“Nigeria lacks the infrastructure to qualify for the Olympics” - Aqua Swim School Head Coach blasts

Posted : 05 December 2023

Aqua Swim School Nigeria, established in 2021 by a team of accomplished NCAA and international swimmers, has embarked on a remarkable mission to empower Nigerians with the skills, resources, and knowledge to safely enjoy water activities and thrive in the aquatic environment.

From its humble beginnings as a startup venture, Aqua Swim School Nigeria has blossomed into a leading swim school in the country, boasting robust growth in revenue and a loyal customer base. Over the past two years, under the guidance of a single expatriate coach, the school has transformed the lives of over 400 Nigerians, instilling in them a love for the water and fostering a lifelong passion for aquatic pursuits.

At the helm of this remarkable transformation is Mr. Aleksandar Damjanic, the school's astute and passionate Head Coach. With his commitment to excellence and his deep-rooted belief in the power of aquatics, Mr. Aleks has steered Aqua Swim School Nigeria towards becoming a cornerstone of aquatic education in Nigeria.

In an exclusive interview with Africa Sport Network (ASN), Mr. Aleksandar Damjanic shared the school's inspiring journey, its mission, its impact on the Nigerian community, and its vision for the future of aquatics in the country.

Mr. Aleksandar said that the core vision of the Aqua Swim School is to teach swimming as a survival skill and to train future competitors in the sport. In exploring this dual vision, Aqua Swim School stands as a unique entity in Nigeria's aquatic terrain. It's not solely about the strokes and laps but about building a community adept at harnessing the power of swimming both in times of need and on the podium.

“The core vision of the school is to raise awareness of the importance of water safety and then to sift out those who are interested in going professional, perhaps seeking swimming scholarships abroad.

“A lot of people think swimming is just a sport, but it is a safety skill. If you are in a water environment and don’t know what to do, you could lose a life through drowning.

“Our aim is to turn swimming into an industry where people can live off, resulting in better prospects for the country, and changing the mindset of people towards the sport for good,” Aleks said.

Aleks added that the swim school is also on a mission to provide a viable extracurricular activity for kids, and not just for the activity-sake, but to give them a platform to compete globally.

“We are getting to a point where some kids will choose swimming as their main after-school or extracurricular activity and pursue it seriously. With this, we have been able to establish a swimming club. As the kids grow and go for competitions abroad, they can be recruited by universities that offer athletic scholarships. This will give them great prospects in their career.

Aleks also talked about the training programs and structures available in the school. He emphasized the meticulous planning that goes into crafting each program, ensuring that they cater to a diverse range of participants, from beginners to advanced swimmers. The school has successfully tailored its offerings to be inclusive, recognizing that everyone, regardless of age or skill level, should have the opportunity to embrace the water.

“We have two different programs. One is Learn to Swim, where we teach safety measures. Another one is Elite High Performance competitive swim team for children who already know how to swim and want to go for competitions.”

Talking about the funding of the swim school, Aleks said: “The school is funded exclusively from private sources, although, since we are part of an international organization, we also have the financial backing of the school’s branches in the United States and Asia.”

Mr. Aleks passionately elaborates on Aqua Swim School's ambitious plan to bridge the existing gap in Nigeria's representation in international swimming competitions, particularly the Olympics. Recognizing the untapped potential within the local talent pool, he outlines a strategic vision aimed at nurturing and developing swimmers who can compete at the highest levels of the sport. The school's approach goes beyond conventional training, incorporating mentorship, advanced coaching techniques, and exposure to international standards.

“Unfortunately, Nigeria lacks the infrastructure to qualify for the Olympics. The Olympics is held in a 50 meter-sized pool, but the one we have in Lagos, the National Swimming pool, does not have that capacity. It was built decades ago and has ever since not been maintained properly. The water is green, and it is inaccessible for a lot of people.

“Obviously, our population does not equal the available infrastructure. However, to bridge this gap, we can only bring the technical know-how, as we do not want to meddle in the complexities around the Nigerian infrastructure. Besides, it will take us a long time to get to a level where we can contribute to that capacity. We are just here to train children, and that inner drive will come from the children themselves,” Aleks noted.

While talking about the requirements for the swimming school, Aleks said “The only requirement to join the swimming school is to pay the fee. After that we will conduct the assessment for each of the categories. We have a small pool, which means that we have a limited space for the kids we will be admitting into each team.

"The limit for the Learn to Swim program is 5 – 6 children, because we will be teaching them fundamental safety skills, with only one coach, myself. I’ll need to have a controllable number, so the children can get value from the training. In terms of the Competitive Swim Team, we can have a maximum of 20 – 25 children. I must add that any child that wants to be admitted into this team must have prior training."

Mr. Aleks went on to share some challenges the swimming school has encountered which could affect their expansion to other states and countries.

“The challenge with the swim school is that in Lagos, we have more prospective customers than we have the capacity. So, we must first cater to the demand here, before looking into other states in Nigeria.

“To fill the capacity gap here, we need to bring additional coaches with a background like mine. And out of the 99% we have contacted, no one is interested to come to Nigeria. The ones that agree require a lot of investment, and most likely, they usually get a better deal elsewhere.”

Aleks stated clearly that the swimming school does not organize any competitions but only prepares children for competitions, such as inter-school swimming competitions.

“Due to infrastructure issues, such as the lack of electronic timing, unlike the manual stopwatch used here in Nigeria, we are not interested in organizing competitions ourselves. Our aim is to train these children to compete abroad, where they can meet their peers on more advanced platforms. We plan to take these children abroad next year, hopefully, during the Easter break, for competitions.”

As we wound down the interview, Aleks shared his thoughts on what needs to be put in place to ensure that swimming does not die in Nigeria but is upheld and given the desired attention.

“There should be a sports masterplan at the federal and state levels to decide what is feasible with respect to swimming as a sport. The infrastructure and funding should be made available.

“In fact, it is as easy as importing an already-established national sports masterplan from a foreign country and adopt them in Nigeria, given the local conditions. Private institutions can also fund the sport. Just like Nollywood and music in Nigeria, which do not need government support, companies can invest in sports as their Corporate Social Responsibility. This will attract professionals from all over the world,” Mr. Aleks said.

Despite challenges in infrastructure and capacity, Aqua Swim School Nigeria is making strides in nurturing talent and providing opportunities for children to excel both nationally and internationally. The school's unique approach, inclusive programs, and aspirations to bridge the gap in Nigeria's representation in international competitions reflect its ambitious vision for the future of aquatics in the country.

“Nigeria lacks the infrastructure to qualify for the Olympics” - Aqua Swim School Head Coach blasts

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