Love Columbia and Wilson’s Fitness partner with Coach Kat on a special Adult Learn-to-Swim Class
Miss Ronnie Kitchen (67) took a deep breath and jumped into the deep end of the MAC swimming pool. She popped back up to enthusiastic cheering from her teammates. “You know, that was kind of fun!” chuckled Ronnie, “Now, swim me back over to where I can touch.”
“You don’t need me to swim you over there!” laughed head coach Kathryn Fishman-Weaver (“Coach Kat”) as she and Ronnie swam back to the ladder together.
“You would hardly believe that just two weeks ago, most of these swimmers had never put their face in the water,” said Coach Kat, who was simultaneously shivering in the cold and glowing with joy.
It was late August and fall breezes already hung in the air. Even though the temperatures had dropped and the sun was setting, the group was reluctant to leave the pool. This evening marked the end of our Love Columbia and Wilson’s Fitness Adult Learn-to-Swim Pilot Program.
As the website reads, Love Columbia serves to “connect relationships and resources to love people forward and engage the whole community.” This collaboration with Coach Kat and Wilson’s Fitness did exactly that. Like 37% of adults in the United States, prior to our program, Ronnie Kitchen, Larisa Segers, and Tabitha Kimble hadn’t yet had the opportunity to learn to swim. The U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) Adult Learn-to-Swim (ALTS) initiative is on the front lines of transforming that statistic. Coach Kat who is a certified ALTS instructor is passionate about sharing her love of swimming with her community.
Tabitha Kimble, one of the swim students, shared that she is “very thankful” for this opportunity. She adds that “Coach Kat made me so comfortable with the water and I trusted her! These four classes have changed my life, I never put my head under the water and now I am jumping in the water and swimming small laps! I am very grateful!”
“Learning to swim has been on my bucket list for years,” agrees Larisa Segers, “but my family’s needs are prioritized over mine, so I kind of gave up. This opportunity was such a blessing.” says Larisa. “It boosted my courage to learn how to swim at 46 years old.” Larisa has the opportunity to go on a cruise next week and she adds that these “lessons came in the knick of time! And the coaches were awesome!”
Ronnie agrees, calling the swim instructors “patient, compassionate, and innovative in their guidance of us through this journey.” From swimmers to coaches, everyone says these swim lessons were truly special.
Mary Bean, a former competitive swimmer who practices regularly in Coach Kat’s Monday group swim class at Wilson’s, volunteered to help coach the lessons. “Mary is a natural teacher,” says Coach Kat. “When I asked if she wanted to volunteer, she didn’t hesitate. She then showed up to every practice enthusiastic and always ready to demonstrate great technique, and encourage the class.”
“Coaching in this adult learn-to-swim program has been such a rewarding experience.” says Mary. “I’ve always loved teaching, but I’ve never really had the chance to work with adults in this way before. Watching them overcome hesitation and realize they can swim has been an incredible highlight of my summer.”
One evening during the program, Mary’s friend, Kathleen Matz reached out to get together. Mary told her that she had swim practice but that Kathleen was welcome to come along. Kathleen had some recreational experience coming into the class but no formal training. She jumped into the practices with curiosity and a willingness to learn.
“Like so many swimmers,” Coach Kat said Kathleen had questions about breathing techniques in freestyle. “And, as often happens, once her breathing became more natural, she became more unstoppable.”
At 67, Ronnie Kitchen was the most senior member of our group, and at 14, Lilah Weaver was the youngest. Ronnie says that “Learning to swim at this later season of my life has been an amazing new skill.” She adds that “it has regenerated my sedentary body and mind.”
Lilah attended the four swim practices and helped in a variety of ways, gathering equipment, joining the swimmers in the pool, and offering ongoing encouragement. “It was so amazing,” says Lilah, “to see everyone go from basic skills to really swimming.”
Coach Kat was touched that Lilah—who is her daughter—helped with the program. “I am thankful that, like me, she got to know some incredible women in our community. Miss Ronnie, Larisa, and Tabitha are role models for lifelong learning and practicing courage.”
Miss Ronnie sums it up best; now that she knows how to swim, she says she also knows that she can do anything!
Kathryn Fishman-Weaver is a lifelong educator. When she isn’t in the classroom, her favorite place to be is the water. Kathryn enjoys pool and open water swimming (OWS), stand up paddleboard (SUP), and sharing her love of the water with others. She holds a PhD in educational leadership and is a United States Masters Swimming (USMS) coach and certified adult learn-to-swim instructor.