Monthly Archives: June 2014

On Friday, June 20th, over a dozen ABSC swimmers launched into the pool to help out with The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson.

This event, sponsored by a coalition of the nation’s leading water safety and training organizations, takes place every year at the end of June.  All across the nation, swim instructors and their students take to the water at the same time, in an effort to promote water safety and introduce children to the sport of swimming.

Organized locally by the Athens Clarke County Department of Leisure Services, this was the debut of the WLSL in our area, and for those who participated, the experience was well worth the time, as over a hundred non-swimming children at four locations received instruction on their strokes.

ABSC Swimmers helped spread the love of swimming at the WLSL’s East Athens location

ABSC swimmers who participated include:

East Athens:  Coach Kevin Taylor, Anna Ash, Jacob Colquitt, Grace Mauldin, Nick Mauldin, Jake Mauldin and Lena Visser

Lay Park:  Caroline Allen, Megan Measel, and Alexis Shirley

Rocksprings:  Evan Brook, Hannah Scarbrough and Troy Zhao

Memorial Park:  Danielle Dellatorre, Madison Rogan, and Skylar Rogan

In a letter to the ABSC participants, Ben Nyquist, the organizer for this year’s event wrote, “I got nothing but great feedback and complements on the program and how much help you all were. I know all of you have a very busy summer schedules with practice, coaching, etc., so to take the time last Friday to help these kids improve their swimming skills meant not only a ton to me but to the parents of these children as well.”

To those who helped out we, on the staff, would like to echo those sentiments, saying “great job and taters all around!”

Now that summer is here, it’s time to turn our attention to long course pools and swimming outside.

Though our schedule for the summer will, for the most part, remain the same as it has in years past, ABSC is pleased to announce that through our partnership with the YWCO and ACC Leisure Services, we will be offering an opportunity for Underdawgs, Gups, Pups, and Masters to extend their training through the entire summer season (May 27th – July 25th).

Bishop Park looks great,
with its long course lanes.

Masters will switch their training time to the mornings and move outside, as they take up residence at Bishop Park, which can now be set up in long and short course configurations.

Though most practices will be short course, the schedule will include a long course training session every Wednesday.  The cost is a $125 flat fee.  Practices will run as follows:

• Monday,  6:00 to 7:00 am at the YWCO,
• Tuesday through Friday, 6:30 to 7:30 am at Bishop Park (long course on Wednesdays)

For Pups, Gups, and Underdawgs, we are offering “a taste of long course” to supplement their summer league schedule.  This includes a weekly practice at Ramsey and an invitation to participate in long course meets.  The cost for the Taste of Long Course is a $100 flat fee.

• Wednesday, 9:00 to 10:30 am at Ramsey

Questions about Morning Masters should be directed to Coach Tim Demott.  For information about at Taste of Long Course, contact Coach Mike Radford.