KLEINMOND – Newcomer in town, Trudy Marais, a SA-registered swimming instructor, is set to open her swimming school soon.
Since she and her husband, Marius arrived in Kleinmond a few months ago, they started to refurbish the very neglected swimming pool in their garden for this purpose.
“Although I am qualified to train people for competitions, I will dedicate my time here just to ensure that babies and children will get water safe in a fun environment in a heated pool. When a person starts shivering from cold, blood is diverted from your brain, and you cannot be alert and concentrate. With a heated pool I can give lessons all year round.
“I had swimming schools where we have lived in Langebaan and Durbanville, and I love to work with children – getting them over their initial fear of water and then teaching them breathing and strokes.
“I have a holistic approach to my teaching – working with the kids physically, but also mentally and emotionally. I have worked with blind children and some with special needs. I also plan to do water aerobics with adults, post-operative exercises and strength building for the elderly. Babies can start swimming at 6 months and at first, they go into the pool with one of their parents, to ensure they feel safe and confident.
“My long-term plan is to train locals as instructors, thus spreading my dream to have a water-safe community, with a deep-rooted respect for water.”
Trudy beskryf haar en Marius se gesin met ‘n dogter en twee seuns as sportiewe buitemense – almal passievol oor enige watersport. Marius was ‘n kommersiële duiker en hulle doen almal scubaduik. Hul dogter het SA-kleure in swem gekry en die seuns neem graag aan enige watersport deel. In Langebaan het hulle perde gehad en aan perdesport en uithouritte deelgeneem. Hulle doen ook trailruns en fietsry.
“Dis lekker om in Kleinmond te bly. Ons hou van die kleindorpiemense wat nog gaan stilstaan vir ‘n geselsie waar mens hulle raakloop. Hier kan ek elke dag omtrent 5km in die berge en langs die see met ons honde gaan stap. Marius is baie weg na Angola waar hy werk, maar hy het ‘n byeboerdery hier aan die gang. Hy is ‘n ywerige Bonsai-kweker en met sy groen vingers verlekker hy hom om hier te woon waar dit groen is en hy weer iets aan die groei kan kry,” vertel Trudy.
Sy hou op Saterdag 16 September ‘n opedag by haar huis in Tiendestraat en beoog om die swemskool op 10 Oktober te open. Skakel haar by 082 653 1770 vir meer inligting.
