[hilbert42]

"...most black kids were terrified of the water..."

At what age did the training start? I reckon training must have started far too late (read my comment about me getting used to the water about the same time I learned to walk).

[lupusreal]

There were different age groups, the youngest were infants with their parents but the classes I was involved with started at ages 4-5 iirc. These were all an out of school program, I wasn't involved with the swimming lessons given to everybody during school (same pool and head instructor though) but those started at first grade. The kids I taught were all signed up by their parents at whatever age the parents signed them up at.

[hilbert42]

Hum, 4-5 you'd think would be young enough. So I wonder what could cause such a cultural shift. I'd be interested to know whether the parents of those scared kids could swim (if they couldn't then that could be the problem).

I've not thought about it before because over here one just assumes someone can swim (with the caveat/possible exception of some tourists and migrants).

You'd think the first step in solving the problem would be to figure out why kids here take easily to water and the ones your way less so. Perhaps the answer is known and I've just not heard about it.