Swim instructor Bev Mitchell takes 3-year-old Gus Loader through a lesson. Photo / Warren Buckland
Long-serving Hawke's Bay swimming instructor Bev Mitchell admits it would be great to play a part in the production of an Olympian.
"But it's not my aim. I strive to get youngsters confident in water," Mitchell remarked after another session at her Meeanee-based Swim School which caters for youngsters aged from 6 months to 5 years.
"I get a buzz further down the track when I come across people I taught to swim thriving in other water sports. They can't do that unless they get a grounding," Mitchell explained.
"Swimming is something you can do your whole life and while you can learn as an adult it's way easier to learn as a kid ... the younger you learn the better."
A former representative swimmer who made the development squad for New Zealand's 1974 Commonwealth Games team but missed the final cut, Mitchell has lost count of the number of her former students who have gone on to become national titleholders.
Former Greendale swimmer Jack Drury, who was a national titleholder in every stroke before heading off to Canterbury University in 2013 and Lindisfarne College's multiple national champion Jake Stephens who earlier this month was Hawke's Bay's best swimmer at the national secondary schools champs for the second consecutive year, were both taught by Mitchell.
"Because of his start Jake was one of the most rewarding experiences. His mother [Karrie Stephens] wasn't exaggerating. He was terrified of the water and I remember the days when he was screaming on the side of the pool," Mitchell recalled.
"You will never get used to water if you stop going near it."
She established her Swim School in 1999. It was formerly known as the Bert Cotterill Swim School.
Cotterill, who died in 2009, was a well-known teacher and swim coach in Hawke's Bay for many years and also a life member of the New Zealand Swim Coaches and Teachers Association. Cotterill coached and introduced Mitchell to the joys of teaching youngsters to swim when she was in her teens and still swimming competitively.
After following other career paths, Mitchell returned to work for Cotterill and his wife Pam in 1993 at their Swim School which was based at what is now known as the Napier Aquatic Centre. She considers herself extremely fortunate to have such a rewarding career.
Without the restrictions associated with using other pools, Mitchell is relishing using her own pool which was built in 2011 to meet the growing demand for swim classes.
"Experienced learn to swim teachers are hard to get. We used to have four here but now we are down to two, Sarnia [Brewer] and myself. At one stage we had 500 youngsters coming but now we have just under 300 because we have cut off weekends," Mitchell explained.
Although Mitchell only caters for those under 5 during the school terms she takes on older children for more intense courses during the school holidays.
"They can retain two weeks of knowledge," Mitchell said.
She is rapt to have a pool which is 12.5m long, 5m wide and 1.2m deep.
"It is a good depth. I will never go back to shallow water as children get a better appreciation of deep water when they learn in deep water. We also use a Magna Pool water treatment system which provides an aquatic environment which is gentle on the skin, the eyes and hair," Mitchell explained.
She pointed out she gets a lot of satisfaction out of introducing special needs children to water.
"Water provides an environment where they can be equal to their peer group."
Mitchell, who is grateful for the assistance she receives from her hubby and handyman Gary, is likely to be giving youngsters the benefits of her vast experience well into the next decade.
"I'll keep going for as long as I keep enjoying it. It's extremely rewarding," Mitchell said.
Three-year-old Gus Loader, who has been attending Mitchell's classes since he was 1, was providing Mitchell with plenty of enjoyment when we visited her complex. One can picture media making a fuss of Loader should he reach Olympic Games level as he boasts the same surname as one of New Zealand's most successful Olympic Games swimmers, Danyon Loader.
If Gus or some of the others Mitchell has introduced to the water reach Olympic Games level it would be an appropriate reward for one who has given so much and continues to give to so many.