COACHING: Local swim coach Henk Greupink is trying to make sure more people are swimming safely in our waters this summer PHOTO/BEN FRASER
Swim coach Henk Greupink wants to stop the "she'll be right" attitude when it comes to our safety in the water.
"There's a difference between learning to swim, and learning to survive," he said.
Throughout summer he is running free swimming classes every Saturday at 8.30am at Tikitapu (Blue Lake)
and he encourages everyone of all ages and ethnicities to come along.
"I am teaching people between 2 and 72 years old, we target everybody."
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Five years ago Mr Greupink began working with the Rotorua Association of Triathletes to create a Saturday morning lake swim, free for anybody who wants to come along and learn.
"Elites, middles, beginners, the lake is there for us to use completely free."
He said for adults who couldn't swim and didn't know where to start: "No one is judging you".
"Adults shouldn't be afraid to start at the very basics," Mr Greupink said.
"Within the gates of swimming, everybody's equal.
"There's no judgement. Don't be embarrassed, everyone will only applaud you for taking that first step."
This summer Mr Greupink encourages everybody "to come with a goal, no matter what that is, and just keep turning up".
