By The Public Communications Office
In this episode of “What’s Up, College Station?” Marketing Coordinator Grace Hallowell and Aquatics and Special Events Supervisor Ashley Waldon talk about summer swim lessons, the Tsunami Swim Team, season pool passes, and the Master Swim Program for adults.
Transcript
Grace Hallowell:
What’s up College Station? My name is Grace Hallowell, and I am joined with Ashley Waldon, our Aquatics and Special Events Supervisor. Hi, Ashley.
Ashley Waldon:
Hi. How are you doing?
Grace Hallowell:
I am doing well. You’re back again to talk about some exciting things in the world of aquatics and our college station pools. We have a bunch of things to cover today, so we’ll get right into it, starting with our swim lessons.
Ashley Waldon:
So this past Monday, we opened up our swim lesson registration. We have four different sessions throughout the summer, which are about two weeks long, and consist of eight different lessons in each session. We offer swim lessons from six months old up until adult age. So anyone who’s looking to learn how to swim, you have an opportunity here in College Station aquatics.
Grace Hallowell:
Yes, and swimming lessons are very, very important at any age.
Ashley Waldon:
Absolutely.
Grace Hallowell:
Knowing what to do in the water. So let’s talk about a little bit of safety around the pool.
Ashley Waldon:
Absolutely. Yeah, so every swim lesson also has a water safety topic that’s discussed, whether it be focusing on safety around the pool or even just the appropriate clothes to wear and the weather outside. There’s a lot of good information that you can gain from going to swim lessons outside of just learning how to swim.
Grace Hallowell:
Yes, and then there is, in addition to the swimming lessons, if you feel more confident in your abilities, we do have some limited spaces left on the swim team, correct?
Ashley Waldon:
Yeah. Our Tsunami swim team is a summer league swim team, and we do have limited registration available, although we do have a meet the coaches and swim evaluation night that will take place the last week in April. So if you’re not quite sure if you’re fitting into the swim team yet, you can always come out for an evaluation and then decide on registration once you’re there.
Grace Hallowell:
What are the qualifications for the swim team?
Ashley Waldon:
So that is just swimming a 25 yard swim unassisted. So that means not grabbing onto the wall or stopping.
Grace Hallowell:
Any stroke?
Ashley Waldon:
Any stroke. It can be completely backstroke. It can be doggy paddle, as long as you can make it across the pool unassisted.
Grace Hallowell:
For our less confident swimmers or maybe our younger ones, what is the youngest age someone can participate in swim lessons?
Ashley Waldon:
For swim lessons, you have to be at least six months old. We have a water babies and tots program where you come with your parents. So it is expected that the parent or guardian that is bringing the child to swim lessons gets in the water as well. But, we do have lessons starting at six months old.
Grace Hallowell:
That sounds really young, but it’s really important, especially when they are that young to teach them the instinct on what to do in the water and the pool.
Ashley Waldon:
And just gaining that comfortability.
Grace Hallowell:
Yes.
Ashley Waldon:
Because once you hit that four to five year old range, you typically get a little scared of water. New things are scary. So being sure to build that comfortability from a young age is super important.
Grace Hallowell:
Yes. I started swimming lessons when, gosh, I was probably three years old. My mom was like, she’s got to learn how to be in the water. I grew up near the lake and I loved it. I took to it like a fish, but I was a little afraid to swim underwater. So that’s what took some time. But, I had a really good swimming lesson instructor who got me over that fear and worked with me, and I became a confident swimmer after that.
Ashley Waldon:
Absolutely. Yeah. Our swim instructors loved to watch that progression in our swim lesson participants.
Grace Hallowell:
Yes, and they really do. They make an impact. I remember my teacher, Mr. Dan. If you’re out there, Mr. Dan, and watching. I doubt it. But yeah, they definitely are. They make an impression on you. So in addition to the swim lessons, if you don’t want to join the swim team or take lessons, or if you’re already taking lessons, we have pool passes available, correct?
Ashley Waldon:
Yes, absolutely. So we have a large range of different passes that you can purchase so that it fits your needs. We have individual season passes as well as family season passes. And then we also have punch passes, which are, you get 25 entries. So if you were to purchase a punch pass, you would be able to use that for anyone who is coming with you and you get 25 entries into the pool facility.
Grace Hallowell:
Wow, that is a lot.
Ashley Waldon:
Yeah, it’s a very popular one, especially if you were wanting to do a small party during public hours. You can purchase that pass and utilize it for any guest that you have coming in for that.
Grace Hallowell:
So is there anything else you can tell us today, Ashley?
Ashley Waldon:
Yeah, we have our master swim program. It is coming back after two years of not being a program that we’ve hosted, and that is for adults looking to work on their stroke refinement and wanting to get swim workouts in the pool and coaching from our swim team coaches.
Grace Hallowell:
Yes. That sounds like a very fun program. I know water fitness is a great exercise, a low impact exercise for all ages, especially adults. When your joints start aching, it’s a great stress relief on the body.
Ashley Waldon:
Yes. We also have all of our water aerobics classes, which are very, very beneficial both physically and socially. We have a lot of great participants that come out. They love to socialize throughout the class, but also get a good workout on as well.
Grace Hallowell:
Yes. Well, thank you so much, Ashley, for being here and sharing all of this great information about our pools with us. If people have questions and need to find out more, where can they go?
Ashley Waldon:
They can go to cstx.gov/pools, or you can call our parks and recreation department at 979-764-3486.
Grace Hallowell:
All right. Well, thank you so much, Ashley.
Ashley Waldon:
Absolutely. Thank you, Grace.
Grace Hallowell:
You’re welcome. And that’s what’s up.
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