The sound of water splashing and kids’ laughter can be heard throughout the Luce on certain nights during the next few weeks as community kids have swim lessons.
Every year, as practice begins for the swim team, they also work on their biggest fundraiser- teaching kids in the community how to swim.
“So, this has been historically kind of the main fundraiser that we have for the swim team,” said Graham Duncan, the new head swim coach for both the men’s and women’s teams.
The fundraiser fits the team well and helps connect the community and Asbury.
“This is our primary, most practical form of service to do something that we’re already doing and kind of expand that out into the community,” Duncan said. The former Asbury alum is working on expanding the fundraiser and getting more community outreach from it.
“I’ve put fliers out in the Jessamine County Schools, flyers out of the seminary just to try to expand the number of people that were able to reach out,” Duncan said.
They have around 75 kids involved now and are only limited by how many swimmers can coach the kids. Each swimmer helps instruct a small group. Duncan has tried to stick to a four-to-one ratio for the best hands-on interaction and teaching.
The goal is to help expand community outreach and do something they are familiar with: swimming.
“We’re really trying to take kids who aren’t comfortable in [the] water, don’t know how to swim to get them at least comfortable in the water,” Duncan said.
As well as very rudimentary and beginner lessons, they are helping hone skills for potential swimmers in the future, training a future generation.
“[We are] also offering some instruction for kids who kind of know how to swim a little bit just to give them some finer techniques, finer points, just as an introduction to the sport,” Duncan said.
The fundraiser is held in both the fall and the spring, working around their competition season in the winter and giving families more opportunities to participate.
