There is nothing better, at any time, than to see little children having fun, and a young Australian qualified swim coach is making that happen in Muscat, as swimming pools echo to unrestrained laughter, to the splashing sound of tiny hands and feet, and the sight of beaming smiles and an absolute delight on their faces as growing numbers of capital kids discover the joy of swimming.
Anna Klad is the ‘AustSwim’ qualified swim instructor offering group, yet personalised, swim programmes for kiddies from 6 months of age and upwards that are delightfully different, and it appears, remarkably successful in making the ‘little ones,’ safe in the water.
AustSwim was created as a national body to oversee the training and accreditation of swimming and water safety teachers throughout Australia, out of awareness simply being aware of the water and having a cultural affinity with water sports, will not keep everyone safe in the water.
Klad is one of almost a quarter of a million swim coaches to be accredited through a gruelling swim education programme identified as one of the most robust in the world, with even the initial training an intensive four-month course just the beginning as different levels of accreditation require thousands of hours of study, teaching, educational study, and awareness as qualifications are layered to respond to the needs of the instructor, the community and society.
“Oman has the most beautiful, unspoiled beaches, wadis, farms, private and community swimming pools, where kids have access to water,” said Klad, “but the flip side of that is the need to keep those kids safe, and that’s why AustSwim was created. Through these unique programmes, we aim to make the kids safe, to make parents safety conscious, and to create an environment where the water is a safe, fun place to go.”
Having plied her trade mostly in AustSwim’s Australian and Singaporean centres, with trendy names like ‘Little Splashes,’ ‘Aquatots,’ ‘Swish,’ and ‘Aquabubs,’ Klad has now introduced these proven swim programmes to the Sultanate with AustSwim Muscat.
“There isn’t a genuine ‘swim culture’ in Oman, so we are very much taking ‘baby steps,’ but we work with parents and kiddies to personalise each learner experience, not focusing on the kid’s ages but on their personalities, and within their individual comfort zones, take them gently towards successful outcomes, and so far, the response has been really heartening.”
Fatma al Ansi looked on as her husband Anas, and their 2-year-old son Saud entered the pool for the little lad’s very first lesson.
“I was nervous about it, but he looks really happy,” laughed the happy Mum as she snapped photos and videos of her little fellow with his dad in the pool, wet as a duck and enjoying every second, as he splashed around to “I’m a little teapot,” “Itsy bitsy spider,” and “If you’re happy and you know it splashes your hands,” among many.
Klad quickly establishes a rapport with the kids, and the parents, a key element of the process, become almost forgotten by the kids as they embrace the water with glee.
Daniyar Tastabayev explained that his 4-year-old daughter Aylin was initially very scared of being in the water, “but now she can’t wait to get here each time, and then when her session finishes, our 6-year-old son Alan goes in for the next session, and he is like a fish in the water.”
Klad explained that “While some families found us on Instagram, it’s really pleasing that most parents contact us through word of mouth and referrals, and most kiddies, and their parents, just keep coming, so we must be doing something right?”Anna Klad, and ‘AustSwim Muscat,’ are not only new and exciting, for young families, but can cater to a variety of swim programme needs across the entire spectrum of swim-based activities. It is also clear that while these unique, proven swim programmes are new to the Sultanate, they respond ultra-effectively to a community and society need to keep kiddies safe in, and near the water.
Photos by Lena Petersen
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