I hate swimming

As part of my Human Movement course we have to do a swimming unit which is at a higher standard then an auswim course. We have to do technically correct strokes good enough for competition and saving skills for both ourselves if we ever find ourselves miles out to sea and saving other people.

Then it got me thinking why is swimming in this course?? Why isn't football or athletics in the main part of the course? Is this the only reason why aussies are only good at swimming because that's were all the effort goes? Then why aren't we focusing on other sports such as athletics that we suck at?

Some of the skills we learn are good life skills (if anyone ever finds enough water to swim in) but I'm sure 85% of the people doing the course don't care that their elbows aren't high enough out of the water and it will be enough for us to swim as we always did.