Vladimir Anusic - Dubai, UAE
Swimming is the beginning of everything. It’s easier to start swimming than learning to walk. It’s easier to use swimming as prevention than as a treatment. It is easier to learn to swim before any water-related accident occurs rather than after an incident which may have created fear and uncertainty.
“I was born in SFR Yugoslavia, a country which had a sea and big dreams. As a kid, I would play in the streets of a small town in northern Vojvodina. SFR Yugoslavia is now a country that does not exist on the world map.
“Thanks to swimming, I have seen the world and today I work in Dubai, Belgrade and Novi Sad (northern Serbia), teaching and coaching others to swim.”
Vladimir, why did you learn to swim? What are some of your best recollections?
“I don’t know why I learnt, but from the very beginning I was attracted to water. It was love at first sight, I guess. I started learning to swim in a local club and as my love for swimming grew, as a teenager I became involved in competitive swimming.
“I recall aged four on an Adriatic Sea (Croatia) summer holiday I received my first diving mask, quickly discovering the underwater world. It was a magical moment filled with uncertainty of the undiscovered depth and the beauty of this new space.
“I also fondly remember my first swimming teacher, Miroslav Rajkov (Bata), sharing jokes and making us laugh regularly. His authority was not based on raising his voice but on his knowledge, commitment and reputation of developing strong swimmers. Along with this laughter was the importance of working towards our goals. Bata was a very broad-minded coach showing interests not only in swimming and sports, but also in the happenings of the world of young teenagers. He knew how to approach us in the right way, regularly shaping the boring times of swimming into enjoyment for us as we completed our required training.
“Swimming in these years meant everything to me. I could not wait for the next training session to have fun and see my friends. My older sister and I went to the club together swimming in the same group. I was incredibly competitive. She was my toughest opponent.
“I also recall once a week I would also swim with my school class. I was always showing off in front of the most popular girls hoping they were impressed with my swimming skills.
“Another story from my earliest days includes my grandpa, Vlado, who I was named after. Grandpa loved to read and write. During my summer breaks I would spend plenty of time with him at the river on a boat where he used to spend his time reading and fishing while I was swimming. He loved the water and the tranquility of the water environment even though he could not swim. I have never found out why he never swam. Every time I asked him, he would just shrug his shoulders and carry on with his reading or fishing.
“One morning while fishing, I started to tell him what I wanted to do in my life. Grandpa laughed at me and said “Vladimir, all you want to do is play! Take a book for a change. You’ll waste your life playing and swimming”.
“Today, thirty years later, I have spent two decades swimming, playing, and teaching others how to swim and play in the water.”
Why teach and coach swimming?
“I believe that when you learn to swim via playing and exploring, it feeds the learners the knowledge and skills which trigger not only their mind and body, but also their heart. My first aim is to help my learners love swimming, have a deep connection with the water and their personal relationship with it.
“My role as their swim teacher is to help them master swimming as easily as possible in the most interesting way. I aim to assist them to feel safer and more secure each day, each swim in their playground - the water.
“This is what gives me strength every day to jump into the pool and teach the most wonderful life skill, swimming.”
Life is more beautiful when you are swimming
“When I feel mentally or physically not myself, swimming helps me find that hidden atom of strength and brings out my best, for me and for my family.
“Swimming often helps me stay focused on my parenting alpinism even when the things get challenging.
“Swimming helps me slow down. Each stroke I make gives me a chance to think about the actions and mistakes popping up in my personal life, professional life and my parenting role.
“When I get out of the water, I shake off all the negative thoughts and put on my ‘joy’ face. Swimming makes me a better person. It makes me happy.
“This is probably one of the reasons why I introduced swimming to my children when they were very young (four months old). Because swimming helps me so much, I want them to also experience the aquatic environment and the benefits of swimming.
“Life is more beautiful when you’re swimming!“
Little Shark. Little Fish. Swimming Dad
“I aim to swim approximately three times per week. If I do not swim then I am in the water with my kids, playing, exploring and generally having fun together.
“Prior to being able to walk independently my children were in the pool with me, playing and exploring. I see swimming as a foundation life skill like writing and reading. Little Shark learnt how to swim when he was two and a half, while Little Fish made her first swimming strokes when she was aged three.
“With the support of my wife, Little Shark, and Little Fish, in 2017 I created my digital space of endless inspiration about the love of water, swimming and children. Swimming Dad is not only about my aquatic story, but also the aquatic story of my family.
“Swimming Dad is designed for families who love swimming and are looking for a physical and mentally healthy lifestyle. I want to share my two-decade coaching experience and knowledge from the point of view of both a dad with young growing children, and the swimming expert.”
Tell us about ‘Swimming Dad’, share a few of your swimming, especially the children learning to swim beliefs
“I love to minimize the fears and doubts parents have about swimming. Swimming has the power to improve the life of children and families from an early age.
“Children who start swimming lessons at a young age have stronger immune systems, muscle definition, they sleep better, and have advanced motor skills. And most importantly, when we teach them how to feel safe and comfortable in water this helps to prevent drownings.
“Although my children have been in the water since four months of age, this does not mean they had many formal swim lessons. They became water confident and competent by simply being in the pool with me, playing and exploring. When they were ready, I slowly introduced the swimming techniques and the associated water skills.
“Swimming is the beginning of everything. It’s easier to start swimming than learning to walk. It’s easier to use swimming as prevention than as a treatment. It is easier to learn to swim before any water-related accident occurs rather than after an incident which may have created fear and uncertainty.
“Swimming Dad continuously raises awareness to parents, children and their friends how swimming is such an important life skill.
“We are all aware how water is fun, enjoyable and beneficial, however it can be dangerous at the same time. I regularly remind my students’ parents swimming is a year-round activity where possible.
“I also like to spread the ‘it is never too late to learn to swim’ message. It is not a shame not knowing how to swim. If you are a non-swimmer or weaker swimmer, don’t deprive yourselves ,or your kids, the benefits of swimming.
“I hope, through the Swimming Dad community, I can bring swimming closer to everyone in an educational, interesting and relaxed way.
“I want to help and share my love of swimming with those who are afraid of water, those who cannot swim, those who don’t have that opportunity, those with special needs, those with corrective physical needs, to the elderly, young, sad, obese, shy and lonely . . . EVERYONE.”
Vladimir, share with us your best coaching memories?
“There are many, but if I need to choose just a few it would be the memories connected to my first generation of swimmers when I was starting as a young coach.
“I helped them become better swimmers and they helped me to be a better coach and person. We grew together.
“This group numbered 30 swimmers, a mix of boys and girls. We stayed together for almost seven years. Along the journey there were many lows, tears and challenges, however we grew and ended up winning many age national championships, more than 2000 medals and set more than 100 Serbian national records. They made me proud. I am still proud of them today and remain in contact with many of them. “Go Voša! “
“The other two coaching highlights come from the 2006 World Junior Championships in Rio de Janeiro.
“First, the championship organisers did not have our national anthem ready to play so our small team of five swimmers and 3 support staff, needed to sing the anthem during the medal presentation for Ivan Lendjer after his win in the 100m butterfly. OMG I still get goosebumps thinking about this occasion.
“Secondly, the team's one female swimmer, Tijana Vukanovic, who I personally coached was just 14 years old competing against the world best under 18 year olds. Tijana placed 12th and 13th in her 200m and 100m butterfly events, setting new national records in both. I was the proudest coach in the world.”
If a visitor came to your city, where would you recommend they swim?
“I have the privilege to live in two very beautiful cities, let’s start with my home town Novi Sad.
“Ledinacko Lake, is a piece of heaven in the Fruska Gora national park. The lake is in the middle of green forest hills, creating a small amphitheater-like location. The lake has the most beautiful turquoise water.
“In Dubai for open water swim lovers, I recommend Fujairah where you can swim around Snoopy island
“For pool swimmers, swim in one of the best swim complexes in the world, Hamdan Swim Complex (Dubai)
Where are the best places you have swum and recommend to other swimmers?
“Without any doubt, Blue lagoon in Iceland. The lagoon has an unreal turquoise water. It is surrounded by black heavy rocks giving you the feeling of swimming on Mars.
“In Egypt, the depth and clarity of the Red Sea (near Hurghada) is wonderful.”
Is there a ‘bucket list’ swim you are determined to tick-off? And if so, what, where and when?
I want to swim in “Bora Bora. a small South Pacific island northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by a sand fringed Motus and a turquoise lagoon protected by a coral reef. When travel options reopen, this is on my ‘to visit’ list.”
photos above: Vladimir with his coach. Vladimir with his team. Vladimir on the blocks. World junior championships 2006
Share a little more about Vladimir Anusic
“I have a degree in physical education, a Master’s Degree in Sports Management, and currently completing my PhD studies in swimming.
“I work as a swimming teacher / coach of more than 22 years, coaching children of different ages, from babies to teenagers. I am also immensely proud of my work with children with disabilities.
“I am passionate about basketball and music. I also enjoy playing the saxophone, guitar and singing under the water.
“I currently work for Waves Swim Academy in Dubai (since April 2014)”
And your world away from swimming Vladimir?
“After finishing my own competitive swimming I took up basketball where I found success, playing for the under 16 years national team, and becoming one of the youngest players in Yugoslav premier league. I played in this league for three seasons, generally in the guard / shooter or playmaker position.
“Unfortunately a shoulder injury in 1999 took me off the court for six months. Upon returning from this injury nothing was quite the same resulting in a decision to change my study specialisation of my last two years at the PE College, to swimming. This is where my love of swimming teaching and coaching caught on.
“Growing up I was surrounded by music, a love passed to me by my mom. I started playing guitar aged seven and at the age of eleven I started playing the saxophone. Music has stayed with me which I include in my work at the pool, especially when teaching the very young learners. I like to be creative, writing and composing songs and music.
“Sport and travel are important parts of our family life. We usually spend the winter on the mountain in Bosnia, skiing and having fun on the snow. One of our favourite family activities is taking long evening walks through the big snow and beautiful mountain forest with our friends.
“And currently I am writing children's books which are due to be published mid 2021”
Connect with Vladimir
Youtube - Here is one of my latest’s songs,
