Keeping Swimming Fun
Anthem Dolphins teach young people the basics of the sport By Laura Latzko
Becoming a strong swimmer starts with basic strokes, practiced repeatedly to get them right. The Anthem Dolphins swim program lets kids start early so they understand more basic or advanced techniques by the time they are older. Run through the Anthem Community Center, the year-round swim program offers lessons, swim groups and lifeguard training. The community center also has a summer recreational swim team called the Anthem Aquabats, which runs spring through summer. The Anthem Dolphins competitive swim team is under the umbrella of a larger organization called USA Swimming, which sanctions club swim teams throughout the country. The spring and summer tend to be the peak times of the year for the Anthem Dolphins program, but swimmers can join anytime. The Anthem Dolphins was designed for children and teens at different levels in their swimming abilities. The different divisions are broken down by age and skill level. The bronze group is made up of kids 10 and younger who are learning basic strokes; the silver group, children 8 to 11 who know basic techniques and are moving onto more
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advanced skills to race competitively; and the gold level, swimmers 11 to 14 who are more advanced in their swimming abilities and are competing at meets. The program also offers the pre-senior level, for pre-teens and teens ages 11 to 14 who are newer to swimming, and a senior level, for high schoolers 15 and older who are also part of their high school swim teams and are more advanced in skill level. The students practice anywhere from three to six days a week for one to two hours a day, depending on their level. The groups are led by Scott Newell, Paul Root, Olga Smirnoff, Alice Martin and Ray Van Deusen. The program is designed to teach young people how to swim at a high level. Head Swim Coach Root, who coaches senior- and silver-level students, says they are taught similar techniques as top-level swimmers. “Here with the smaller groups, we can really focus on doing things the best way,” Root says. “Starting at 8 to 9 years old, they are doing what the best in the world are doing stroke-wise. Technique-wise, we aren’t teaching anything less than I would ask my seniors in high school to do.” Root coached swim teams for younger
people and college students before coming to Anthem this season. Root says by working on small elements, such as taking more frequent breaths or maintaining a certain tempo with underwater kicks, he can make sure swimmers develop good habits at a young age. The coaches have a chance to work one on one with swim team members, helping them to develop over time. “It’s moving quickly through the kids and making sure they aren’t repeating the same thing that they did twice. You need to limit their exposure to bad habits,” Root says. Although the program emphasizes skill development, swimmers have a chance to play games, especially when they are starting out. The coaches will also play music and joke around with the swimmers, who they get to know over the years. Root says it’s important to keep swimming fun, so kids want to keep doing it. “I think what we do better than anyone else is that light dynamic on the deck. When you walk outside, it feels fun. The coaches have energy, the kids have energy and everyone is there for the same purpose,” Root says. Many of the swimmers start prior to high school. Aquatics Manager Newell, who works with students at the silver level, says begin-
