‘Teach Them Young’ swim programme hailed a success say Director of Sports

Aug 06, 2023 Sports

Newest batch of swimmers pose with Director of Sports, Steve Ninvalle, President of the GOA, Godfrey Munroe and Assistant Director of Sports, Frankie Wilson, at the closing ceremony

Kaieteur Sports – Yesterday marked the conclusion of a highly successful July/August Vocational ‘Teach Them Young’ Learn to Swim programme at the prestigious National Aquatic Centre (NAC) in Lilliendaal. This month-long initiative, spearheaded by the visionary Minister of Culture Youth and Sports (MCY&S), Charles Ramson Jr, in collaboration with the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), has left an indelible mark by imparting the invaluable life skill of swimming to over 5000 young people across the country.

Some of the participants demonstrating their newly acquired skill on the final day of the Teach Them Young programme

Under Minister Ramson’s unwavering commitment to revamp the Teach Them Young programme and various other sporting initiatives, such as the National Sports Academy, a comprehensive plan was unveiled to attract not only young Guyanese but also adults to embrace the sport of swimming and learn this essential life skill.

The Teach Them Young programme kick-started in April of this year and witnessed a remarkable turnout, with over two thousand participants eagerly registering to be part of this prestigious undertaking. As a testament to its success and growing popularity, an ‘Adults Learn to Swim’ programme was introduced in June, which also received an overwhelming response from the community.

As promised, on July 8th, the MCY&S launched the second edition of the ‘Teach Them Young’ programme, welcoming an additional three thousand young learners who seized the opportunity to acquire this vital skill.

Meanwhile at the brief closing ceremony, Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle delivered a heartfelt address, expressing his gratitude to all those involved in making the programme an outstanding success. He particularly commended National Coach Paul Mahaica and his team for their exceptional dedication in overseeing the other coaches and ensuring an incident-free and well-organized programme. Thanks to four weeks of precise supervision by some of the best coaches in the country, Guyana now boasts a significantly larger group of capable swimmers, ranging from children to adults.

Ninvalle also highlighted the potential long-term impact of the Teach Them Young programme, stating, “Hopefully, we can see a larger batch of athletes getting involved in the National Academy, and some may even pursue a career in swimming.” The programme’s resounding success has undoubtedly opened doors for talented young athletes to explore opportunities in competitive swimming.

With this successful edition of the Teach Them Young Learn to Swim programme now concluded, the MCY&S have solidified their commitment to fostering a generation of skilled swimmers, equipping them with a life-saving ability and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. The impact of this programme will undoubtedly resonate in the lives of the thousands of young learners who have gained the life skill of swimming, setting them on a path towards a brighter and more promising future.

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