Sat my swim teacher exam yesterday. Realised it's the first exam I've done in over 10 years. Exam covered all aspects of the course, from modules on how beginners learn, safety in aquatic environments, negligence and the law as it applies to swim teachers, right through to how to teach the swimming strokes. The national body that overseas swim teaching training and accreditation is really quite impressive. For a body that seems to be run mostly voluntarily with some full time staff in a few offices around the country, they really do have a comprehensive teaching program. I suppose it is serious when you are primarily operating in aquatic environments and you have a duty of care for little kidlings and other people who could drown in your care.

Swimming is something I've been doing since I was at least 3 years old, so had to rack my memory a bit to recall my early lessons, as well as dissect in my mind how one might put together a swim stroke in steps when it's something I do without thinking. I did learn something new... I have never been properly taught side stroke, it seems. No big loss, but I did always assume sidestroke was just breaststroke on your side. Seems I was wrong, and sidestroke requires a lot of wierd movements, where both legs and both arms are all doing independent things. Requires the same sort of concentration as driving a manual car, or juggling whilst programming a video recorder. Think I might just find a swim school that doesn't focus on sidestroke - seems like a waste of time to me.

Despite my rant about sport in general below, I am a swimming enthusiast. I had some sort of talent, because I got talked to by my coaches on a few occasions... you know the sort of thing... "If you really wanted to train hard, you could do well - you've just got to make that decision and put in the training hours." etc etc. I couldn't help but think of my poor parents getting up at 4.30am to get me to swimming 6 mornings a week and trying to sleep in the car, and never thought about it much more than that. It was really nice that they took me and my brother swimming 2-3 times a week - quite a drive across town to the only indoor 50m pool Adelaide had at the time. I got to the state championships one year as a teenager, but I don't think competitive sport was ever my thing. Winning a race didn't ever seem that important a pursuit to me.

However, swimming as a form of exercise is something I have grown to love in the past 5-10 years. Now that it's not a chore, and I do it by choice. That regular exercise I did throughout my childhood has programmed in me the desire to exercise regularly as an adult, or risk feeling like a slug. It's a great sport... gentle on the limb and ligament. I get a buzz afterwards, and usually treat myself to a hearty meal. Here's hoping I find teaching it just as rewarding. Let's hope I got enough marks in my exam to progress... stay tuned!!