As the summer season kicks off, many families and community members are looking for local swimming activities. Fortunately for Shorewood residents, the Shorewood Recreation Department is a community leader in aquatics programming and offers many options for water enthusiasts of all ages.
One of the most popular offerings is group swim lessons, which range from parent/child classes all the way up to teen and adult swim instruction. Each level focuses on different skill sets, and there is a class for every ability. The goal is to help children and adults develop positive attitudes toward being in the water while introducing and developing proper swimming techniques.
“We signed up for the parent/child swim class to get our son acquainted with the water and to also get acquainted with other kids and parents in the community,” says Shorewood resident Kristen Hogan. “The teacher was great with the kids and offered a variety of activities that could be modified for all ages to keep everyone engaged. We would definitely recommend the parent/child swim class, as it provided a fun setting for our child to get used to the water, as well as a safe and stress-free social setting, especially in times of social distancing.”
For those interested in a more specialized option, private and semi-private swim lessons are also available with certified swim instructors.
Another popular offering is Aqua Boot Camp, which provides participants with a combination of swimming, strength training and core work both in the water and on deck. Classes are offered twice a week and include exercise sets such as swim sprints and resistance training.
“We’re trying to incorporate as many water fitness classes back into the schedule as we can,” says Perry Perkins, recreation supervisor. “We are still taking all the proper precautions and following strict protocols to make sure our programs are safe, but we are listening to the community about what offerings they want to see. Our hope is to make our aquatic programs as diverse as our staff and community. Additionally, we are excited to get into the newly renovated Shorewood High School pool, so we can continue to grow, develop and serve the residents of Shorewood.”
With an estimated 60 hours per week of swimming programming scheduled for the summer, the Recreation Department has nearly 45 trained lifeguards slated to monitor the pools. The lifeguards, most of whom participated in the lifeguard training course offered by the Recreation Department, range in age from 15 to 74.
The oldest is Marine Corps vet John Zmudzinski, who says he is excited to be working as a lifeguard this summer. “I completed the Recreation Department’s lifeguard course earlier this year, and it was an excellent program that I would highly recommend,” Zmudzinski says. “I was looking for a new challenge to stay active, and I landed on lifeguarding. I believe we are only here on earth for a short time, so we better make the best of it.”
For a full list of aquatics offerings and to sign up for classes, visit the Recreation Department website at shorewoodrec.org or call 414.963.6913.
[Pictured: New to lifeguarding at age 74, John Zmudzinski stands above swimmers at the Shorewood VHE Pool. Photo by Patrick Manning.]
This story is also published in the Shorewood Today magazine.