United Swimming announces that we will introduce a mandatory vaccination policy for all teaching and customer facing staff before the planned reopening in October 2021.

“It is the right decision to make if we want to ensure the safety of our staff and members and we will prepare ahead of everyone else for a safe reopening of our lessons,” said United Swimming Vice President Dennis Hyun.

Our management always takes the safety of our staff and members as the foremost importance and we will continue to provide updates on the upcoming reopening plan as we reach 70% fully vaccinated target in October while adhering to government regulations and ensuring the safety of our staff and members.

United Swimming and our Partners use the best practice technology to ensure air and water quality, has strict hygiene protocols in place and to date there are no known cases of COVID-19 being transferred in properly treated water. The virus itself cannot survive in properly chlorinated water.

United Swimming Management

It seems like we’re getting closer to breaking free from the daily routine of watching 11:00am updates and finally being able to soak in the beautiful spring sun accompanied with the smell of a freshly chlorinated pool.

With high hopes that we’ll be returning to our somewhat ordinary lives, we stumbled across the Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report 2021 and felt a mixture of feelings both positive and negative.

There were a total 294 drowning deaths which is a 20% increase from 2020.

According to Royal Life Saving Australia, the following largely attributed to the impacts of COVID on increases in drowning deaths:

1. Increased drowning risk among Australians visiting unfamiliar locations. COVID has seen more people seeking out remote places to escape crowds, swimming outside of patrolled hours, taking more day trips to isolated beaches, rivers or lakes and holidaying domestically at unfamiliar locations.
2. Increased drowning risk around the home. Complacency can often seep in when people are exhausted from working from home, home-schooling, and restricted time in confined spaces, sometimes resulting in distractions or unsupervised children around water.
3. Australians lack the swimming skills necessary to enjoy the water safely. COVID has seen children missing out on swimming lessons, adults and teenagers with reduced pool access who are no longer swim fit and/or lack confidence in the water leading to increased drowning incidents in open waterways.

Being born and raised in Australia, my parents thought it was absolutely necessary that we learnt how to swim in the hopes that we’d one day be able to rescue them if we went on holiday. Of course, we always wanted to win the blue ribbon at the yearly school swimming carnival even if it was during the novelty races.

What can we take away from this?

Register to swimming lessons!

Swimming lessons aren’t just for school aged children. There are lessons designed and catered to everyone! So, with an easy resolution available, don’t procrastinate because there is never a perfect time to start. It really is now or never.

Together we can help to bring the increased number of drowning deaths down as it should.

Not only are you keeping yourself safe, but you can also save a mate with your swimming skills necessary to enjoy the water safely.

Anna Yang
Area Manager
United Swimming

United Swimming is proud to announce that our State team, together with PLC Sydney Swim Club, has won the Club Premiership at the 2021 NSW Junior State Age Championships held at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre between 27^th and 29^th of March 2021.

Congratulations to all coaching staff and swimmers for making this great achievement.

United Swimming Management