Swimming seeks to push on

Swim Ireland has launched a new ‘Swim Healthy’ initiative aimed at promoting recreational swimming around the country.
There is an upgraded website with details on all of Ireland’s swimming pools; the rolling out of a ‘Learn to Swim’ programme with accreditation of coaches and teachers and an attempt to standardise teaching; and a use of well known players from other sports to promote swimming as an ideal way to get fit.
The initiative comes on the back of ‘Swimming in Ireland: A Statistical Analysis’ conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on behalf of The Irish Sports Council and Swim Ireland.  This is the first piece of sport specific research undertaken and supported by the Council and by gathering in data from a number of sources has created a sample size of 70,000 adults.
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The main findings are the swimming is now the most popular participation sport among adults with 7% or 230,000 of us swimming at least once a week.
The West of Ireland and the border counties have the highest levels of participation and it is also more likely among women than men.
According to Swim Ireland Chief Executive, Sarah Keane, swimming is the only exercise that can be practised ‘from cradle to grave’ and is an excellent form of exercise for a healthy lifestyle.
“For swimming to realise its potential we need many different elements to come together.  We see our role as being a catalyst for swimming, as working with all of the parties involved to make it as easy as possible for people of all ages to become involved. That includes working with the owners of facilities, with instructors, with coaches and with those providing swimming courses. Ultimately we would love to see all teachers delivering the Swim Ireland ‘Learn to Swim’ programme which we have devised with expert input to ensure it delivers the best instruction by the best instructors in a safe and supervised environment.”
The report was given Government approval by Minister for Sport Michael Ring who said: “It is extremely important that people are encouraged and given opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity. Swimming is one of the best forms of physical exercise for developing and maintaining high levels of physical fitness and can play a key role in combatting heart disease, stroke, diabetes and osteoporosis. It is something most people can participate in from a very early age and right throughout their lives. Swimming is a most basic, natural and efficient way of taking exercise.”
“The research indicated that there has been a strong growth in swimming in recent years,” added Irish Sports Council CEO John Treacy.  “Instead of resting on that success though, Swim Ireland has sought to build on it by making it easier for people to access information in relation to pools and classes and also in providing better swimming instruction.”
You can read the report in full here.