Hopefuls get chance for a splash in summer

A number of the country's young and aspiring swimmers will get a chance to improve their swimming, synchronised and water polo skills this summer, courtesy of the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica (ASAJ).

The opportunities will be provided through summer programmes that will be run by the national association under its learn-to-swim programme, SwimJamaica, as well as Synchro Stars, one of the island's leading synchronised swimming clubs.

SwimJamaica, which is in its fifth year, will be holding six 'Summer Splash' events in the Corporate Area and one each in Oracabessa, St Mary, Discovery Bay, St Ann and Montego Bay, St James, starting on Monday, July 5.

The Corporate Area events will be held at the National Stadium, high schools Holy Childhood High School and St Andrew High School for Girls, along with the Stella Morris Aquatic Centre, under the auspices of franchise owners Georgina Boland, Amanda Eyre, Kerry Ann Munroe and Rohan White.

Summer Splash aim

The aim of Summer Splash, according to Eyre, is to provide Jamaicans with the opportunity to learn to swim, build self-esteem and character and identify and nurture talents for national representation.

"One of the objectives is to have participants - children and adults - complete one of the seven levels of swimming at the camps. Thereafter, there will be an assessment and the presentation of certificates," said Eyre, who is a past national representative in synchronised swimming.

"All SwimJamaica lessons are pretty much the same and will be applied at the various centres, with the aim of moving the swimmers from one level to the next," she added.

The programmes will feature trained instructors with lifeguard qualification, small classes and family discounts.

Meanwhile, Synchro Stars will be hosting a camp entitled 'Ultimate Synchro & Fun Camp' at the Constant Spring Golf Club, beginning on August 2 and ending on August 20, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.