When you think of a water park, you likely picture children splashing and having a good time. That’s true for Carbondale’s Super Splash Park, but there’s more to it than that.
“The trust, and the relationship that is between the instructor and the student was incredible. So when we see a gentleman – 68 years old – going off the diving board for the first time, and he is trusting his instructor, that is in the deep end, waiting for him to jump. So it’s a lot about relationship building, it’s about personal confidence, putting your trust in another person. Learning together is such a rich experience.”
Carbondale Park District Executive Director Kathy Renfro says those relationships are being fostered among people of all ages – in part because of a special swimming class at the park offered just for adults.
Maxine Lewis has lived in Carbondale for more than 50 years. She says last year, in the Splash Park’s inaugural season, she got a call from her sister-in-law that changed her life.
“She called me and said, ‘Hey! They’re getting ready to start a swimming class. Let’s go!’ And I was like, ‘OK!’”
Lewis didn’t know how to swim. She says a prank several years ago fostered a fear of the water, but she was willing to give this a try.
“Actually, it was like I already knew how to swim. My instructor was fabulous. She took her time, she told me what to do, and she told me I was a born swimmer! I was like, ‘What? I should have done this years ago, you know?’”
And that’s just what Kathy Renfro was looking for in the adult swim program. She says it fosters life-long fitness, and has lots of other benefits.
“Learning together is such a rich experience. I know the instructors learned as much from the students as the students learned from the instructors. We even had one team that didn’t speak the same language – so what an interesting process to see them be successful in communicating the basic tenets of swimming.”
Lewis acknowledges she was a bit intimidated by the thought of a big pool or water park before – but that’s not the case now. And she says other adults should give it a try.
“I mean, because a lot of my age group just don’t do anything. They just sit. And coming here, you can exercise, you can walk around and just enjoy it. I see the kids, but that’s no intimidation, you know what I’m saying? You can still enjoy it because the kids are over this way, and it’s just nice.”
Lewis says she’s learned a lot. But she says she also continues to push – because there are still some hurdles she has to conquer.
“Yeah, you know, the diving board and diving off in there. You know, I’m still a bit leery about that.” (Renfro: “So maybe this summer?”) “Yeah, yeah. I would like to do it.”
Renfro says it’s that spark of self-exploration and self-confidence that makes her proud of the program. She says it’s always been about more than swimming for her.
“Physiologically, there is something going on in your brain when you’re near the water. So there is endorphins and chemicals that are released into your body. And I do believe that those physiological responses help in relationship building.”
Classes for this summer are mostly full. But Renfro says they’ll continue in years to come. You can call the Carbondale Park District, or visit their website – cpkd.org – for more information.
