Coaches’ Plan For Schools Backed

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30511, 5 August 1964, Page 18

Coaches’ Plan For Schools Backed

Attempts by the New Zealand Professional Swimming Coaches Association to obtain permission for its members to earn out learn-to-swim classes in primary schools are to receive strong backing from the council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association.

The council last night resolved to wnte again on the subject to the Minister of Education (Mr Kinsella), on the receipt of information from the coaching body. The chairman (Mr A. J. Donaldson) said the council was not satisfied with the situation and he felt that the Minister had missed the point in his reply to the council’s original letter. Responsibility for teaching swimming in schools lay with the teachers and every effort was made to see that they were trained for the work in the teachers’ colleges, said the Minister in his letter. The Education Department’s itinerant physical education specialists continued this training when the teachers entered the schools, he said.

“Naturally the skills of teachers vary in this aspect of education just as they do in others,” he admitted. The Minister said he was anxious that the close liaison between the department's specialists and the association should continue. He expressed his confidence that the reorganisation of the physical education service would not affect this liaison. Amateur Definition.—The

rules committee of the council was deputed to study a pro posal by the New Zealand Surf Life-saving Association seeking an extension of the ama. teur definition. The committee will frame a motion for submission to F.1.N.A., the international swimming body. Under the present defini. tion a person acting as a paid beach patrol is disqualified from participation in flat water events for 90 days after finishing his duties. The surf association wants the period of disqualification reduced to 30 days. Coaching Forum —A detailed. searching report on the national coaching forum held in Rotorua last week-end wa* presented by Mr S. Williams, chairman of the council’s coaching committee. The forum, he said, had proved a success and its continuation was merited. Winter Competition.—Plan for winter competition were abandoned, the council affirm ing that the scheme be promoted next year. Mr Donaldson said there had been a lack of interest in the competition only three centres had replied to a council circular.