WHAT IS YOUR PHOBIA? MANY PEOPLE HAVE AT LEAST ONE.
FOR SOME ITS HEIGHTS, DARKENESS, OR EVEN DOGS.
IN AN AREA SURROUNDED BY THE BAY AND THE OCEAN , MY FEAR WAS WATER.
SO THIS SUMMER I DECIDED TO CONFRONT MY FEAR AND LEARN HOW TO SWIM.
WATER'S BEAUTY ENVELOPES HAMPTON ROADS, AND WATER.
IS A MAJOR PART OF THE REGIONS IDENTITY.
BUT FOR ME, THE WATER ALSO SYMBOLIZED FEAR.
AT THE AGE OF 46 I COULD NOT SWIM.
BUT ALL THAT CHANGED THIS SUMMER AFTER REPORTING ON A PROGRAM IN VIRGINIA BEACH AIMED AT TEACHING DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN HOW TO SWIM.
IT'S LESLIE'S PAUL'S ANSWER TO THE SAD STATISTICS THAT SHOW YOUNG BLACK CHILDREN ARE THREE TO FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN WHITES TO DROWN.
AFTER SHOOTING THE STORY I SHAMEFULLY ADMITTED TO THE CHILDREN THAT I
COULD NOT SWIM.
THAT'S WHEN PAUL JUMPED IN TO HELP.
ON A SUNDAY IN LATE JULY I RETURNED TO THE CAROLANNE FARM POOL IN KEMPSVILLE FOR A LESSON.
I WAS TERRIFIED, AFRAID THAT I'D HAVE A NEAR DROWNING INCIDENT. NOTICING MY FEAR LESLIE ASKED ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IN THE POOL.
I TOOK LESSONS ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, BUT QUIT BEFORE LEARNING HOW TO SWIM.
I WAS TERRIBLY EMBARSSED, NOT BEING ABLE TO SOMETHING CHILDREN COULD DO.
AFTER A FEW FRUSTRATING LESSONS, I WAS READY TO QUIT AGAIN.
THEN SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY ENCOURAGED ME TO CONTINUE.
DOZENS WERE TOSSED INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WHEN A BRIDGE COLLAPSED IN MINNESOTA.
HAD THIS HAPPENED TO ME,I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SWIM EVEN A FEW FEET TO SAFETY.
SO I TOILED ON, TAKING LESSONS ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
IN SEPTEMBER, I TOOK A BREAK FROM LESSONS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE TIDE IS TURNING FOR BLACKS AND SWIMMING.
AT THE INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME WE MET WITH AUTHOR LEE PITTS.
HE SAYS ALTHOUGH CULTURAL BARRIERS STILL EXIST, BECAUSE OF IMPROVED ACCESS AND ECONOMICS MORE MINORITIES ARE LEARNING LIFE SAVING SKILLS.
PITTS SAID, " I COMMEND YOU ON EVEN TAKING THE CHALLENGE. YOU'E STARTING TO SEE HIGH PROFILE PEOPLE SUCH AS YOURSELF WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF EDUCATING PEOPLE ON GETTING INVOLVED IN A LIFETIME SPORT".
BY THE FALL, THINGS WERE BEGINNING TO CLICK, I TRAIN WITH LESLIE THREE TO FOUR DAYS A WEEK AT THE KEMPSVILLE RECREATION CENTER.
SHE IS VERY PROUD OF ME, SAYING I HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB
IT IS MY GOAL TO LOG 50 MILES IN THE POOL BY SPRING, AND IF I CAN LEARN TO SWIM, SO CAN YOU.
HEAD TO OUR HOMEPAGE TO SEE VIDEO EXTRAS THAT DID NOT APPEAR IN THE TELEVISION STORY.
THERE'S A FASCINATING EXTENDED INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR LEE PITTS WHO HAS CONDUCTED RESEARCH ON THE HISTORY OF MINORITIES AND SWIMMING IN AMERICA.
HIS FINDINGS MAY OFFER AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY SO MANY MINORITIES DON'T SWIM.
IF YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO LEARN TO SWIM, I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. IN THE MEANTIME, IN HAVE POSTED SEVERAL LINKS ASSOCIATED WITH SWIMMING, WATER SAFETY AND AUTHOR LEE PITTS.
SEE YOU AT THE POOL!
REGINA
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This past summer a group of us senior ladies achieved a great accomplishment just as you did. We were all at different swimming levels but made great strides by September. We learned to tread water and also dive from a sitting position, which was a major milestone for us. I could finally go under water without holding my nose! Another lady who almost drowned as a child, could finally put her face in the water! Our swimming teacher, also our friend and neighbor, Roxanne Motter (aka Rocky), is about 75 yrs old, was such an inspiration to us. She never gave up on us, constantly encouraging and praising us. What a great feeling to finally swim a real lap. I'd like to invite you to come and swim with us (next summer cause we only have an outdoor pool) at Albemarle Plantation in Hertford, NC. I'm so proud of our accomplishments and know you feel the same. CONGRATULATIONS, I'm proud of you!!!!!!
Dear, Regina
I thought that you were very courageous in learning how to swim. I'm thirty-two years old and I do not know how to swim. I can do a little something in about 4ft, but if I can't stand up and feel the floor of the pool I panic. More importantly, I have a 12, 9 and 3 year old and they do not know how to swim. I would love learn and have my children learn as well. I share your same fears in regards to being faced with a situation such as a bridge collapse, and not being able to swim to safety. It's time that I face the fear and teach my children to swim. Do you know where a family could learn how to swim at an affordable rate? This is another reason why we haven't learn to swim, and that is because it can be very expensive.
Congratulations Regina!!!!!!!!