The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Summer sees kids throng Marina pool

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 28, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Summer sees kids throng Marina pool

Sandhya Soman

Seven coaches are training them in freestyle swimming

FIRST LESSONS: Children practise paddling at the Marina swimming pool. — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI: It is that time of the year again when children jump into water with caps on heads and coaches to train and hone their swimming skills. At the Marina swimming pool, seven coaches led by M. Muniandi have been teaching nearly 70 children in free style swimming.

"The first session starts from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. In the next one-hour session also we train the same number of children, between the age of 5 and 10," says Mr. Muniandi.

According to him, demand for Chennai Corporation's swimming course with Rs. 300 fee for children and Rs. 500 fee for adults has picked up following summer vacation for schools. "It is free for those studying in corporation schools (class VI to XII). In the last two days we also teach them basic first aid to be given if they see someone struggling to stay afloat in water," explains Mr. Muniandi. Two women coaches will take care of girl children.

"This is a 15-day course. The next batch will start on May 2 and go on till June 16," says the coach.

According to Corporation Commissioner M.P. Vijayakumar, parents can approach the Corporation to enrol their children for advanced swimming lessons.

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