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POOLING TOGETHER
Hubbard facility’s Summer Sizzler offers free swimming as show of appreciation
By LINDA M. LINONIS
hubbard
Make a splash and get in the swim at the Summer Sizzler this afternoon at Hubbard Community Pool.
Bonnie Harrison, vice president of the pool board and a pool booster, said the free swim and activities at the event from 1 to 6 p.m. are a “way to thank everyone in the community and surrounding communities for their support.”
“It’s a way to give back,” she said of the summertime gala that will include an auction, craft project for children and inexpensive food.
Harrison said the Pool Boosters, a group of 10 volunteers, formed about two years ago. They’re seeking new members to help with activities. She said boosters coordinate fundraisers for the pool. Recent projects have included new landscaping, a new sign and a baby-changing area.
“It all adds to the look and comfort of the pool,” she said.
The group also sponsors spring and fall winery tours, which have been successful fundraisers.
“We’ve had good turnouts, especially the fall one,” she said.
Harrison said she viewed the pool as a valuable “community resource.” She noted that the pool, built in 1975, closed in December 2003 because of an unsafe roof and other issues. The pool, located on Hall Avenue in the school complex, reopened in May 2005. Renovations were made through the school administration and community.
“It’s an asset to the community,” Harrison said. “Swimming benefits all age groups. And with childhood obesity a problem, swimming is wonderful exercise.”
No one would agree with that more than Craig Yaniglos, aquatics director since 2005. His affiliation with the pool began in 1995 when he was a lifeguard.
“I’ve been swimming practically my whole life,” said Yaniglos, who began competitive swimming at age 8. He graduated from John Carroll University and has many certifications from the American Red Cross in such areas as water aerobics, arthritis exercise and lifeguard instruction.
Yaniglos promoted the benefits of swimming. He said children “as young as 5 and adults in their 90s” are engaged in swimming activities at the pool.
“There are so many health benefits. Swimming helps reduce blood pressure, reduce resting heart rate and puts no pressure on the joints because of the 100 percent buoyancy,” he said.
For children, Yaniglos noted, learning to swim is an important skill that could save their lives.
“Drowning is the number two accidental killer of children,” he said.
For adults, Yaniglos said swimming is a safe, effective exercise to help lose weight and keep limber.
He said the arthritis exercise class “helps relieve pressure on the knees, ankles and hips” and “improves range of motion.” These exercises, he said, help with pain management. And the warm pool water, at 84 degrees, is a soothing element.
Water aerobics is a popular class among women age 30 to 50, though a few men participate.
“Morning sessions attract stay-at-home moms and retirees, and evening ones, working people,” Yaniglos said.
Mostly children are enrolled in learn-to-swim classes; some adults opt for private lessons. Zumba fitness began in 2006 and has proved to be a popular land-based activity highlighted by fast-paced Latin music for such dances as salsa, cumbia, meringue and flamenco.
A typical day at the pool, Yaniglos said, attracts between 150 to 200 people, and school programs, some 300 to 400 children. He said the pool is used by residents of Hubbard and surrounding communities, the Hubbard High School varsity team, Hubbard Swim Club and other organizations for recreational, therapeutic and competitive activities.