In too deep

Since 1984, I have taught swimming to 5,500-odd students,'' smiles Sanjay Walvekar, the swimming coach at the Law College swimming pool. ...

Since 1984, I have taught swimming to 5,500-odd students,” smiles Sanjay Walvekar, the swimming coach at the Law College swimming pool. And if the statement is tinged with just a hint of pride, it is more than justified. For not only has the 32-year-old Walvekar earned a reputation of being able to teach even the most recalcitrant of learners, he also has the distinction of having successfully taught swimming even to physically and mentally challenged children. An achievement that probably stems as much from his passion for the sport as from the sporting manner in which he teaches it.

“I began swimming when I was seven, and immediately took to it. In 1983, I happened to meet the well-known athlete and swimming coach, Gopalrao Phadke, and saw how he differed from other coaches in his teaching technique. Instead of pushing youngsters toward the deep end or shouting at them, I saw him instill confidence in them through his lectures and patient explanation of the right techniques. I was so impressed with this that I decided to start teaching along the same lines,” recollects Walvekar.

Beginning from the Law College swimming pool, Walvekar is today invited all year round by various clubs and organisations, some even outside Pune, to train wannabe swimmers.

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“Very often, I find coaches showing interest only in students who can learn easily. But the challenge lies in making the timid and the weak pick up the skill. Four years ago, I taught a little girl called Neha Mokasi, who is totally blind, and Sham Patole, who has no feet. Another memorable pupil is Jeevan Sarthe, a mentally challenged boy who went on to bag the second prize in swimming at a competition for mentally challenged children in the United States of America. It’s also a wrong notion that swimming cannot be learnt after a certain age. My oldest student is 67 years old,” smiles Walvekar.

A diploma holder in engineering, Walvekar begins his day at 5.30 a.m., with a trip to the gymnasium, “A coach must look fit at all times.” After that, he’s off to his manufacturing unit at Pirangut. From 5.30 to 7.30 p.m., he can be found at the Law College swimming pool, coaching eager learners. Then it is an hour devoted to coaching at Aundh’s Anandban Club.

True to his regimen, everyday, he gets ready to dive into the deep end for his laps, before the coach in him takes centrestage. And then he’s back to doing what he loves best – teaching people of all age-groups the “best and most relaxing sport in the world – swimming”.