A Kalamazoo swim club gets grant to offer adult classes

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Kalamazoo Masters Swim Club will receive a grant from the USA Swimming Foundation to provide affordable swim lessons for adults.

The swim club, also known as ZOOM, was chosen from more than 400 applicant programs to receive part of $780,000 in the first round of funding. ZOOM’s board chair Karl Kowalske said the money will be used to start an adult-learn-to-swim program, with a goal of “providing our community with affordable access to lessons that will build confidence in being in and around water,” he wrote in a release.

The first adult-learn-to-swim program will be eight classes long from Aug. 5 through Aug. 8 and Aug. 12 to Aug. 15 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Kalamazoo College Natatorium. It’s for people ages 18 and older who don’t yet know how to swim with their face in the water or float unassisted in deep water. Each lesson will have a limit of 12 participants, ZOOM said.

Over four weeks, classes will cover skills such as breathing & bobs, floating, kicking, freestyle, treading water and sidestroke.

An eight-class session costs $70 per person but scholarships are available with a half-off discount code for people who have a financial need, according to ZOOM. A complimentary new swimmer packet with a cap and goggles will be provided.

Initially started as a workout group in 2012, ZOOM has grown to have over 50 regular members and offer 10 workout times per week.

For more information, visit the Kalamazoo Masters website .

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