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Georgie Baker pretty much grew up at the Cobar Memorial Swimming Pool, got her first job there as a life guard and is now back as the Facility Aquatic Manager this season.
“I am thrilled to be back in my hometown indulging in my passion for swimming,” Georgie told The Cobar Weekly.
Georgie has previously been part of the pool management team for the L&R Group when she assisted Pool Manager Matt Harland over the 207/2018 season.
“It’s going to be pretty similar to what Matt and I did a few years ago—I’ll oversee the pool operations and one of my big focuses this year I’m really hoping to get going is the swimming side of things—learn to swim, squad coaching and trying to get more swim teachers in the pool so that we’re able to have a selection of teachers and keep those kids swimming because we’ve got an amazing facility.”
Georgie spent a couple of years away living and working at the vet surgery in Warren and now that she’s got a young son, Georgie said she wanted to come back to Cobar to be closer to family and let her son spend more time with his grandparents.
And they have come in very handy over the past month as Georgie has been working hard to get the complex ready to open this Sunday.
Part of her focus on teaching kids to swim is introducing classes for infants in the 4-6 months age group.
“It’s a very different style of teaching compared to one year olds and above.
“The big thing for the littlies is being able to move through the water, adapting to that feel and moving through it,” Georgie explained.
She said during swimming lessons she sees lots of 2-4 year olds that have never been in the water before as their parents didn’t know their children could start lessons earlier.
With a toddler son, Georgie knows first hand how important it is to get babies into the water early and she said while they don’t necessarily learn how to swim, they can however learn how to survive by learning how to float, kick to the side and not panic if they fall into the water.
In addition to getting more infants and kids in the water, Georgie is also hoping to offer lessons for adults.
“If I’m really organised and have got the pool running smoothly, I’ll look at adults, but that might be jumping the gun for the first season,” she said.
Georgie said with the planned upgrades to the pool entry and plant room, the pool is really going to be a great facility for families.
“I hope everyone has a wonderful time at the pool this summer.”
