Olympic athletes help local youngsters
Group stresses staying motivated
| Sunday, May 03 2009 07:03 PM
Last Updated Sunday, May 03 2009 07:12 PM
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Olympic Gold Medalist Josh Davis demonstrates a freestyle stroke to swimmers participating in the Mutual of Omaha Breakout Swim Clinic at the Bakersfield College Wheeler Aquatics Facility. Behind Davis is Olympian Dana Vollmer who competes in butterfly and freestyle.
Olympic Gold Medalist Jason Lezak dives into the pool at Bakersfield College Wheeler Aquatics Facility to demonstrate a stroke for swimmers participating in the Mutual of Omaha Breakout Swim Clinic. The clinic brought Olympians to Bakersfield to teach performance ant techniques to young competitive swimmers.
If there had been a metal detector -- perhaps more precisely a "medal detector" -- it would have been going crazy Sunday afternoon at Bakersfield College's Wheeler Aquatic Center.
With a combined 24 Olympic medals, including 14 of the gold variety, U.S. swimming stars Josh Davis, Jason Lezak, Aaron Piersol, Gabe Woodward, Dana Vollmer, Tara Kirk and Elaine Breeden had more than enough Olympic hardware to get the attention of the more than 150 aspiring swimmers, and a host of family members and friends at the Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinic organized by the Riptide Aquatics swim club.
But it wasn't just the resume of the talented group of swimmers that commanded the attention of the youngsters, ranging in age from elementary school to high school. It was what they had to say and what they had to teach.
"It's great sharing my life's experiences, whether it's playing sports or pursuing something in life," said Lezak, whose name became eternally linked to Olympic superstar Michael Phelps when he rallied to help the U.S. win the 4 -by-100 free relay with a historic kick on the final 25 meters. "For me it took a long time to get where I am today and it wasn't until my third Olympics until I finally had the success that I was looking for. So I try to help teach them to never give up, not in just the moment, but in life in general in whatever you're doing."
Former Stockdale High standout and Olympic bronze medalist Gabe Woodward echoed the sentiments of Lezak, who earned three gold medals and two bronze as part of two Olympic teams.
"I remember the excitement of dreaming as a kid, and the opportunity to see that these are real people and to say, 'man, Gabe didn't win a gold medal, but he made the Olympic team and he's from here also' is very motivating for the kids and the parents," Woodward said. "I just hope to be an encouragement to everyone."
The encouragement continued as the youngsters entered the pool and received hands-on instruction from the Olympians on the proper way to "streamline" and the best way to warm-up and practice their strokes.
"It started out as a way to promote the sport and to keep kids from drowning by learning how to swim," said Ahmed Khieralla, the vice president of the Riptide swim club and event organizer. "My motivation for this was to get the younger kids in here and get them on deck so they can see how it's done."
