By Nurliana Zulkifli
GOMBAK, 10 March 2017: A total of ten candidates have been chosen to be trained as life guards at FSC Swimming Pool by Sports Development Centre recently.
They have been chosen through a swimming test. These candidates will be trained under Malaysian Rescue Team and National Sports Council to pass Bronze Medallion Test before they can be qualified as life guards. They will be fully sponsored by IIUM and after that they need to work under IIUM until graduating.
œI feel so grateful and relieved at the same time because I wanted to join this team since I heard about it for the first time,” said Noor Jasmine Mohd Ali, one of the candidates who has been selected.
œThere are no specific requirement to be life guard, as long as you have the right intention, high spirit and interest in swimming sport and prepared to give full commitment, a senior trainer, Zuhaili Zainuddin explained about the prerequisite to be a life guard.
She added: œIt is okay if you do not  have good swimming skill because we will train you from zero, but you must be consistent during training.
She also said that this is a very precious opportunity for students to be trained as life guards at the university because the training outside could cost them up to RM1000.
The main job as life guard is to ensure the safety of the patron in swimming pool, besides they can be assistant trainers during skill classes.
The university recruited students as life guards in order to ease the training management and to save the expenditure. This programme has received good participation from students since the opening of FSC swimming pool in 2003.
Among the syllabus that will be tested on them are swimming 300 meters or 6 laps under 9.15 minutes, rescue drowning victim under 3 minutes, rope rescue in one minute, CPR for drowning victim and water diving and treading in 3 minutes. The training will be held three times a week and an intensive class will be conducted for three weeks before the test in May.
All candidates hope they can pass the test well to achieve their ambition in swimming. Alin Nabilah shared her future plan: œI wish my dream to become an instructor will be a reality. I want to improve my skills so as to help other people apart from making some extra side income for my study fees.
As a trainer, Zuhalili has given the following advice to the candidates: œDon’t give up until you succeed! Set your target and give your full commitment to achieve it because everything starts from yourself.
IIUM community must be aware of the importance of swimming activity and they must be exposed to the swimming pool facility in this university.
Zuhalili said, “Earth is made up of 2/3 water. Take this opportunity to learn the skill and use the facility provided by the university wisely. Make it as your lifestyle. Furthermore, you can make side income if you are really serious in this area.
Zuhalili had six years of experience as a coach, an instructor and a trainer.
œI prefer to involve myself in this activity because it has many advantages to our body and it is also one of sunnah. For me, it is really suitable for students to release their tension in their study,” Nor Fatihah Mahadi, a candidate from Kulliyyah of Human Sciences gave her opinion about swimming. ***