Competitive Swimming for Young Athletes
By: Bakersfield College
Topics: Bakersfield College, swimming, pool, lessons, olympics
Posted by amberc Mon Sep 29, 2008 16:19:15 PDT
Viewed 820 times
0 responses 0 comments Location: 1801 Panorama Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93305
Beijing’s Summer Olympics and the success of American swimmers such as Michael Phelps did much to increase national interest in the sport of swimming. Since the conclusion of the games less than one month ago, USA Swimming, the national governing organization for swimming in the United States, has seen a five percent surge in participation in swimming programs.
Locally, swimmers of all ages are taking to pools across Bakersfield for a glimpse of the chlorinated world that made swimmers such as Phelps famous. While many are seeking casual respite from the searing summer heat, others are starting to experience competitive swimming for the very first time.
At Bakersfield College, competitive swimming is being brought to local elementary school students through a program designed to introduce younger children to competitive swimming in order to prepare them for high school and college teams. Born out of the college’s annual summer swimming lesson program, this year’s program includes 100 students from six elementary schools from the immediate area around Bakersfield College, 43 alone from Dr. Juliet Thorner Elementary.
“Each year we have swimming lessons here at Bakersfield College, and each year we are asked if we have anything else to offer these children,” explained Tina Cummings, Bakersfield College Aquatics Director. “We decided to pilot a program with Thorner last year and had 25 students in the program. Word of mouth carried the program to other schools and now we have 100 students.”
The elementary swim program is an introduction to competitive swimming techniques.
Information was distributed to families through the schools and the six teams were formed. Teams are from both public and private elementary schools.
Cost for the program is $125 per student for the eight week season and includes a team t-shirt, awards, meet entries, ribbons and a banquet at the end of the season. Fees from the program benefit the Bakersfield College Swim Team and the pool facilities. Parents provide transportation to and from the program, with many watching and cheering from under popup tents with fans in soaring temperatures.
At the start of the eight week season, students are tested on their swimming ability and provided additional instruction by Bakersfield College Swim Team members who have taught during the summer lesson series.
Students from Kindergarten through sixth grade participate and are separated into groups for specialized instruction, from basic stroke and breathing management through more advanced techniques to generate power. All that is required to participate is the ability to swim a lap of freestyle in Bakersfield College’s small pool.
At the end of the eight week season, the schools in the program will compete in a meet against one another with prizes and awards to all teams participating.
“We are really just hoping to introduce swimming to students in elementary schools who wouldn’t have the option,” said Cummings.
Bakersfield College will be starting a high school development program for junior high and high school students in November which will run through January. The program will be an introduction to swimming for new swimmers and a conditioning program for returning high school swimmers. The pools at Bakersfield College are heated, so participants don’t have to worry about swimming in cold weather.
“Training in the winter is really a way to get into shape for the spring season,” said Cummings. “Students who participate in the winter session will be ready for the high school swim season at their school.”
To find out more about the competitive swimming programs at Bakersfield College, call Tina Cummings at 395-4663.
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