Swim, Strive and Thrive How competitive swimming can set your child on a path to success Organized sports provide for some of the best ways to get kids out of the house. But which one? Baseball, soccer, basketball, football, hmm, could be dangerous … what about swimming? “Swimming is non-impact,” said Patrick Malaga, Head Coach for Bear Swimming in San Pablo. “It’s a whole body workout—I’ll ask how the kids feel when they get out of the water and I’ll hear ‘Strong!’ or I’ll hear ‘Refreshed!’ and they always have smiles.” Malaga started with Bear Swimming nine years ago as a parent and has seen some very positive impacts that the program has had on his own kids. “It’s allowed them to prosper, both in health and academically,” he said. “It’s great for their selfconfidence, self-image, it’s a healthy environment, and it’s in the water! So they have fun.” Bear Swimming has been part of the community for about 35 years and has coached students from schools all around the Bay Area including El Cerrito, Albany, Pinole, Berkeley, Richmond and more. The reason Bear Swimming is so sought after is because they’re not necessarily a recreational swim team, but a USA Swimming-sanctioned program. “Being a part of USA Swimming allows you to move up in the ranks—if you have the skills and abilities,” said Malaga. While the odds of heading to the Olympics are By Matt Larson impossibly competitive, Bear Swimming could at least get their swimming career started. “We’ve had lots of kids go and swim in college,” he said. “A former Bear recently swam the English Channel. Some of them cross over and do water polo.” Bear Swimming really can make a difference in your child’s life. They function year round and meet three times a week at Contra Costa College. Swim meets are held on some weekends and classes are suitable for kids ages 4-18, both beginners and advanced swimmers are welcome to join. The entire team generally ranges between 25-40 students, so the student to teacher ratio is about 15 to 1—which means kids really get some quality experience from a certified coaching staff. “I personalize the training program for the kids’ specialty strokes, and for what competition it is that they’re aiming for.” Every workout Malaga has planned for the students he first swims himself, and later posts a blog of the workout online. “I have over 470 themed workouts online,” he said. “You can always check and see what the workout is.” He strives to incorporate new tools and technology to help the swimmers learn and grow. Lately he’s been using drag socks and swim parachutes to assist with strength training. “I
Contra Costa Marketplace - July 2016
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