Horizon League Swimmers & Coaches Help Underprivileged Youth Swim In Chicago
April 30, 2004
Chicago - For the second straight year Horizon League swimming and diving coaches and student-athletes took a break from the intense action of the league championships to host a swimming clinic for underprivileged youth.
The league partnered with the University of Illinois at Chicago, the host of this year's championships, and Girls in the Game, a Chicago-based organization that provides fitness opportunities and leadership development to girls, to provide over 30 children between the ages of six and twelve a unique chance to learn the nuances of swimming from veteran coaches and student-athletes.
During last year's championship meet at Cleveland State's Busbey Natatorium, the Vikings staff and the league worked to put together an outreach clinic for inner-city youth. The event was a hit, and the league and the UIC swimming and diving team looked to continue the program.
UIC Assistant Swimming Coach Ina Harizanova, an avid volunteer with numerous youth and charitable organizations, recently worked with Girls in the Game in a previous event and believed that many of the girls would enjoy the opportunity to swim with some of the league's finest.
"The goal was to provide a couple of hours of swimming instruction to girls who otherwise will not have such an opportunity," said Harizanova.
Harizanova worked diligently with Girls in the Game program coordinator Shaakira Hassell and UIC Associate Athletic Director Tonya McGowan during the planning phase, making sure all facets of the clinic were covered while also managing a hectic schedule during the actual championship sessions.
After the last session of preliminaries on February 28th, the children were driven to the UIC Natatorium, where they received nearly two hours of instruction and recreational swimming time in the same pool where the league championships were being decided.
UIC Head Coach Paul Moniak, UW-Milwaukee Head Coach Dave Clark, Cleveland State Head Men's Swimming Coach Wally Morton and a slew of Horizon League swimmers and coaches were on hand to provide the children with advice and one-on-one instruction in the pool.
UIC swimming and diving captain Stephanie Murphy was one of the many volunteer instructors at the clinic and was ecstatic to be a part of the experience.
"The kids were so gracious and thankful to have time with collegiate swimmers that it felt great to spend time doing something good for the community," said Murphy. "Trying to balance the emotions of swimming during the weekend and [then] being able to jump in the pool with exuberant kids, it really did give all of us involved a different shot of energy."
Murphy and the numerous student-athletes involved tried to create a comfortable and fun environment for the children who didn't know how to swim.
"Some of them knew the basics of swimming and others were terrified to get their face wet," said Murphy. "After warming up to each other and seeing all the fun others were having, [those] who were struggling really started to make an extra effort at getting used to the water and having a good time."
The children and the volunteers received some post-swim pizza for their efforts.
"It seemed the girls had a great time," said Harizanova who received overwhelmingly positive feedback from Hassell, the children and the guest instructors. "The girls walked out of here with big smiles on their faces."
Murphy felt that both the children and the student-athletes involved benefited from the clinic.
"It was extremely fun, the kids looked up to all of us and were amazed at how well all of us could swim," Murphy said. "On top of it all their energy and rambunctiousness rubbed off on to all of the swimmers."
