By Annie Grevers, Swimming World Staff Writer
I grew up in San Antonio, Texas. It was not reputed to be a swimming hotspot. My club struggled to find consistent water to rent, and long course pools in San Antonio were as hard to find as a nose clip in your swim bag. But the swimming scape in my hometown has changed dramatically.
What is San Antonio known for? The Alamo. The River Walk. The Spurs. Fantastic Mexican cuisine. And now the gorgeous Northside Swim Center. The addition on a the state-of-the-art facility has put San Antonio on every elite swimmer’s seasonal map.
The Nationwide U.S. Masters Swimming Spring Nationals held in April presented an opportunity for the swim center to get the kinks out before the onslaught of championship meets which will begin July 30. The meet gave this retired swimmer an opportunity to return to my hometown and do what I love– race for the fun of it. The meet ran without a hitch, from the swimmers’ perspective.
The Northside Swim Center boasts covered seating overlooking the pool for 2,500 spectators. Unlike many pools, which seem to squish in seating for swim fans, this place was made for an audience. The Northside Swim Center will make swimming feel as big-time as the Super Bowl for its competitors throughout the month of August.
Photo Courtesy: San Antonio Sports
The 2015 Speedo Junior National Championships (July 30-Aug. 3), the Phillips 66 U.S. National Championships (Aug.6-10), and the World Deaf Swimming Championships (August 17-22) will round out a busy month for the complex. Next summer, the center will host the U.S. Olympic Team’s domestic training camp.
The buzz of anticipation for these events has been doing phenomenal things in this city.
San Antonio Sports, an organization devoted to transforming the community through the power of sport, has dubbed this “The Year of Swimming” for the city. The organization has taken advantage of the world class events to introduce non-swimmers, or even those afraid of the water, to the sport of swimming. The VIVA SWIM For Life initiative was created as part of the “Year of Swimming” to provide free lessons to San Antonio families who lack the basic skills to stay afloat.
Olympian Matt Grevers awarded VIVA SWIM medals at the U.S. Masters Nationals in April. Photo Courtesy: San Antonio Sports
Ten local swim lesson providers at 50 pools are participating in this campaign to get kids and adults comfortable and confident in the pool. University Health System and USA Swimming, along with countless other local sponsors, made free swim lessons possible at all 24 City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation pools.
There were 2,880 available VIVA SWIM lessons at city pools in July. Only nine slots remained vacant. This community is taking advantage of the outstanding gift provided by VIVA SWIM For Life– the gift of a lifelong, lifesaving skill. All children and adults completing swim lessons between March 1 and August 9 receive two free tickets to Phillips 66 Nationals prelims and a VIVA SWIM medal from local Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis.
No doubt about it, the San Antonio community is making its soil fertile to raise up a crop of inspired swimmers, who may just grow to be the next Josh Davis or Jimmy Feigen. This San Antonian is proud to see swimming deepening its roots and saving lives in this community.
San Antonio’s golden boy Josh Davis awarded medals to those who completed their VIVA SWIM lessons. Photo Courtesy: San Antonio Sports
Luke Shaw