Yes, that's true and such pools are ubiquitous in Australia. The town I grew up in, 200km from the ocean, population 4,500, had a full Olympic size 50m pool. It

Yes, that's true and such pools are ubiquitous in Australia. The town I grew up in, 200km from the ocean, population 4,500, had a full Olympic size 50m pool. It was just one of the local amenities. We had school swimming carnivals where everyone was expected to swim in at least one 50m race. I don't think the same access to pools is true in other more temperate climates, at least not from my experience living in Europe. Skiing for kids in Austria isn't quite at the same level, depending on where you live perhaps, but my son is off to a school ski race event later this month, with thirteen of his classmates. It's an officially sanctioned school event.