Reid M. Lewis:

I am a native of Florida, born and raised in Miami. I learned to survive in the water as an infant. Then actually learned to swim by the time I was 5. My mother and father understood the importance of teaching their child to swim. It was a matter of life and death to them. Dad had to take me to Miami Beach to teach me because there were just no pools available, much less lessons. When I was 8 the county built a neighborhood pool just two blocks from my home. I can vividly remember the summers. 15 cents got you in and the every kid in the neighborhood would go. Lessons in the morning, free swim in the afternoon. That was the life. It never occurred to me what opportunities lied ahead as a result of that pool.

One day on the way to school (8th) grade, my friends and I heard cries for help coming from the canal we were passing. We used the skills we learned from swim lessons to save a life that day. Applying education, cooperation, teamwork, sounds like a day at the office. Those days at the pool translated over to a lifetime of experiences.

I attended college on a swimming scholarship. Room, board, tuition, books, fees. Traveled through out North and South America. Made lifetime friendships with memories to last forever and oh so many stories to tell. Who would have thought that 15 cents a day for a few weeks a year could have turned out like that? The story doesn't end there however. Aquatic facilities supported my career as well. I became a swim coach and Aquatic director and continued for 24 fantastic years.

During my time as a director of various aquatic facilities and entities I learned the true value an aquatic facility can be to a community. It goes far beyond swimming and synchronized teams, swimming laps and learning to swim. There were summers that I hired 50 or more young people to life guard, teach, run the office, man the concession stand and/or pool maintenance. All different types of groups make use of aquatic facilities. My experiences include Police and Fire Departments for training, Red Cross Educational Classes, kayak clubs and competitions, community gatherings (fourth of July etc.), hospitals for therapy, churches for baptisms, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, school systems, swim meets and on and on.  Individuals’ benefit for a lifetime. A person as an infant can learn to swim, grows old and still come to the pool to exercise.

Adequacy facilities host competitions that bring people not only from the area but also from all over the world. Participants stay in hotels, eat at restaurants and are exposed to the area. Cities have been put on the map by swim facilities. Mission Viejo, California was a fledgling city when they hired the right coach for their swim program. 15 national championships later…

This community and its citizens will greatly benefit from a true aquatic facility. I strongly support this movement. I for one am enriched by my experiences surrounding swimming facilities. I wish that for all of our citizens as well.

Yours In Swimming,
Reid M. Lewis

Thank you for sharing your stories with Friends of Swimming. It's real life stories such as yours that validate the reason behind our cause. The benefits are endless and lives can be changed.