Waning Water Woes

It’s summertime and the heat is getting the best of us. It’s as if the swimming pool is calling us to jump in and enjoy the coolness of its blue.

But for some, this calling is terrifying. Whether it’s from a near-drowning experience or the lack of exposure to water growing up, many adults are afraid to get wet.

North Lake College has just the person to ease those fears. For the past five years, Linda Harper has been teaching the Swimming for Terrified Adults class offered through continuing education.

Harper’s students have used the terms dedicated, patient, encouraging, gifted and inspiring when describing her teaching ability. Her inspiration has had such an impact that two of her students are now volunteers in the program.

Cathy Austin and Adrianna Galicia started the Terrified Adult swim program together three years ago and are now confident enough to be Harper’s volunteer assistants.

Galicia, 34, came to the United States from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where recreational swimming is rare. Pools are not in back yards of family homes, nor are they available to the public.

“It’s just not available in our country,” said Galicia. “There are no pools, only lakes.” Average citizens cannot register for swim lessons in Mexico, she said, because it is too expensive.

When Galicia decided to join her brother in Dallas, she came to North Lake to formally learn English and to obtain the credits needed for her career in dentistry. It wasn’t long before she registered for the Swimming for Terrified Adults class. At first, she was comfortable being in the water, but did not know how to swim. Three years later, Galacia said she is now swimming over 1500 meters (30 laps in a 50 meter pool). She said it’s hard work, but with practice and dedication she has persevered.

Galacia enjoys swimming in North Lake’s pool and helping new students in the Terrified Adults class. Harper said Galacia is encouraging and supportive to others, knowing all too well how difficult it is to take that first glide off the wall.

Austin, 50, is another one of Harper’s successful students who has become a volunteer. She started in the same class as Galacia but was terrified to even put her face in the water. She came to the Terrified Adults program realizing that she had a long way to go to defeat her life-long fear of the water. It took her three semesters before she could swim a short distance of 25 meters. But once she started she said she couldn’t stop.

Austin thanks Harper’s patience and encouragement for her success. She is now swimming over 400 meters and still adding distance with practice. She dedicates herself to the pool and to those who experience the same fear that she has defeated. “It’s never too late,” she said.

Harper constantly encourages her students, steadily pushing them to go further. But some take off on their own. One student who was taking her first stroke realized almost immediately that she could swim and didn’t stop until class was over. Harper said that once her students get past the fear of the water, the possibilities are endless.

The Swimming for Terrified Adults class starts up again this fall on Sept. 10. It meets on Saturdays at 9 a.m. through Nov. 19. Harper and her students encourage anyone who doesn’t know how to swim to register.

In this class you not only learn how to swim, you get a confidence boost as well. For more information or to register call 972-273-3360.