Corona is to blame for the fact that many children did not learn to swim.
There were no courses fed up.
Now the rush is big - so big that there are long waiting times.
District
- Jürgen Puls is currently so much in the water that it is hardly worth it to dry off.
He has taught 160 children to swim since June, and 120 are in the starting blocks.
An annual workload that he completes in half the time.
“I work as much as I can physically and psychologically,” says Puls, who runs a private swimming school and gives courses in the indoor pools in Glonn and Kirchseeon.
For over a year, the swimming courses in the region were canceled due to corona.
For many children who are now going to school, this means: no opportunity for swimming training.
There is a lot of catching up to do, says Puls and predicts: "We will have more drowning deaths due to Corona."
Lifeguard Sandra Friesinger: The places were fully booked within hours
Sandra Friesinger is a lifeguard at the Grafingen outdoor pool - and was previously a private swimming instructor.
Because more and more parents were approaching her, she and the city created two course groups for children's swimming out of the ground.
The 24 places were fully booked within hours, the staffing situation in the open-air pool doesn't give much more, says Friesinger.
There are five-year-olds who have had to wait for a course for almost two years, she says.
At the beginning of August it was fresh outside, but the little ones practiced in the outdoor pool.
“Really brave, the children,” states the lifeguard.
The water watch market in Schwaben also notices the need.
“There is a big, big shortage here,” says the chairman of the local group, Lucas Daum.
After a long time it was finally possible to get a four-person swimming instructor team together for the community, including himself.
The examination date for the necessary proof of "Instructor S" is on August 21st.
For the new school year, the first courses should start in the indoor pool - possibly two groups with up to twelve children each, speculates Daum.
First parents have already knocked.
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Hardly out of the water at the moment: swimming instructor Jürgen Puls.
© Stefan Rossmann
The Bavarian State Government has announced that it will encourage preschoolers and first graders to take a swimming course with a 50 euro voucher.
Markt Schwaben is planning additional help for families who find it difficult to scrape together the missing sum for a course at the water rescue service.
It will cost a little over 100 euros.
“Not according to the watering can principle,” says Mayor Michael Stolze about the subsidy from the municipal treasury.
But for the families that a small injection of money really helps to get the child into the water.
Swimming instructor: take away the fear of water from children
That's what it's all about, say the swimming instructors Puls and Friesinger - taking away children’s fear of water, but at the same time teaching them caution when dealing with the unfamiliar element.
"If you have fun in the water, it will be easier," says Jürgen Puls.
It's about starting early.
Sandra Friesinger from Grafing emphasizes that experience shows that it is easier for a “stranger” to encourage children to exercise hard.
But there is nothing against it if parents playfully practice movement in the water with their offspring.
"The coarse shape is important so that you can safely stay afloat," says the lifeguard.
"You can always file later."
Finally, Jürgen Puls has a warning for young parents.
He observed that they let themselves be distracted more and more by the smartphone - that could have dire consequences if a child was in the water.
An unfortunate jump, a swallowing or a cramp often happens quickly and unexpectedly quietly and unspectacularly.
“Drowning often happens quietly,” says the swimming instructor.
"After 60 seconds helplessly under water, permanent damage can occur."
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