“Now whenever anyone asks, I can say I know how to swim! I’m excited to practice the skills I learned this summer. It was easier because Coach Kat believed in me and encouraged me every step of the way. I’m so grateful I decided to sign up for these lessons. I made great memories, gained a new life skill, and had fun along the way.” —Lujain Alaboud, Adult Learn-to-Swim Graduate
A Shared Beginning
Ashlynn Carter had wanted to take swimming lessons for a long time, but she knew she needed coaching to gain confidence in the water. That is when she saw another adult learn-to-swim student featured on Wilson’s Fitness’s social media. The story inspired her to reach out and learn more.
Around the same time, Lujain Alaboud was also looking for lessons and quickly found her way to Kathryn Fishman-Weaver, “Coach Kat,” who leads the adult swimming programs at Wilson’s Fitness.
Coach Kat says when they reached out, she asked each swimmer about her learn-to-swim goals. Both wanted to master the basics and be able to swim safely across the pool.
“I always ask new swimmers what success will mean for them,” said Coach Kat. “Every swimmer’s journey to the pool is unique. In addition to water safety and confidence, I want to make sure we’re working toward what matters most to them.”
By the end of the eight lessons, Ashlynn hoped to incorporate swimming into her fitness routine, while Lujain wanted to feel comfortable having fun at the pool with friends. For her, that meant having the confidence to jump into the deep end and swim safely to the ladder.
Rather than waiting for individual lesson spots to open, Ashlynn suggested that she and Lujain sign up for tag-team (partner) lessons together. Coach Kat says partner lessons are a wonderful option.
“It’s always more fun to train with a friend, and having a built-in fitness partner adds a layer of accountability that can help you keep working toward your goals.”
Over the past two years, Coach Kat has taught tag-team lessons to spouses, close friends, and mothers and daughters, but this was the first time two strangers had signed up together.
At their first lesson, Ashlynn and Lujain met one another, learned the basics of using swim caps and goggles, took a deep, courageous breath, and stepped into the pool.
“There is so much emotion that can come up when learning to swim,” said Coach Kat, who begins her lessons with a focus on comfort, courage, and feeling safe. “For many of my adult learn-to-swim swimmers, that first lesson is the first time they’ve put their head under water, and that is a big deal.”
Lujain was one of these swimmers and says the accomplishment she is proudest of came before swimming across the pool. “The goal I’m most proud of accomplishing was my biggest goal, which was getting over my fear of being in the water without a floaty. I remember being afraid to even put my head under the water. Once I got over my fear, I realized how fun swimming actually is.”
Week by week, Ashlynn and Lujain built their skills, progressing from exhaling underwater to floating and gliding, and eventually to swimming both backstroke and freestyle.
Ashlynn credits Coach Kat’s encouragement for making the process feel approachable. “Coach Kat was awesome, relentlessly positive and supportive.”
Their lessons began in the spring and concluded in the summer, when the outdoor pools were open. Coach Kat says having access to the outdoor MAC pool for some lessons allowed her to teach additional water safety and deep-water skills.
The MAC pool was also the setting for their final lesson. It was just a couple of weeks before Lujain returned to college and the first cool evening in weeks. The two women, who had become both swimmers and friends, demonstrated their growing skills and confidence as they swam back and forth across the lanes.
A Leap Into Deep Water
As the sun set behind them and the clouds turned orange and pink, Coach Kat moved their practice to the diving well.
“Deep water—the diving well is nine feet deep—gave us the opportunity to do more than demonstrate swim safety skills abstractly,” said Coach Kat. “We were able to use them purposefully and joyfully.”
Ashlynn and Lujain took turns jumping off the diving board and swimming confidently across the diving well. Coach Kat says watching those swims is a moment she will never forget.
“I’ve been coaching adult learn-to-swim for years now, and moments like that are still magic.”
Lujain smiled, looked back at the diving board, and laughed. “I can’t believe I did that!”
As the three of them dried off, wrapping towels around their shoulders to warm up from the cool breeze, Coach Kat asked, “Do you have any advice for adults who are thinking about signing up for lessons?”
“If you are thinking about doing it, do it.” said Ashlynn. “It is low impact, it is fun, and you will develop the basic skills to participate in group stuff which makes it more fun.”
Lujain agreed. “It’s never too late to learn something new, especially something so important; and,” she adds smiling, “you might surprise yourself with what you can do.”
The two new swimmers have one more tip: If you’re on the waitlist, ask Coach Kat whether someone else has similar goals and would be willing to join you for tag-team lessons.
“I loved doing tag team training with someone I hadn’t met before.” says Ashlynn, “I honestly suggested doing a tag team just hoping that it would move me up the wait list, but ultimately it made the lessons more fun.”
She paused before adding something that Coach Kat and Lujain were feeling, too. “I am genuinely very sad it is over. It was my favorite thing I did this summer.”