The joy is palpable at Cormeta, a sports club for the blind and visually impaired.

Every Saturday morning, a group of blind and visually impaired individuals swim at De Meerkamp swimming pool in Amstelveen. A team of three volunteers supports them. And that team is looking for reinforcements. We spend a morning with swim instructor Esther Vogels (51) and see how refresPlease send this hour.For swimmers and volunteers.

Esther Vogels has been a voluntary swimming instructor at Cormeta for seven years.

It is still twilight, and the birds have just begun their day at the Amstelveen sports park. Anyone standing at the door of De Meerkamp Swimming Pool right now has woken up very early. Yet, their faces are fresh. People greet each other and are clearly excited for their weekly swim. Esther is also fully prepared. Today is a special day. Esther has guided two members of Cormeta to their A diploma. And now the moment has come for Nourjan (15) and Erik (63) to take their swimming test.

Sample

Who is blind and who is visually impaired? It is not always easy to guess. The swimmers confidently walk to the changing rooms, with or without the assistance of a family member. In the swimming pool, Esther greets the examiners at lane one. Volunteers Franck and Ruben divide their attention among the other lanes. Theo is the first to arrive and already crawls in a straight line in lane five. In lane three, two older couples take it easy. They chat while swimming laps. Peter would also like to have a chat, but he is swimming alone today. His buddy in lane two is Erik, who is already dressed in sports pants and a sweater ready for his first test: swimming breaststroke with clothes on.

Not dry

“I find it exciting,” says Erik. “Two weeks ago, I practiced the backstroke for the first time, and now I’m already taking the final swimming test.” Esther has no doubts: “You can do it.” Nourjan is already prepared for her next challenge: diving and swimming underwater through a hole. She first enters the pool to assess: how deep is the hole and how far is it from the edge? Esther can give her a brief instruction, but then she has to do it herself. And she succeeds. Just like Erik’s backstroke. The examiners are satisfied: Nourjan and Erik have both passed. Then Esther can’t hold back her tears either. With tears in her eyes, she takes a photo with Nourjan and her proud parents. “A year ago, you were afraid to do anything, and look how far you’ve come!” Erik sends a voice message to his grandchildren: “Boys, grandpa has his A certificate!”

Buddy

At a quarter to nine, the swimmers get out of the water. They have a cup of coffee together in the canteen. A card is passed around for those who passed a test. At the table, there is a diverse group of people. For some, this swimming hour is the highlight of the week. For others, it’s a moment of relaxation in a busy social and sporty life. For example, Theo also goes running, with a buddy. And next week, he will be skiing in Austria. “You should also visit Linz, it’s a beautiful city,” says Peter. Before he lost his sight, he was a truck driver. He has seen all of Europe.

TwoRecommendations

Esther has a moment to tell us how she ended up at Cormeta. “I read about it in the Amstelveens Nieuwsblad. It said something like: ‘Do you love swimming and socializing? Are you helpful and maybe even have a first aid certificate? Then we are looking for you!’ I emailed Cormeta: I think you are looking for an Esther Vogels.” That was seven years ago. Meanwhile, the requirements for swimming supervision have been tightened. “Nowadays, in addition to two first aiders, at least one supervisor with a lifeguard certificate must be present in a swimming pool.” Esther obtained that certificate through Cormeta. She renews it every two years.

Long weekend

And who are the volunteers that Cormeta is looking for now? “Someone with teaching qualifications would be a plus. That way we can offer even more swimming stroke training to those who want it.” But above all, we are looking for someone who is sociable and helpful. “The most important thing is that we have a larger group of volunteers so that we can take turns.” And what makes Esther herself a volunteer at Cormeta for seven years? “I really enjoy swimming myself and I want these people to experience that swimming pleasure too. And the appreciation I receive in return is enormous.” Even the early mornings have their advantage: “When I leave here around ten, I still have a very long weekend ahead of me.”

Would you also like to become a volunteer at Sports Club Cormeta? The club is looking for voluntary swimming instructors as well asvoluntary tandem ridersfor beautiful bike rides. Interested? Contact secretary Mirjam van Wijk viamirjam72@planet.nlvan Cormeta or with Melita Bacic from Vrijwilligers Centrale Amsterdam viam.bacic@vca.nuof 06-37199450.Text: Winnie van Heesch

Photography: Kitty de Jong