Tag Archives: swimming

Posted on by

Detroit Swims Makes Summer Safer

All children deserve to develop the skills to be safe around water, no matter what their economic status or skin color happens to be. But a national study by USA Swimming found that nearly 70 percent of African-American and Hispanic children have low to no swim skills, and are three times more likely to have a drowning or near-drowning incident than Caucasian children.

For children in Detroit, the reality is stark: of 120,000 children in the city, it’s estimated 100,000 of them can’t swim; many have never entered a pool. Most municipal pools in the city have closed in recent years. But the YMCA program Detroit Swims is turning that tide. Since the program launched in 2010, 1,300 children have taken swim classes through Detroit Swims at no cost to them. Program staff transport them to local high school pools, provide them with a suit and swim gear, and work with them to ensure that they learn enough skills to be safe around water.

It’s fitting, since the Y is  the largest single provider of swimming lessons in the country and more or less invented the way swim instruction is provided. And now Detroit Swims is using that expertise to literally save — and transform — lives.

Gwendolyn Howard believes in the program so much she’s taken responsibility to supervise her granddaughter Madison Tate, 10, and her classmates at Dickson Elementary School when they come to Detroit Swims at Cody High School. Madison already liked swimming and had some experience doing it, and has learned how to dive over the course of the program. Gwendolyn, a retired social worker, acknowledged the barriers many parents in the city face in getting their children to swim, with public pools falling victim to budgets cuts and few if any private pools available, but says this is a critical issue. “Detroit parents need to seek this out,” she says. “Everybody needs to be familiar with the water.”

Kids like Laura Whitley are living proof of the program’s effectiveness. Before she participated in Detroit Swims, she was afraid to even go near the deep end of the pool. Now, she can confidently backstroke across the deep end like she’s been doing it all her young life. “I was a little scared before, because I’m small,” she says. “Now I love it.”

Posted on by

13 Reasons to Support the Y in 2013

Most people know the Y as a place for “gym and swim,” and fostering healthy living is a core part of the Y’s mission. But the Y does much more than that in the community and for the community. Over the last year we’ve shared some of those stories of how the people at the Y — members and staff — go above and beyond to do everything from ensuring everyone has a place at the Y to fostering future Olympians to raising student performance in school. Here’s a look at some of those stories….and we look forward to bringing you even more in 2013!

1. Everyone belongs at the Y. If there’s one thing that defines the Y more than anything else, that’s it. From people with disabilities to seniors to single parents and everyone in between, the Y, through the Strong Kids Campaign, ensures everyone who could benefit can be a part of the Y. More than that, though, the welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff make people feel like valued members of the Y family.

2. The Y provides access to the arts to people who might not otherwise have a path discover their creative spark. The Detroit Creativity Project, supported by a group of successful Detroit-expatriate actors and comedians now mostly living in Los Angeles, has provided more than 100 high school students with improvisation classes taught by local professionals. Y-Arts instructors are prominent in their fields in addition to teaching kids the fundamentals of visual arts, hip-hop, acting and more. And the lobby gallery of the Boll Family YMCA provides a space for the community to see the work of well-respected artists in all media.

3. The Metro Youth YMCA, or MY-Y, encourages youth to achieve their dreams — and beyond. From showing them a path to college to actually driving them to out-of-state scholarship interviews, MY-Y impacts at-risk young people’s lives for the better.

4. More than 700 Detroit school kids learned to swim for free through the Detroit Swims program. African-American and Hispanic youth are at much higher risk of drowning than Caucasian children; teaching them to swim will reverse that tragic toll. The eventual goal is to have every child in the city of Detroit able to use basic survival skills in the water.

5. More than 800 girls learn life lessons through running with the Girls on The Run program. Not only do they develop themselves as runners — a physical activity they can enjoy for a lifetime — they learn lessons about self-esteem, peer pressure, and stress management, among other themes. One group even got a visit from the reigning Miss Michigan, Angela Venditti. The Girls on the Run philosophy is to teach girls to Honor Their Bodies, Celebrate their Voices, Embrace their Gifts and Activate Their Power.

6. Y staff believe in the mission; their work goes far beyond just a paycheck. Lifeguard Chelsea Cheek, a college student working two jobs, donates a substantial percent of her paycheck from lifeguard duty at the Macomb YMCA to the Strong Kids Campaign and has raised money through community events. Staff at South Oakland have donated time to teach classes, help with a Mom-To-Mom sale, and more to raise money for Strong Kids scholarships. And even the youngest members step up with creative ways to fundraise.

7. The Y encourages fathers to bond with their kids. The Adventure Guides program, which will be expanding to more branches in 2013, sends fathers and daughters off on adventures from ice skating to camping, creating bonds that last a lifetime.

8. The Y rallies behind its staff and members in tough times. Health worries, job losses, sudden disability, even unimaginable tragedy — the Y steps up.

9. Even people who never fit the fitness-enthusiast mold learn to enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle at the Y. Alexis Sumner went from weighing 400 pounds to doing sprint triathlons, and new mom Dani Keith-Marchment finished her first 5K when she never thought that was possible thanks to the help of her trainer.

10. Providing quality education and improving skills is a key part of the Y’s impact. The Y runs two schools locally, Detroit Leadership Academy and Detroit Innovation Academy, both of which have received gorgeous playgrounds through the hard work of volunteers. And the Y’s summer program for at-risk students, Camp Phoenix, serves students’ entire families and has a measurable impact on academic performance.

11. Day camp at all branches provides children, from toddlers through teens, with a high-quality and fun experience, and parents with peace of mind that their children are in a safe, caring environment.

12. Middle-school age youth throughout the Detroit Metro Area learn about the importance of making smart decisions about sexual activity — and that staying abstinent is the healthiest choice for them — through the Y SWIFT (Sexual Wellness Information for Teens) program.

13. The Y launches future Olympians. Three-time Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay began swimming at the Y at age 7, and continues to give back through helping raise awareness of the Detroit Swims program.

 

 

 

 

Posted on by

Olympic Swimmer Visits Y

It’s not every day you get to meet an Olympic medalist, and even more uncommon to have him give you some tips on his sport. But that’s exactly what children who have been involved in the Detroit Swims program got to do with Olympic swimmer Peter Vanderkaay.

Vanderkaay has been a big supporter of the Detroit Swims program from the beginning, since his mom, Robin, found out about it through a friend and mobilized the community of swim families to help raise funds and collect donated bathing suits. She also created “Vanderkaay-USA” T-Shirts for the Y to sell during the Olympics to benefit Detroit Swims.

After a triumphant time in London, where Peter won a bronze medal in the 400 free, he came back to Michigan and visited the Boll Family YMCA.

“I am a swimmer and I feel like everyone should have the opportunity to learn to swim–it should be a basic right,” Peter told the crowd. “There are so many great things about swimming that it can always provide something to enrich your life.”

It helped him learn to set goals, work hard, and manage his time, he said. And it also sparked his imagination. “To be successful, you have to be able to imagine yourself winning.” he said. “No matter what you do , be it swimming or school or music, find your passion and imagine succeeding at it.”

Before Peter spoke to about 100 Detroit Swims graduates at the event, senior program director Nikole Saffle shared some information about Detroit Swims. The number of children served has shot to 741, while the waiting list is down to 158. $88,000 has been raised for this year’s goal of $100,000. Next year more kids will be waiting to take swim lessons and need donated suits and funding to the tune of $65 per kid to do it, and that means a whole new fundraising goal.

Peter shared videos his family made while he was in London and then took questions from the kids. Interestingly, when he started swimming at age 7 it was because he wanted to be like his older brother, who was a swimmer. The Olympics were never part of his life plan until he got older and realized that he could be able to compete at that level. It took a  lot of work, 10 practices a week adding up to about 25 miles of swimming. But it all started when he was a kid like them. “I just went to practices to have fun when I was a kid,” he said.

The best part of the day for the assembled kids was the chance to swim with Peter. Many of the Detroit Swims graduates lined up at the edge of the pool to hear his tips….something that will be a lifelong memory for these new swimmers.

 

 

 

Posted on by

Olympic Swimmer Has Roots at Y

Tonight, the Olympics kick off in all their thrilling, inspiring glory. It’s been a long path filled with hard work and dedication for each athlete competing. And one, swimmer and three-time gold medalist Peter Vanderkaay, started out as a kid on a Y team in Rochester.

From ages 7 to 13, Peter competed at the Y, including at the Y state meet. He progressed through his swimming career, swimming for the University of Michigan and going to the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, where he won a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle in Athens in 2004 and the gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle and the 200m freestyle in Beijing.

Now, he’s reaching back to help kids who have never had the chance to swim learn how. He’s been involved with the Detroit Swims Initiative from the start. “It has always broke my heart when I read about kids drowning because of lack of swimming proficiency skills,” he says. “Everyone should know how to swim.  You don’t have to be a competitive swimmer to enjoy the water, especially in Michigan.  In my mind, it should be a basic skill that can enrich everyone’s life.”

Detroit Swims Initiative aims to teach all Detroit kids to swim by fifth grade. That’s a big goal; there are 120,000 kids in that age group in the city. With our city bordering a river and so many lakes, ponds and pools everywhere, basic water survival skills are critical to keeping kids safe.

Vanderkaay’s family (two brothers are also swimmers) have created a T-shirt supporting Peter that people can wear during the Olympics. Sales benefit the Detroit Swim Initiative.

Peter hopes to show kids that competitive swimming builds confidence and is fun, whether they’re swimming in a small club meet or on the biggest stage in the world for swimmers, like he is about to do for the third time. “My story can show them that I started off just like everyone else; slowly rising to the top,” he says. “All it takes is a dream and a personal commitment to achieve it. ”

Best of luck to Peter in London!

Posted on by

Shopping Days to Benefit Swim Program

Who wouldn’t love the chance to browse the kind of high end retail Detroit has not seen for years, all while enjoying a beautiful summer weekend? And the best part? It all benefits the Detroit Swims program of the Boll Family YMCA.

Shoppers at CityLoft and Downtown Detroit Days will enjoy all that and more this weekend. The two events are sponsored by the Somerset Collection.

Last summer, Somerset brought mini versions of several of their high end retailers to downtown Detroit for a few weeks in the summer. This year, they have expanded it to three weekends, as well as inviting independent retailers from all over the Metro area to set up shop street-fair style in an adjacent lot. For each weekend event, they choose a local cause to partner with; this month, that’s the Detroit SWIMS program.

“The folks at Somerset Collection have been fantastic, and generous, in putting this program together,” says Boll Family YMCA director John Harris. “We are very excited and humbled to be involved.”

Shops are open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 26 through Saturday, July 28 at 1261 Woodward, north of the Kern’s Clock.

Detroit Swims is an initiative of the YMCA to ensure 120,000 children in Detroit have YMCA swim lessons before fifth grade. A swim lesson plan developed by YMCA lifeguards ensures children have basic water survival skills in just 8 lessons.

The need is critical because children living in urban areas drown at a rate almost three times that of other children, often due to a lack of exposure to swimming lessons at an early age. In a city bordered by a river, in a state surrounded by water and home to hundred of inland lakes, the risk is greater than in most places. Interestingly, the first mass swimming lessons were developed in 1910 at the old Downtown Detroit Y by George Corsan, who later toured Ys across the country demonstrating the technique.

Great shopping, a great environment and a great cause…spread the word and help Detroit Swims!

 

 

Posted on by

Swim Team Scores at National Meet

Two girls from the Macomb Marlins, the Macomb YMCA’s  swim team, competed at the YMCA national meet earlier this spring. Both swam in four events. Marah Pugh had the best National meet in the history of the Marlins with a second place, a third place and two fourth places: fourth in the 500 free and in the 400 IM, where she cut seven seconds off of her time. The third place came in the 1000 yard free and the second place came in the 1650 free. In the process, she set four new Marlins team records.

Nicole had two personal best swims, cutting four seconds off her time in the 200 breast stroke and in the 200 fly where she cut almost a full 2 seconds. Her 200 IM time of 2:09.24 set a new team record.

“Our girls did us proud and they couldn’t have done that without having an amazing program behind them, the swimmers as well as the parents,” says Steve Krankota, membership director of the Macomb Y. “Believe it or not, our little contingent of two placed 21st in the Girls competition, out of more than 100 teams.”

Nicole’s mom, Bridget, said the event was bittersweet because it marked her daughter’s last with the Macomb Marlins. Nicole has been swimming with the Marlins since she was seven years old, and will swim at Bowling Green State University in Ohio next year.

Bridget says the Y core values were very apparent in the swim program. “Out of all the different teams, they seem to be more easygoing  and not just focused on competition. It’s more like a family-friendly place,” she says.

Club swimming also helped Nicole in high school, Bridget says. Swimmers who start young in a club program like the Y have an advantage in high school swim, because they are already prepared for competition and are used to the amount of training it takes to be successful. And that training also helps kids avoid some of the temptations of high school life, she says. “It might be their personality, because they end up with kids who are doing the same kind of thing they are, but they are swimming two hours a day for six days a week…those kids are exhausted!” she says.

Bridget has found that people at the Y stand out for the way they treat others, she says. “The Y is always supportive,” says Bridget. “When we go to these big events and they are just very kind and friendly, it reminds me of  how people are supposed to be — trustworthy and respectful of other people.”

 

Posted on by

Y Sees Family Through Tough Time

Imagine being a healthy, active dad of three young children — and suddenly, you can’t even walk, much less play with your kids or exercise.

That’s what happened to Don Nurkala, who serves on the board of the Carls Family YMCA in Milford. He’d always been active and was on a hockey team which played Friday nights. One night in January 2010, he took a slap shot off the foot, but didn’t think anything of it. The next morning he woke up and his right hand was essentially unusable. “I could move it but I didn’t have a lot of strength,” he says. “It just felt weird — I’ve always played sports and have done everything I could think of to my body, and I’d never felt that before.”

Soon, his calf cramped up –”on a pain scale of 1-10 it was a nine,” he says — and by the next day the pain had moved over to his left leg and he could hardly walk at all.

He had a couple of important meetings the next day, and so he got through those and then went to see his primary care doctor. His doctor was concerned enough that he called a neurologist friend and had Don seen right away. The neurologist sent him to the hospital immediately, where a battery of tests found a spot on his neck that possibly indicated a rare virus.

Still struggling, he did everything his doctors asked but wasn’t feeling any better.  It was a difficult time for him and for his family — he couldn’t care for his kids or do household chores, and this was someone for whom a 10-mile run was part of his easy routine just days before this illness struck. “The neighbors thought I was crazy because I would sit on the driveway and try to throw a ball to the kids, and I could barely do that,” he says. “The strength that I lost was such that I didn’t have the strength to cut my own fingernails or to push down on a soap pump. Doing little things fatigued me like crazy.”

The Y provided his family comfort, fun and a sense of community, he says.  Not only were people simply showing concern for his health, but his trainer was giving him stretching advice to keep his limbs as loose as possible, and his children were in swimming lessons, soccer and basketball, getting the exercise and play Don wished he could help with. His wife ended up taking on almost all the child care and household responsibilities because his illness was leaving him so weak and fatigued, and ChildWatch allowed her to work out and  have a little time to herself while knowing her kids were in a safe, caring environment. “It was huge blessing to know they were there for all that,” he said.

Finally, after several months of this his doctor decided to do an MRI of his spine, which revealed several lesions. Don has multiple sclerosis. It’s the relapsing-remitting kind, which means he’s essentially guaranteed it will relapse, it’s just a matter of how long that might take. It could be a few years, it could be a decade — but Don intends to meet it head on.

“I have to do as much as I possibly can now so when the relapse does come again, I have that much easier of a time recovering from it,” he says.

To that end he’s in the Triathlon Club at the Y and recently completed a half-mile swim. His plan is to complete a half-Ironman Triathlon this year and a full Ironman next year. “I hope I can inspire my kids to do things, and anyone else at the Y who might have MS can see me and know it’s not the end,” he says.