in the lane next
to them. This also applies to parents with
babies too. Do not get into the pool until
your instructor has invited you into the
pool. The other babies and toddlers see
you playing and want to do the same. We
thank you for your co-operation.
“Learn with the best, swim past the rest”
Water Safety Corner
Constant supervision by a competent adult is the single
most critical factor in drowning prevention
Since the beginning of the year 6 children under the age of 5 have drowned. In 2010
only six preschool children drowned and the yearly average in the last five years is
eight. In most cases the children had not been supervised around water.
Childhood drowning is silent and fast and happens when children are left unattended
in or near water. Remember to always stay within sight and reach of your children.
You cannot afford to be distracted and take your eyes of your child for a second.
Accidents happen so quickly and when least expected.
No Measure can ever guarantee that children are safe in, or around water. It is only
human for adultss to sometimes lapse in their supervision of children in and around
the home or while out and about. Children can and do find ways over fences and into
places they should not be. When actively supervising children avoid chatting, eating,
reading, texting orr speaking on your mobile phone.
phone
Remember that swimming lessons don’t make a child safe, only safer. Don’t
Don’ ever
over-estimate
estimate your child’s ability to cope in the open water environment even if they
know how to swim.
REMEMBER – BE WISE, SUPERVISE!
Baby and Toddler Corner
It is really important for parents to know why we teach your child specific skills. In
this newsletter we will focus on why we teach “Monkey along the side of the wall”.
This skill helps your child to learn to hang on to the side of the pool and to climb out.
It also teaches your child to move along the pool edge until he /she finds a safe and
easier place to climb out.
Your child needs to learn to:
1. Hold on with two hands
2. Watch that they don’t bump their chin or nose
3. Slowly “Monkey” their hands along the wall
4. Be independent. So, as they become more relaxed and confident, please
loosen your hold on them. If they ever start to feel anxious please give
them more support.
5. Learn where to climb out in all the pools they use.
Auckland Junior Swimming
League
Two teams of 16 swimmers from Trent Bray
Swim School competed in the Auckland
Junior Swim League last year and they were
most successful.
The League series consists of several short (1
hour long) meets throughout the year. In the
Championship round – the last meet of the
year in December – the TBSS TITANS won the
SILVER MEDAL in Division 1 and the TBSS
TORNADOES won the GOLD MEDAL in
Division 3.
The league meets are short and consist of
sprints and relays. All the swimmers who
competed last year had lots of fun. We have
entered 4 teams into the Auckland Relay
League this term.
term The dates for the League
th
th
th
th
are 26 Feb, 5 , 19 , 26 March and the
nd
final takes place on the 2 April. The swim
meets take place at Diocesan Girls. The meet
begins at 2.00pm. If you have a child that
may be interested in taking part why not take
them along to watch and see what is
involved. Your support would be greatly
appreciated
appreciated.
The successful TBSS teams, Titans
above and the
th TBSS Tornadoes
below
This skill also helps your child’s land development by:
1. Developing their finger, hand, wrist and arm strength in preparation for
drawing and writing and other fine motor skills
2. Helping their brain, eyes arms and body learn to work together with smooth
coordinated movements.
3. Helping them to learn about distance
4. Helping them to learn to make decisions and learn about cause and effect.
Togs & Caps
Learning to hold on and lift themselves up above the water is very important as one
day this skill could save their life. Even a 6 month old might surprise you with their
strength and ability to hold their own body weight.
A reminder that in the interests of hygiene
and
nd the cleanliness of our water proper swim
trunks (lycra) are required for boys and
swimsuits for girls. Boys are not permitted to
wear board shorts once they are in the
preschool classes.
classes Caps are to be worn at all
times by swimmers aged 3 upwards.
“Learn with the best, swim past the rest”