Fort Bragg Swim School teaches swimming, water safety to youth

By Michelle Butzgy
Paraglide

	Photo by Michelle Butzgy/Paraglide Babies push a basketball to each other during swim lessons, with the help of their parents, at Tolson Youth Activities Center indoor pool July 9.

A summer without swimming isn’t much of a summer. For children who don’t know how to swim or would like to improve their strokes, look no further than the Fort Bragg Swim School.

The school offers sessions of 10, 45-minute classes for $50 for children 6 months and older from 5 to 7 p.m. at Tolson Youth Activities Center pool.

“I think this summer our program is off to a very good start,” said Jennifer Pearson, Fort Bragg aquatics director. “Parents are happy with the two weeks back to back because their kids are progressing a lot faster. We feel like we’re accommodating a lot of the Fort Bragg Families.”

Students learn six different swimming strokes such as backstroke, front crawl and butterfly, said Lindsey Burnham, Tolson pool assistant manager.

Children are placed in levels determined by their current ability in the water. Water safety is also taught during the lessons — an important skill emphasized by Make a Splash, a national child-focused water safety initiative created by the USA Swimming Foundation, with the goal of teaching every child in America how to swim.

Fort Bragg is a member, added Burnham. All water safety instructors are certified.
The last session of the summer begins Monday though Aug. 19.

For more information, contact Pearson at 643-8533.

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