FITCHBURG, Wis. — After being forced to close, then opening up classes at limited capacity, SwimWest Swim School’s pool is now fully open to students.
“We are back to our original numbers of 2019, which has been our goal for awhile now. So that’s amazing to see our families coming back,” said instructor Olivia Winch.
But the pause in classes left a lot of kids without a chance to practice life-saving swim skills in 2020.
“A lot of kids I feel have lost their confidence in the water just because it’s been so long since they have had that experience to get in and go underwater or hold their breath. A lot of kids have forgotten how to do that,” said SwimWest Aquatic Director Kassy Rabenhorst.
She said the biggest thing now is to get kids comfortable again by practicing in pools before heading out to open water, because even the temperature change can make a difference.
“It’s really good to get them practicing swimming in warm water like this so when they do get into that cold water and get that initial shock, muscle memory just kicks in and they start going,” sais Rabenhorst.
There have been a handful of drownings in just the last eight days. On June 20th one man fell into the Wisconsin River and drowned. On that same day two children drowned in Lake Michigan. And this weekend, a Madison man drowned in Door County as well as a young girl in the Pecatonica River in Lafayette County.
Rabenhorst said if you get swept under, remember to follow the 3 Fs: flip on your back, float, and follow the current.
She said if you’re on your back, you’ll be able to breathe and your body will go along with the current.
It’s also recommended that kids are always wearing a lifejacket, but Rabenhorst said some work better than others in open water.
“We suggest using coast guard-approved life jackets with the little pillow on the back. So it pulls your swimmers straight to their back,” she said. “If they do get sucked up into a current or get pulled away, you can just grab this (handle at the back).”
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