As far as safety is concerned, a pool without a pool cover is like a house without a roof. The key advantage of pool covers is that they keep the pool clean and reduce maintenance, while establishing a secure barrier.

Pool safety covers are generally available in mesh and in solid fabrics. Mesh pool covers are a popular option in pool safety today. Mesh swimming pool safety covers are designed for both safety and maintenance, and, most often, they are chosen by pool owners who either use their pools infrequently or wish to close the pools down after the swim season has passed. Mesh pool safety covers are designed to keep leaves and debris out of the pool, while allowing water to pass through. This keeps the cover dry, enabling the leaves and debris to blow off or to be easily swept off. Pool safety covers provide an excellent barrier, which allows them to serve as safety devices as well. The tight-fitting cover prevents children from falling in or gaining unwanted access. A specially designed tool (which releases springs that are attached to anchors in the deck) is required to access the pool, even for an adult.

Nets as pool safety options offer some unique and desirable features in the effort to stop infants and toddlers from entering the pool water unseen or unheard. Pool safety nets have been in use for over three decades, and thousands have been installed worldwide. These pool safety nets are made of strong polyethylene braid and, thus, are extremely strong. A pool safety net provides a safe, secure barrier, and, at the same time, maximizes the available backyard space and preserves the view and ambience of the swimming pool area. The small squares in the net are too small for a child’s head or body to fit through and too large to let them walk, play, jump, or stabilize themselves on the pool safety net. An adult can remove or replace a typical pool safety net in just a few minutes.

Organizations such as the Drowning Prevention Society, United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Spa and Pool Institute’s Operation Water Watch, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have designed the necessary guidelines to help people enjoy pool activities in a safe manner.

Filter Your Pool Regularly:

Solitary of the mainly imperative things in swimming pool preservation is the filtration, observance the water clean and circulating them is central in any pool. There are numerous types of filters vacant for swimming pool water. Swimming pool filtration coordination use the same basic theory of passing water through tiny passageways, thus filtering it. Particles of passages are fascinated and thereby alienated from the main corpse of the water. This process continues until all of these passageways are barren. The filter must then be cleaned and the cycle continual.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure:

However, there are confident wellbeing issues that must be addressed if you choose to have an indoor swimming pool - especially if there are children in the home. While an al fresco pool can certainly be dangerous, you at least have the prospect to boundary marker off the pool area so that children do not cross the threshold without being accompanied by an adult. If you have pools inside your home you must take extra precautions to ensure that children are supervised at all times and know not to enter the pool area without permission.

It may be advisable depending on the ages of the children to carry on the indoor swimming pool at the rear locked doors. In addition, all children should be skilled to swim, as well as taught comprehensive pool safety. An indoor swimming pool can be a luxurious addition to any home. If you use it safely and maintain it well, it will indubitably bring you many years of enjoyment.

Other explanation pool safety tips include this Never, even for a split second; leave young children unattended in or around a pool. Stay a phone by the pool for crisis calls and also for answering the pool fence should completely separate the pool from the house and engage in recreation area. It should also self-close and self-latch, with latches higher than the children's reach.

When a family with small children walks into Jacob Hawkins' store, he knows their purchase will probably include swimming pool toys--often before the parents do.

"Parents and grandparents come in for a water test or whatever, and their kids go around the store and pick out all the toys they want," says Hawkins, retail manager of Gohlke Pools in Denton, Texas.

It's one of the reasons why the builder/ retailer dedicates approximately 33 percent of his showroom space to toys, games and floats. "By the time the parent is done, the kids have a pile of stuff on the counter," says Hawkins, who started selling toys in 1985 and now carries 10 product lines.

Got game?
Within the last five years, pool toys have increasingly rolled, glided and dived off retailers' shelves to become one of the more popular product niches. Floats, games, inflatables and underwater toys range in price from $2 to $700, and now account for 15 percent of division profits, according to top retailers contacted by Pool & Spa News.

"Demand for pool toys has increased about i0 percent per year," says Travis W. Bain, CEO of Riverbend Sandier Pools in Plano, Texas, and a Pool & Spa News Top Builder. "Consumers buy toys primarily for children's parties and lounging in the pool."

Pool toys, which retailers display year 'round but sell more in the spring and summer months, increase the social-center value of the backyard environment. "They make for a fun family activity," says Russ Hackley, senior buyer for pools and spas at Paddock Pools, Patios & Spas, a Phoenix builder/retailer and a Pool & Spa News Top Builder. "They're a way for everyone in the family to enjoy the pool.

"People do more in the water than just swim," Hackley adds. "They like to play in the water."

In addition, all age groups appreciate their aquatic appeal, say retailers. "Great toys entertain children and keep them in the water getting exercise and increasing their enjoyment," says Susan Trevillian, vice president of Anchor Aquatech Pools & Spas in Yorktown, Va.

"Volleyball and basketball games are great for teenagers and adults," notes Trevillian who has carried pool toys in her product line for 20 years. "Parties and poolside gatherings are enhanced with toys."

Counter-intelligence

Trevillian likes to display small pool toys near the checkout counter and rotate them. She recognizes that many of the popular product lines represent a strong impulse buy for consumers. "They usually sell themselves," she says. "For new items, we will do a special display.

"Young children always head for the toys, and parents usually buy them for all of their kids," says Trevillian, who sells inflatables, dive and sports games, and goggles and fins. "Grandparents always buy toys when their grandchildren are visiting."

Bain, who added pool toys to his product line approximately 12 years ago, gives pool toys prominent placement in his store. Like Trevillian, he displays them on the front counters. He also uses creative ways to draw more attention to some items.

"We hang a number of floats and chairs from the ceiling," Bain says. "However, most of the toys are displayed conveniently and our customers purchase them readily."

Other retailers use the counter displays as a lead in to a sale. "You cannot walk from the front door to the counter without noticing our toys," Hawkins says. "When we have discounts on our toys, we usually mention it to the consumer before we finalize their transaction."

To close the sale, Hawkins tries to be as accommodating as possible. "We usually offer to either put the toy together if it's something big like a basketball game or blow it up if it's a large inflatable," he says.

Safety first

Keep in mind, some pool toys can potentially cause harm to children. In fact, Swimways Corp, a Virginia Beach, Va. based manufacturer of water recreation products, recently recalled approximately 25,000 packages of its weighted dive sticks. "Deluxe Dive Buddies" did not meet requirements established by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The problem, according to CPSC officials, is that the toys sink to the bottom of the pool and stand vertically. Although no injuries have been reported from use of the product, the agency feared children could become impaled on the dive sticks. To meet the CPSC dive stick standard, such toys must stand at an angle of less than 45 degrees from the floor and not be made of rigid material

When selecting a new line, many retailers consider the safety of a pool toy product from a parents' point of view. "If we would not allow our own children or grandchildren to play with the toy, we will not purchase it," Bain says. "We look for small pieces that might hurt a child."

Others take a practical approach. "We just use good common sense in our selection," Trevillian says. "Dive sticks are the main concern we have."

The chosen ones

Whether you're a child, or just a kid at heart, pool toys enhance the backyard entertainment experience. Here are five of the most popular products consumers request, according to top retailers contacted by Pool & Spa News.

Hem Rasmey comes from a proud tradition of swimmers and will carry the pride of her family and Cambodia into the 2000 Olympic Games, which get under way in Sydney on Sept. 15.

Rasmey, 18, and her elder brother Hem Kiri, 20, will represent Cambodia in the pool at Sydney and while it will likely not mean a medal against such swimming titans as host Australia, the United States and China, just participating in the Games is an honor, she said.

''I am very proud not only for my family, but also for Cambodia as a whole, that my brother and I are to be sent to Sydney to participate in the Games,'' Rasmey said.
Rasmey, who began swimming at the age of 7, has taken part in four international events since becoming a national champion in 1992 -- the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei.

While she has yet to earn a medal, Rasmey is getting stronger and faster, and would be better still if not for the lack of decent training facilities, says her Japanese coach.

Manabu Shibata, sent to Cambodia by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in December 1998, has lamented the country's poor facilities for athletes.

''If the pool and facilities were better equipped, then Rasmey's swimming practice would be much improved,'' Shibata told Kyodo News.

Shibata, who plans to stay in Cambodia until February 2001, will accompany Rasmey and Kiri to Sydney.

Rasmey, who competes in the freestyle and breast stroke events, said that when she first started to swim, it took her about 48 to 50 seconds to cover the 50-meter length of the pool, but she now has her time down to 32.3 seconds.

She is entered in the 50-meter freestyle event in Sydney, where she will face swimmers who regularly post times of 25 seconds or less. The Olympic record of 24.79 was set at the 1992 Barcelona Games by China's Yang Wenyi.

Rasmey began swimming at Cambodia's national stadium, near the center of the capital, at the urging of her parents who also serve as her coaches. She was joined in competition by three brothers, including Kiri, and one sister.

Her father, Hem Thon, 58, was a much-decorated swimmer for the country, winning 12 medals in international events in the 1960s, when the Cambodia's athletes were more competitive.

''In the 1960s, Cambodia's sports were excellent in five areas -- table tennis, bicycle racing, boxing, running and swimming,'' Thon said.

Thon, who is secretary general of the Khmer Amateur Swimming Federation, acknowledges a new pool is needed for Cambodia's next generation of swimming champions. He said the pool at the national stadium is now under renovation.

Despite the obstacles, Ramsey's participation in the Games echoes the true spirit of competition as stated by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics: ''The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.''

COPYRIGHT 2000 Kyodo News International, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group

WORKOUT MUST-HAVES vary from sport to sport--spare tubes for cyclists, goggles for swimmers--but pampering is something all athletes enjoy. And it's not just a luxury, either; hours of training can be hard on hair and skin, making the right products all that more important. Olympic gold medalist (and HERS cover model) Amanda Beard, for instance, practically lives in the pool while preparing to swim in the Games, so she saturates her hair with ThermaSilk Detangler/Leave-in Conditioner before and after swimming--the UV filters protect her color, and the heat of the Tucson sun helps the conditioner penetrate for supersoft strands.

At the end of an Olympian's busy day, a beauty routine can double as relaxation time. Gail Devers, two-time Olympic champion runner who continues to compete worldwide, is a fan of GP Deva (www.gpdeva.com), a first-rate line of essential-oil products--from treatment creams to calming mists--created to help instill the user with a sense of peace.

Here, the products that consistently make it into Olympians' gym bags (most are available at drugstores or your local department-store cosmetics counter):
"I love Clinique skin-care products, because they help with breakouts
and I'm constantly sweating. Also, I use an antibacterial soap like Dial
to ward off any fungus that might come from the mats."
--Liz Burns, 19, judo

"Because I shower so frequently (two to three times per day, depending
on training schedule), I like to splurge for moisturizing soaps with
shea butter. Pre de Provence soaps have a moisturizing consistency and
come in unbelievably natural scents--my favorites are lavender and
honeysuckle."
--Jennifer Devine, 35, rowing, 1996 Olympics

"In weightlifting, we use chalk and it really dries out my hands. They
also get really roughed up from the bar, so putting on hand lotion daily
is a must."
--Tara Nott Cunningham, 32, weightlifting, gold medal in 2000 Olympics

"Being in the water and chlorine all day really dries out my face, so a
good face moisturizer such as Neutrogena is a must. Also, I love my
waterproof mascara!"
--Kimiko Soldati, 29, diving

"I can live without Nature's Gate SPF 30 sunblock, Lancome facial
moisturizer, Bumble & Bumble hair products, Tom's of Maine cinnamon
toothpaste, waterproof Lancome mascara and eyeliner, but I prefer to
always have them on hand."
--Dede Barry, 31, road cycling

"My one beauty must-have is Aveda Hair Detoxifier shampoo. When you
spend as much time in the water as I do, you have to get the chlorine
out of your hair to be able to do anything with it."
--Rachel Komisarz, 27, swimming

"I always have two or three tubes of Blistex Lip Medex lying around. My
lips are addicted to it!"
--Carrie Chandler, 23, judo

"I usually wear Maybelline Expert Eyes pencil eyeliner and Maybelline
Lash Discovery waterproof mascara."
--Tara Cross-Battle, 35, volleyball, bronze medal in 1992 Olympics, 1996
and 2000 Olympics

"I really like Arbonne Save Face & Body Sunscreen. It's thick, so it
stays on longer than most sunscreens I've tried, and it never makes me
break out--always a plus! The sun and chlorine bleach my eyelashes, so I
actually dye them black--a handy trick, because I look like I have
mascara on but it never runs."
--Heather Petri, 26, water polo, silver medal in 2000 Olympicss

"I make my own face soap out of lye, olive oil, Crisco, canola oil and
oatmeal, which exfoliates, and lavender, to make it smell wonderful. It
prevents breakouts or any skin problems."
--Alison Dunlap, 35, mountain biking, 1996 and 2000 Olympics

"Kiehl's Lip Balm is the best lip balm I've found. Now that it comes in
SPF 15, it's great for wearing during practice and games."
--Cindy Parlow, 26, soccer, gold medal in 1996 Olympics and silver in
2000 Olympics

"Lady Mitchum Hydro-Solid Deodorant--it's the best!"
--Stacy Nuveman, 26, softball, gold medal in 2000 Olympics

"When I want to look like I'm not wearing makeup, which is always, I
wear Prescriptives Traceless foundation and MAC lip gloss."
--Lindsay Benko, 27, swimming, gold medal in 2000 Olympics

"I love Bath & Body Works line of fragrances and lotions: moonlit path
and warm vanilla sugar are my two favorite flavors. I also use their
Pure Simplicity line of face products. For television interviews. I use
Maybelline Lash Discovery mascara and Revlon SkinLights Diffusing Tint
to hide the lines from my glasses or helmet strap. Finally, I have
short hair that frames my face, so my eyebrows have to be tamed:
Tweezers are a must!"
--Tanya Lindenmuth, 25, track cycling, 2000 Olympics

"For facial sunscreen. I use Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer, which has
SPF 15. I also like Aussie 3-Minute Miracle conditioner for my hair."
--Amy Acuff, 29, high jump, 1996 and 2000 Olympics

"I'm a big fan of Neutrogena Body Oil to help with skin dried out from
all the chlorine. Biolage Conditioning Balm for my hair helps, too."
--Nicolle Payne, 28, water polo, silver medal in 2000 Olympics

"I must have my L.A. Looks gel. I also have to have my huge bottle of
Pantene Pro-V conditioner. I use both shampoo and conditioner, but with
my brittle hair, I can't shampoo every day, so the conditioner is a
must. And last but not least. I love lotion. If I could bathe in it, I
would. I tote around an enormous bottle of Lubriderm."
--Maritza Correia, 22, swimming

"I always use Coppertone sunblock. It isn't very oily, and it smells
like the beach. Chamois cream is essential as well: I use Sixtufit
Olympia Sport Creme--also nonoily and smells great. After I ride or
race, but before I can shower, I use facial toner--it prevents
blemishes, especially around the helmet straps. Finally, I like Nanak's
Lip Smoothies in almond flavor, the best lip balm ever."
--Susan Haywood, 32, mountain biking

"I wouldn't be able to survive the harsh sun without Pre-Sun sunblock.
Aveeno Diaper Rash Cream or Banana Boat Baby Block sunblock. Those three
products save my skin. For my face, I use MD Formulations Moisture
Defense Antioxidant Creme and Chanel eye cream, and wash my hair with
Pantene Pro-V."
--Alison Bartosik, 21, synchronized swimming

"Because of the chemicals in the pool and the California sun, I can't
live without a good face moisturizer. I use Neutrogena Healthy Defense
SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer, which doesn't cause breakouts or sting my face
after a rough day in the pool."
--Tara Kirk, 22, swimming

BEING A world-class athlete and a member of the International Olympic Committee at the same time takes its toll, and the multiple world and Olympic swimming champion Alexander Popov knows it first hand.

As a new IOC member, Popov is attending this week's session in Moscow, which voted yesterday for Beijing as the host city for the 2008 Games. Immediately following the session, Popov was due to board a flight to Japan to compete at the world swimming championships, which start in Fukuoka on Monday.

"I get up at six in the morning because by seven I'm already in a pool doing laps," Popov said on Thursday. "I've done most of the training way before, this is just to keep you in shape so you don't lose the competitive edge."
The swimmer added that he was pleasantly surprised when told he could train in a 50-metre pool in the city centre instead of mini- pool at a Moscow hotel where IOC members are staying. Popov said he swims for about 45 to 50 minutes each morning, then rushes to attend the various IOC board meetings, which begin at around 9am. After a short mid-afternoon rest, he has to take part in more meetings.

"If I'm lucky I can squeeze another training late afternoon. Then, after a quiet supper it's time to go to bed," he said. "Ideally, I'd like to go to sleep by 10pm, although it's not always possible."

The Canberra-based Popov's preparations for the world championships have been further handicapped by the absence of his long-time coach Gennady Touretski, who was found in possession of anabolic steroids earlier this year.
Touretski was suspended by the Australian swimming federation pending the outcome of a court case which has been postponed until next month.

Popov, who has repeatedly spoken out in support of his coach in the past, would not discuss the case nor would he talk about his chances in Fukuoka, where he plans to swim both the 50 and 100m freestyle and also two relays if Russia make the finals. "Like I said, I've done most of the preparations a long time ago, so being on my own wouldn't make much of a difference," said Popov.

Popov, who was denied a chance to become the first male swimmer to win golds at three consecutive Olympics last year in Sydney, also evaded questions about his future in the pool. "I can do it for as long as I want to," said the swimmer, who will turn 30 in November. "I don't have to prove anything to anybody anymore. I can retire tomorrow or could swim for another three or four years.

It would seem that the simple pleasures and singular skills of the traditional sport are no longer enough for some. The quest for adrenalin is producing scores of hybrids. Take canoe polo, for example.

Curly Barker, competition secretary of the World Canoe Polo Championships, to be held in Sheffield in July, spends six days a week teaching and practising the game. He doesn't have a love life. On Wednesday evenings he co-runs classes with Alex Longson, the National Canoe Polo League Organiser, at the University of London Union swimming pool. They spend the first half of the session teaching students technique, the second half playing the game.

Canoe polo is played with a water polo ball - the size of a small football. Throwing involves holding the ball above your head and twisting your torso in order to give the ball maximum momentum. Women should swiftly get out of the habit of throwing girlie netball shots or else suffer a barrage of taunts. The ball is either passed or dribbled, by throwing the ball in the desired direction and paddling towards it. It can only be held for five seconds and should never be carried on the spraydeck.

Although an official game only lasts 20 minutes in total (10 minutes each way), it can feel like a marathon. A player has to think of marking, passing, paddling, scoring and balancing all at once. Players with bigger biceps can push opponents hard enough to cause them to capsize. Experienced canoeists go under and snap back up out of the water with, impressively, the ball still in their hands.

The speed of the game, along with the splashing and acoustics of a swimming pool, all help create an electric atmosphere. As with any sport, emotions and competitive spirit run extremely high. It is not uncommon for conflicts to occur - Barker himself was involved in a heated and aggressive debate when an opponent's canoe bolted straight into and over his. The petite referee had enough good sense not to get involved, letting the men sort it out among themselves. 'They'll probably be buying each other drinks in the bar later on,' she said nonchalantly.

Perhaps the demise of the one-skill sport is leading to the birth of a new post-match etiquette. Certainly, after the canoes had been hauled up and drained of water, it was I, not Barker, who ended up splashing out on a round of drinks at the bar.