“My older daughter, Maddy, started Mommy and Me swim classes when she was 18 months old, shortly after we moved to the area in 2005. She then moved on to swim lessons when she was around 4. Our younger daughter, Carolyn, started with Mommy and Me swim classes when she was 6 months old, and we also went to many Sunday Family Swims together. She took swim lessons, too, and joined the Y’s Swim Team when she was 8 years old (about 8 years ago). We started classes when they were babies because we didn’t want them to be afraid of water. Once they were around 3, it was really important to us that they learned how to save themselves if they ever fell in.
Both girls are now lifeguards and Carolyn has remained a member of the FSPY Swim Team. When we first joined, the Swim Team seemed so big and foreign to me. But it has since become an extended family and community. The way the age groups are arranged have helped us get to know other swimmers and their families. We’ve made a lot of friendships over the years. It’s been special. Being part of the team has definitely anchored us here. For Carolyn, her friendships with her swim teammates are exceptionally strong. They are always there for each other, and they have all really helped her get through tough times, especially through the pandemic.
When you first start as a parent volunteer, you chip in where you can and help with the meets. I’ve cycled through a number of the different volunteer positions. For the past two years, I have been on the Swim Team Parent Board as the Chair of Communications. On the Swim Team, we can’t run any meet without parent volunteers. The parent volunteers are the backbone of the team. But as much as we need to put in, we definitely get back so much more. It’s a fantastic group for swimmers and parents both. It’s amazing to watch all of the team members grow. Carolyn and I have both fostered lifelong friendships that we wouldn’t have had if not for our time on this wonderful team.”