The Boll YMCA Barracudas Swim Team is tearing it up in the pool: they are swimming at national meets, including last week’s Black History swim meet in Washington, DC; they’re putting in the time at practice and seeing results like faster times, and they are doing all this while still performing well in school.
Swimmer Harisen Davis, for example, came to the Y for swim lessons and, after joining the team, quickly progressed to be one of the fastest swimmers for her age group, Charisse Woods, the youngest swimmer on the team at age 7, has one of the largest spirits, according to her coach. Charisse placed 6th fastest in all four strokes for her age group, out of 62 swimmers, while in D.C. Both girls are on scholarship at the Y through the Strong Kids Campaign. Neither would be able to participate in this program that has allowed them to excel and grow without the generosity of those who give to the Strong Kids Campaign.
It’s not just the kids on the team who are benefiting from the Barracudas. Another amazing result is the teamwork among the parents of the kids on the team. Many of them face financial challenges — six out of the 17 students are on scholarship, and 12 came to the team through swim lessons taken on scholarship. But they have come together to make the program what they want for their children. Through tireless fundraising, they have financed all kinds of remarkable experiences for the team members. “They want uniforms and national meets and rewards and team equipment and team morale and team camaraderie; so, they decided to fund-raise and dedicate themselves to serve on self-appointed committees,” says Boll Aquatics Director Mike Hamlett. “They are using their efforts and networking connections to help build their program into the thriving system that it is beginning to be.”
It all speaks to the higher purpose of the YMCA; beyond teaching some children to swim and giving them a chance to excel through hard work and support, the Barracudas (like so many other Y programs) have built a stronger community. As Mike wrote of the team, “By our actions at the Boll Family YMCA, we have initiated change. Change within ourselves and change within other people. When we do for those who can’t do for themselves, we are serving a much higher purpose than just punching in on a clock and earning a paycheck. We are planting seeds; seeds of respect, honesty, caring, and responsibility into our youth development. As we water and fertilize those seeds, they will develop and grow into socially responsible people; and possibly be able to give back to their communities through the healthy living that they received from us here at the Boll Family YMCA.”
