Does your child want to continue swimming after the swimming diploma? Almost all children go to swimming lessons . The Netherlands is a water country, so that is standard for most parents. But your child can also enjoy swimming as a sport with lifeguard Recertification.



Fortunately, if your child has obtained the swimming diploma and enjoys swimming, there are all kinds of initiatives to continue swimming and to maintain the swimming pleasure. We would like to tell you more about that in this article: swimming as a sport for your child. For example, you can think of competitive swimming, water polo, participating in Swim star or diving.

Does your child want to swim? Then you can choose from these options at the swimming association

swim star; keep in touch with swimming in game form

Our oldest participates in Swimstar. What I like about this is that it is only 4 lessons. In these 4 lessons he learns through all kinds of games to move safely in the water, to build up his strength and to keep in touch with the sport of swimming. Each lesson lasts 50 minutes and he can get stickers for the different parts. There are 8 parts, but each swimming club chooses which are discussed. The total choice is: diving, parent-child swimming, water polo, competitive swimming, water fun, snorkeling, survival and synchronized swimming . Our swimming club offers water polo, synchronized swimming, water fun and snorkeling for your child.

Largest branch of swimming for your child: competitive swimming

The largest part of the sport of swimming is that of competitive swimming. As many as 20,000 swimmers take part in this part every week. From the age of 6 you can participate in this and also in the competitions. The competitions are organized almost every weekend and depending on the age, the size of the swimming meters within the fastest time is the goal. Many children swim in special swimsuits and with a swimming cap and goggles on.

In the Netherlands there are more than 400 swimming clubs, almost all of which also participate in competitive swimming. In addition to improving coordination, strength, endurance and speed in your child, it is also a social sport . Participants encourage each other and close friendships develop in this sport as well.

Beachwaterpolo

A relatively new form of swimming for your child is that of beach water polo. This branch of swimming became known from South Korea in 2019 through a demonstration.

Beach water polo is played in two teams. Each team consists of three players and a goalkeeper, so four in total. As a team you can switch, but there is a maximum of 3 times. The rules of water polo have been slightly adjusted to make a nice goal or special action possible. Unlike water polo, play resumes immediately after the score and you can expect a penalty by the referee if you hinder the opposing team from scoring a point within 5 meters. The KNZB is busy promoting this branch and also bringing associations to the attention of them. It is possible that there will soon be room in your area to let your child participate in beach water polo with swimming.

Looking for a team sport? A must is then water polo

Water polo originated as an alternative to rugby or handball in the water and a real team sport. Young children swim and play in teams of 5 against 5 and the goal is just like handball: to score into the opposing team's goal . You may use one hand and only throw the ball.