You Gotta Swim, Child!

Shortly after the Milo Novice Competition, as I was doing some chores at home and was having some light talk with my daughter, I asked how her swim training was. Her face lit up as it always does when she talks about something that catches her fancy. "You know mom, one coach approached me today and told me that I can already transfer to another school because I can already be a scholar just from being a swimmer." "So, what did you say" I replied. "well," she said with a little smile forming at the corner of her lips, "First I told her that I probably can't because my focus is my studies. But she kept saying I can do those together - be a varsity swimmer and be a good student too. I gave a couple more reasons why I shouldn't be a varsity swimmer yet but she kept giving me rationalizations. Finally, I told her, I am already an academic scholar. To which she replied "ah ok"."

That was really funny. You should have seen how she had sort of chuckled as she was narrating her little tale.

The point is that she still kept swimming despite her hectic schedule? You know why? Because swimming helps her in oh so many ways. In terms of her health, Ikee is now no longer a sickly child as she was before. Since she started to train regularly, she has only been sick twice for the whole school year. Whereas before, she'd be sick about 5 times at the minimum. Plus it has helped her with her scoliosis. As for her studies, she's now sharper and gets even better grades. As for her social life, she is more friendly and is better able to communicate with others. She used to be so shy that you'd have to force her to talk and make friends or sometimes to even approach someone she already knows. She now has more friends of her age than ever. She has learned so many lessons in life and at the top of the list is time management. Although she still is the last one to come of the shower after swimming, but at least now it doesn't take her a minimum of 1 hour to come out. That's been cut in half. The only real reason she comes out last is because she has to wear her brace. Thus, my whole family agrees she needs to swim every weekend.

Yesterday, I was at the ULTRA and saw one of her teammates at the Pasig Flying Dolphins Swim Team who does not come to training regularly anymore. It turned out that he's so busy with school that he can't seem to find time to train. I did tell her that he needs to go because it will help him in his studies. Maybe Coach Efren strongly agreed to what I said that he blurted out "that's what I keep telling them! Your grades shouldn't be poor just because you're training."

Why should it be? Swimming makes the blood circulate better. Thus the necessary nutrients are sent to the brain and to all the other part of the body more efficiently. Not only does the blood bring nutrients, it brings oxygen to the brain. It is able to get rid of toxins and wastes from brain cells as effectively too. Therefore, when all things are in good shape, the brain is able to do its work and a lot more with less effort. The end result? The person gets more alert and consequently, gets better comprehension. Comprehension leads to retention - that is you are able to retain what you understand. In fact, when preparing for a difficult examination, it is advised to get some form of exercise to be alert. And what's the best form of exercise? That's swimming!

Swimming in a team teaches discipline, efficiency, resilience and cohesion among the members of the team. Those things are not taught in school. They are learned outside of the four corners of a classroom. I should know. I'm a teacher too.

Of course there's a little sacrifice when Ikee swims. We have to skip going to places we like more often than not because her priority is to swim on weekends. She gets tired after training so we still can't leave in the afternoons. Only at night when she has gotten enough rest. But, we can live with that. Besides, it makes us save some money in the process. I guess that's why my husband likes it so much too? Aye, darling?

Swimmers Get Hungry Too! - ULTRA Swimming Pool

We've been going there every weekend. Yet until the present time there has been no considerable improvement on the canteen facilities of the ULTRA swimming pool. In fact, as of late, the canteen on the separate building very near the pool has not been serving any food other than those junkies - softdrinks, chips, coffee, some and instant noodles. Perhaps, the only things that can not be classified as junkfood are the bottles of mineral water and c2. And to think that swimmers at the ULTRA are mostly there for training except during the summer when there are children enrolled in Learn-to-swim programs. These guys definitely need food to counteract the hypoglycemic state and water to rehydrate after a hard training. I wonder what the administration is planning to do. Or, are they planning to address this issue at all?



The ULTRA is not just a venue for professional athletes. It is also a place where families go for fun and fitness. It is a place where friends meet to bond and have a good time. It is a venue for corporate activities. It is also a place for developing potential sports representatives of the country to foreign competitions. It can generate funds for the government to use for other sports and recreational activities. In other words, the ULTRA swimming pool is a valuable asset to the country. I sure wish the people in the position to make a difference will do so for ULTRA and its clients.

If the ULTRA admin is incapable of managing the poolside, I'm sure Coach Efren Jocson would be glad to help. It will only take a little talk and some negotiations to tap the man.

Swimming as a Sport and AnAll-purpose Activity

Swimming is really a great sport. Do you know that it is a recommended sport for almost everyone specially for those with health problems? For the asthmatic and those with respiratory problems, it is a great exercise for the lungs since it encourages deep breathing pretty much like playing the flute or even singing does. For the people with heart conditions, it is a great cardiac exercise. For the menopausal women, and those at risk for osteoporosis, it provides the necessary demand required by the body to keep its calcium levels in the bones. For the pregnant woman, for the children, for the adults and the seniors. For kids, it is a total workout needed to make the brain function well resulting to an attentive mind in class. For the scoliotic, it provides the necessary exercise to strenghten the back muscles. For the ladies with irregular periods, a regular swim will regulate it. For the weightwatchers, swimming is one of the most effective workout.

At the moment I can only think of 4 conditions that will not recommend swimming: 1. for those with Congestive heart failure since any activity for that matter will cause the heart to work fast; 2. for those who are prone to skin cancer but this can be prevented by regular application of sunblock; 3. during a or just after a hypertensive attack because it will raise the blood pressure all the more;4. for those who have epilepsy or are taking drugs that cause drowsiness. In these conditions, swimming will not be beneficial and might even be fatal. But all as with all other conditions, swimming outweighs the disadvantanges.

It is a great activity to do with the whole family. In my husband's family, there has never been a summer that did not involve going for a swim whether it be at a nearby pool or a beach outing somewhere. You don't have to be a really good swimmer but you do have to know how to swim and not just to float. So while in Manila, why not attend a swimming lesson with Coach Efren Jocson of the Pasig Flying Dolphins Swimming Team? They meet every weekend at the Philippine Sports Commission's ULTRA Swimming pool. This is located in Pasig.

Don't get me wrong. This is not a paid blog. I'm promoting the team because I believe that the coach is doing a good work with the training he is providing the children. And, he doesn't charge so much. Actually, I don't think he earns a living out of the fees he collects from us. You can hardly even call it a fee. I'm not authorized to say how much but I assure you it is really, really low. So, let me urge you to get in touch with him. It's a good way to train your kids. Who knows they might end up as a varsity player and get a scholarship in the process? That's not a far-fetched idea as a few of those under Coach Efren's tutelage are already scholars. Ask Tito Guch or Manay Jane who are parents of two students and they'll swear that they will not have anyone else handle their children's swimming lessons. Way to go Coach!

When going for a swim though, you have to bring the right stuff. But that's my next blog. watch out for it.