Neha Sharma never had the opportunity to learn to swim when she lived in India.
“It was always on my bucket list since I moved to the U.S. in 2016, but never came across many good adult swimming programs,” she said.
When the Moon Township resident received a flyer for Steel City Aquatics in the mail, she signed up immediately.
Steel City Aquatics, a nonprofit organization known for its youth swim programs, is expanding its reach to adults through new swimming lessons designed to promote safety, confidence and lifelong fitness
The program started this past spring at South Fayette Middle School and has since grown to include Moon Area High School. Coach Meghan Aitken, a Moon resident and the swim school coordinator for Steel City Aquatics, said the idea came directly from community interest.
“A lot of adults approached me about adult lessons for various reasons,” Aitkin said. “Sometimes it’s just ‘I can’t swim and I’d like to learn. I’ve had quite a few mothers who say ‘I really wish I was a stronger swimmer so if my kid was ever having a hard time, I could help them. Or their kids are on the swim team and they wish they could have more fun with their kids in the pool, but they’re uncomfortable.”
The adult program includes both beginner and intermediate classes. Beginners learn the fundamentals of breathing, floating and gliding, while intermediate swimmers work on endurance and technique.
Sharma, who started lessons earlier this month, has already learned to jump in the water, float and swim in small stretches. She said “All [of] this was beyond my imagination before joining the classes.”
As a coach, Aitken said the lessons have been well received.
As a nonprofit, Steel City Aquatics relies on the schools for pool time, so they try to make the most of the hours available.
“Anywhere we have time and we have instructors, we would like to have it,” Aitken said. “We would love to grow.”
She said she hopes to offer adult swim lessons at their Montour location in the near future.
Moon Township resident Kelly Hankinson, a parent of two Steel City swimmers, said the program fills an important need.
“Learning to swim is not only a crucial life skill for our kids, but also for us adults,” she said. “You may be surprised to hear that many adults can’t really swim,” explained Hankinson. “37% of U.S. adults report limited swimming ability.”
Growing up, Hankinson’s parents did not swim, but they felt it was important for her to learn. She eventually became a lifeguard as a teenager, and her dad learned how to swim as well. Now a parent herself, Hankinson said she first noticed the adult lessons while her sons were at practice.
“A lot of them are immigrant families and they’ve never had the opportunity to even learn how to swim, so it’s just the first time they’ve had exposure to water,” Hankinson said. “They’re really embracing it.”
Steel City Aquatics offers programming across Moon, South Fayette, Montour and Cornell school facilities, as well as at the Settlers Cabin Wave Pool. The organization provides youth and adult swim lessons, competitive training, lifeguard certification and a Masters Swim Program, an adult training group that provides structured workouts and coaching.
“The reasons to learn to swim as an adult are boundless,” Hankinson said. “For some, it may be as simple as wanting to have the ability to confidently play with your kids and family in water. For some adult students, these lessons are the first time they have been presented with an opportunity to learn to swim.
“Swimming is one of those rare activities you can do at any age. It’s never too late to learn to swim.”
More information about adult and youth swim programs is available at steelcityaquatics.org.
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