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An innovative use of a simple household object is helping to calm nervous swimmers at Sheppey Leisure Complex.
Swimming teacher and lifeguard Kath Finch has been using her "magic rope" to reassure youngsters nervous about the depth of the water.
She said: "Since reopening our site, water confidence has been an especially big challenge as many of the children who’ve been signed up for classes are nervous about simply getting in the water.
"This is probably partly due to the challenges we’ve all faced living through the Covid era which must have affected young minds.”
During the various lockdowns Kath was put on furlough but kept up to date with her training and even paid for courses herself if she thought it would benefit learners. One course has come in particularly handy.
Kath noted that kids were worried about the depth of the pool. To them, it looked "as deep as the ocean" so she thought of different ways of reassuring the, so they could enjoy the water. She thought back to her Aquaphobia course which she completed in May 2020.
First, she asks children how deep they think the pool is. Some responses have been close at "4ft". Others were way off at "10cm". The best one was "bigger than my dad!"
Kath then produces her "magic rope" which is 1.3m long - the depth of the training pool.
She said: “A simple idea like this can go a long way to reassuring not only the kids in the lessons but their parents or guardians watching from the spectator area. Some of the lifeguards have made jokes about my rope but I reckon they’re just jealous!”
Jenna Bruce, the aquatics manager for the region, said: "This simple innovation, thinking outside the box to help our swimmers settle into their lessons, is great work by Kath. She’s an amazing swimming teacher and we’re lucky to have her at Sheppey. But when she told me the answers she got to the ‘how deep is the pool?’ I couldn’t stop laughing!”
Sheppey Leisure Complex on the seafront at Sheerness is operated by Swale Community Leisure on behalf of Swale council and operates with partner Serco Leisure.
