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Swimming Australia has commissioned a community impact study that has found that swimming has a total economic and community impact of over $3.7 billion per annum on Australia, which includes a community health impact of $135 million per year and a $4.35 billion lifetime health contribution. The independent national study, funded with the support of…

KAYLEE MCKEOWN CRUSHES 2:05.83 200 BACK LIFETIME BEST TO TAKE OVER WORLD #1 2020 SOUTH AUSTRALIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 18-year-old Kaylee McKeown already made a statement at these 2020 South Australia State Championships with a lifetime best time of 58.52 in the women’s 100m back. That performance on day 2 marked her first occasion ever under the 59-second threshold in…

Tough new laws come into force as drowning deaths hit 20-year high Tough new laws requiring Victorians to register their pools and spas with their local council come into force today, as the state records its deadliest drowning toll in 20 years. Fifty-six people died in the state's waterways over the year to July 2019…

Greatness Starts Somewhere   As anticipation and excitement builds for Tokyo 2020, Swimming Australia is proud to unveil its Olympic and Paralympic campaign ‘Greatness Starts Somewhere’. Striving to inspire the nation and garner a groundswell of support for the Australian Dolphins swim team in the lead up to the Games, the campaign’s philosophy is defined by…

Team Spirit Reigns Supreme on Final Night With their teammates proudly donning the iconic green and gold and cheering in grandstands, the Dolphins’ Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay 34 points captured bronze on the final night of the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London – marking Australia’s last medal of the meet. As the Aussie…

Time Zone Transition Begins The Dolphins have hit the water for their first main training session at the Manchester Aquatics Centre in preparation for the World Para Swimming Championships, which begins in London on Monday 9 September. The team arrived in the United Kingdom on Saturday afternoon and will use the week-long staging camp to…

Swim Coach Jan Cameron Receives OAM A doyenne of Australian swimming, Jan Cameron has posthumously been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (OAM) in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours. The Olympian and beloved national swimming coach received the coveted accolade on Monday morning for her service to swimming, particularly as a coach. With…

Why Do Swim Lessons Matter? Swimming is an important life skill that children and adults should learn as early as possible. There are many benefits in learning how to swim and it is an extremely important safety skill. Swimming is a unique activity that has the longevity of being a great form of exercise for…

Women in Swimming Invited to Join Inaugural Talent Programs   Swim For your Life are passionate about everyone swimming well. This article tells us how swimming is changing for the better and addressing the under representation of female coaches and sport executives with Australian sport. Four women – all with a passion for swimming –…

Aussies Win Largest Open Water Race The 2019 Midmar Mile open water race took place over the weekend at the Midmar Dam north of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Recognized in the past by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest open water swimming event, the race is segmented into group divisions by age,…

Swimming Toys & Their Uses   Laurie Lawrence provides an interesting article on swimming toys. Toys can be a very useful tool for a swimming lesson. Young swimmers love using toys in their lesson and they can be a huge help for swimming instructors and parents. Toys come in a variety of shapes, sizes and…

Swimming World Short Course Win We’re super proud of our Aussie Dolphins who managed to scoop up 12 medals at the 14th Fina World Swimming Championships. We thought we’d share some of the interesting highlights from the comp in this great article written by Swimming Australia. The Australian Dolphins have finished up with 12 medals…

New Benchmark Set In Endurance Swimming UK strongman Ross Edgley, who you may remember from such feats as rope climbing the height of Everest, and recently swimming 100km in the Caribbean while tied to a tree, has now completed his mission to swim around the entirety of mainland Great Britain – all 3200km of it; crashing coastline,…

  Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr / Swimming Australia Ltd. Cameron McEvoy Makes Triumphant Return At Aussie Short Course Trials   This week’s Performance of the Week goes to Aussie Cameron McEvoy for his victory in the 100 free at the 2018 Australian Short Course Championships. The 24-year old beat out 2016 Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers in both sprinter’s…

Spring is here! The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the kids are ready to swim! Most kids are excited about getting back into the groove of swimming, but in order to keep pools, oceans, dams and lakes a fun place, it is MORE important to keep them safer. Water is a hazard…

Majority of children quit swim classes before they're safe in water Three out of four children had quit swimming classes by age eight, long before they'd learned skills that could save their lives, finds a new report that says learning to swim earlier is not always better. Children are also starting lessons earlier today than…

“The Rock” Dwayne Johnson’s Daughter had a Most Hilarious Response When She Saw Him Shirtless Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson isn’t just a wildly successful actor, producer, and former pro-wrestler – he’s also a dedicated family man. With four leading ladies in his life – his wife, Lauren, and three daughters, Simone, Jasmine, and Tiana – The…

Benefits of Swimming Lessons in Winter As the winter months approach and things begin to feel a little chilly, historically we see less families coming in to enroll their children in  swimming lessons. The idea of swimming is always appealing in the hot Australian summer but people feel more inclined to staying indoors when winter…

Why Swimming Lessons Are So Important for Your Child with Autism Courtesy of Elisabeth Nelson sourced from “The Autism Site” Swim For Your Life is working with kids with autism and If you know anyone who has a child with challenges and would benefit from working with Ruth in the magical medium of water, call…

Swimming Classes - How To Develop Your Kids Brain I recently came across this interesting article outlining how valuable swimming is in the early years of a child’s development! The article states that bilateral cross-patterning movements which are swimming, is proven to improve a child’s development in 3 key areas; Physically, Emotionally and Mentally. The…

In my experience most Australian’s love being in the water. This article goes a long way to explain simply why that is. Apart from the water making us feel good, it is good for us. Improves our intelligence. Increases our muscle strength, flexibility and length. Improves our fine motor skills, reduces stress and is a…

Benefits Of Swimming Means Smarter Kids We are always encouraging parents and schools to get their  kids in the water at Swim For Your Life Billinudgel. Having your child participate in swimming lessons for water safety and fun is a given. Research from a number of studies shows that children that participate in swimming develop…

In order to support children, parents and guardians, the NSW Government is providing a $100 voucher per child to encourage them to participate in any “sporting and fitness related activity”. Swimming lessons are part of the program!! To register go to www.service.nsw.gov.au and apply for your ‘Active Kids’ voucher after 31st January 2018. Voucher redeemable…

Top 10 Holiday Tips for Safer Home and Holiday Swimming Summer is here and Christmas holidays are upon us once again which for many Aussie families means getting out to enjoy the festivities around water like going to the beach, having a picnic near a lake or a barbie by the pool. Whether your catching…

What is Secondary Drowning ? Secondary drowning can develop hours after a swim, bath or anything associated with water. This type of drowning results without water in the airways. It is a secondary injury which is often classed as a drowning incident. It is a very mild form of drowning. One takes in a small…

A DAY AT THE POOL We’re featuring a collection of artworks in our swim for your life art series, each piece represents a water-related happening in Ruth Smith’s life. Below is ‘A Day At The Pool’ story. While I grew up on a farm my family moved into town when the 4 of us kids…

And So I Became A Competitive Swimmer……. For me, growing up in the country meant that the local swimming pool was only open 6 months of the year from the October long weekend until the Easter long weekend. If we were to be competitive swimmers we had only 6 months to train and prove it.…

From The Swim For Your Life Art Series This painting for me symbolizes the Aussie Sunday. Mum’s and Dad’s leading their charges to the beaches, through the sand, over the dunes, and into a usually rough surf and burning sand. When I was a kid there was not the opportunity for being involved in Nippers.…

The Swim For Your Life Art Series We’re featuring a collection of artworks in our swim for your life art series, each piece represents a water-related happening in Ruth Smith’s life. Below is ‘The Art Of Water Polo’ story. I was about 14 years old when my local swimming pool, in Wingham, decided to have a…

Autism Treatment - This Program Teaches Children with Autism how to Swim Swimming lessons are a valuable and important key in keeping all kids safe from drowning; however it’s especially vital for children with autism to learn how to swim. A recent study on the mortality rates of kids with autism found that they are…

Firstly, Swim For Your Life appreciates that a swimming lesson is a team event. Without mums and dads being the taxi service, counselor, motivator, organizer of clothing and food and peace-keeper between siblings whilst driving to a lesson, we the Instructors could never do our job well. We love this job and we thank you…

What a successful term 3 we have just had!! It never ceases to amaze me what our children can to be taught. The students have been engaging, listening to every instruction, watching and learning and we are so proud of them. Term 4 is about to kick off and with the weather warming up, learning…

When I was a competitive swimmer, we had no such luxuries such as caps and goggles. We got use to blood shot eyes stinging with the chlorine and no amount of Murine would ease the pain. And our hair which went a greenish color was a badge of honor. A true testament to the hours…

Long vacation is upon us sooooo, I was hoping those children who have been religiously attending their swim lessons will be practicing their swimming in the public pools, the lakes, the ocean, their paddle pools, their bathtubs and even in their dreams.   Sometimes when we want to relax ourselves around water which our children…

Why Swim Intensives Benefit Your child As your child develops his or her swimming technique they have the opportunity to “fast track” by participating in a Swim Intensive at Swim For Your Life. Swim Intensives Benefits. Your child’s swimming technique is monitored, assessed and put under the microscope. They will receive a structured lesson each…

The Swim For Your Life swimming center has had some improvements and it is looking good. The unseen improvements include replacing the cartridge filters with bigger sand filters and automating the salt chlorination system for both pools. We have 2 car spaces for the sole use of Swim For Your Life parents close to the…

Swimming classes provide your child the ability to relax as soon as they enter the pool here at swim For Your life. As your child begins to learn good consistent technique, swimming becomes very meditative, similar to running or other forms of exercise. Breathing rhythm and mental strength are all a part of what we…

For the next few weeks, we will be giving you some advice on the benefits swimming can give you, not only physically but in mental health.   Why Learning to Swim in Winter is Important Parents and carers are being warned by Royal Life Saving not to opt out of swimming lessons for children during…

As a swim teacher and coach it always amazes me the courage that some of our new and young swimmers have when learning to swim. Teachers are continually asking the students to do things they have perhaps never done before and new things as we know, can be scary. Courage is for me, feeling this…

What causes fear of the water? Some of the most common causes of early fear of the water have to do with the way parents relate to their children in and around water. Here are the causes of fear of the water and how to resolve it: 1. Being forced into water activities before being…

What Should I Do If My Child Cries and Is Afraid at the Pool. It can be hard to know what to do when your child cries during lessons. A certain amount of crying is ok from time to time and is to be expected from most beginners. The crying can be a natural expression…

Swimming Efficiently Swimming is superb aerobic exercise (vigorous exercise that really pumps your heart and lungs) and very tiring. The two things are of course connected. You can swim further for longer by swimming more efficiently, which in turn means using as little energy as possible for each stroke by getting as much forward propulsion…

Kids swimming lessons are essential to build your child’s confidence in the water. We provide kids swimming lessons all year round from our pool located in Bilinudgel. We are just off the Pacific Highway North of Byron Bay,Brunswick Heads and Mullumbimby. What we offer: Our swim classes accommodate all skill levels. Your child will be…

Australian Swimmers are known for their competitiveness and tenacity in the water. Our Australian swimmers have had some great successes and also some unexpected losses this Rio Olympics. Behind the scenes coaching methods, funding, training regimes and when to peak at what event all get scrutinised. Because we apparently came up short swimming Australia will…

Kids swimming lessons, what does it actually feel like for a kid who is learning to swim. Kids’ bodies and physical abilities, sensory experiences, feelings, motivations, and perceptions of success all differ from those of adults, and they all affect how kids learn to swim. When we are teaching your kids to swim, take the…

All of Your Attention, All the Time: Tips for Parents The continuation for All of Your Attention, All the Time: Tips for Parents Royal Life Saving believes that one of the smartest ways to supervise children is to have a designated supervisor. Responsibility can be rotated and if there is a large number of children…

Active supervision means focusing all of your attention on your children all of the time, when they are in, on or around the water. Supervision is not an occasional glance while you are busy with other activities, but being in constant visual contact with your child. Depending on your child’s age, you may even need…

Strengthening your immune system is probably the most important focus you should achieve during winter. Children are more prone to acquire common colds during winter; that is why it is important for us to tell you that swimming during winter time helps build stronger immune systems and makes a child more resilient to stress and…

We’re on the 3rd part!   Regression in Confidence and Performance Six months out of the water across winter’s break can lead to problems such as fear of the water and a decline in performance. Continued participation in swimming lessons across winter is the best way to prevent otherwise unwanted outcomes that may include being…

This is the continuation and second part of our last blog “Why Learning to Swim in Winter is Important”   Maintenance and Reinforcement Children need to maintain and reinforce existing skills to advance and develop their swimming ability in the water. Months of summer lessons end up “going to waste” as swimmers loose their “feel…

Seven Drownings in the past week Today we were reminded by Simone Fox Koob from the Australian about the importance of water safety for both non swimmers and swimmers. We have also included The Royal Lifesaving Society ‘s tips below.

Matt Preston urges families to keep watch this summer   Matt Preston from “The words most costly pizza” says the truth is that last summer 14 children drowned in Australian backyard swimming pools., most often due

SWIM WELL, OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO. When you come to Swim For Your Life at Billinudgel you will see 10 paintings adorning the walls of the swim school. They tell the stories of

Ron Spriggs, Swimming Coach and Living Legend. I want to introduce a Swimming Coach who taught me most of what I know about swimming in water and teaching/coaching others. Ron Spriggs (Spriggsy) employed me on the pool deck

How to Anti Fog Swimming Goggles Goggles are a great invention for swimmers. They protect your eyes from damage and allow you to see where you’re going underwater. I use to train and compete in the pool in the days when caps and goggles were never seen or used. BUT, they usually ‘fog up’. Though…

AND SO I BECOME A LIFEGUARD I was blessed with the country secondary schooling I had. At Wingham High it was compulsory in the summer that the whole school would walk to the local pool and participate in swimming for sport.

The Halliwick Concept and the Benefits of Aquatic Therapy Exercises It was while I was completing my first degree at Wollongong University, Sports Science, that I was involved with working with people with disabilities in the water.