Duck Digest
April 2016
April is Adult Learn-to-Swim Month
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 37 percent of American adults can’t swim the length of a pool, which puts them at risk of being one of the 10 people who drown every day in the United States. The Swimming Saves Lives Foundation, U.S. Masters Swimming’s charitable arm, has declared the month of April “Adult Learn-to-Swim Month.”
As many of you know, and perhaps some of you even started in lane 1, QUAC has a proud history of teaching adults how to swim. We are the only Masters team in Utah that is committed to start from pool zero, sometimes with persons afraid of the water or who were traumatized earlier with bad experiences, and to make them comfortable and confident in the pool and to enjoy swimming as a rewarding and healthy lifestyle.
So, April is Adult Learn to Swim Month! If you've been thinking of checking out the club, new swimmers can come for free during the Month of April. If you already swim with us bring a friend along for free! We have coaches to help you learn to swim or perfect your technique. Just let the front desk know you're here for learn to swim month during our practice times Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm and Sunday at 11am at Fairmont Aquatic Center.
Adult swimmers?
In May, Jake Adams will be participating in a U.S. Masters Instructor Certification Program for teaching adults to swim that will be held in Salt Lake and includes both classroom and pool instruction and gives certified instructors the tools to teach adults to swim and become safer in the water. Your support enables QUAC to sponsor Jake with the $300 participant fee.
Val Mansfield Memorial Fund
Val Manfields’s family has made a generous donation of $3,500 to QUAC in his memory. They said they were motivated in providing the gift because QUAC had meant so much to Val. Because of Val’s great love for swimming at IGLA meets, the QUAC Board has decided to establish the Val Mansfield Memorial Fund to provide financial support to swimmers who otherwise would find it difficult to attend IGLA or other swimming events.
Because QUAC has always emphasized assisting swimmers who have found it financially difficult to attend swim meets, and in recognition of this extraordinarily generous bequest of Val’s parents, we would like to encourage all QUAC members to make a contribution, no matter how large or small, to the creation of this fund.
Over his 20 years with QUAC, Val was a mentor to many and an inspiration to everyone in the community for whom he did so much. This is a wonderful opportunity to build upon the generous contribution of Val’s parents and to continue Val’s legacy into the future.
All of the QUAC board members are committed to the fund, and we now have as QUAC announces the establishment of the fund an additional $1,500 pledged to add to the initial gift from Val's family. Please consider joining as a founding contributor to the Val Mansfield Fund, and to remember Val and his love of QUAC and to be a part of his continuing legacy. You can make a contribution on the QUAC web site. Your contribution is tax-deductible.
Swim Calendar – upcoming events
Utah Summer Games - Cedar City
Utah Summer Games, Cedar City. Swimming is Thursday-Saturday, June 9–11. This is a long course 50 meter meet. You can get a registration form
here.
IGLA - 2016 – Edmonton, Canada, August 8–14. IGLA is just over the horizon in Edmonton, Canada, on August 8 to 14. IGLA always makes for great times (and in the pool too!). If you are planning to go, now is the time to sign up at the IGLA site. And let QUAC know so we can be sure to arrange for rooms for everyone.
And speaking of IGLA – QUAC Polo!
We are working on putting a team together for IGLA 2016! There’s still plenty of time to polish your skills if you are thinking of joining us to play. It will be tough to play without Aldo Littig, though. He’ll be needed at home since his daughter is due to arrive the same month.
To help us gear up, we’ve decided to do monthly scrimmages during our practice time at Steiner on Mondays. The plan is to scrimmage the first Monday of every month. This means that our next scrimmage practice will be on Monday, May 2.
Last week we had approximately 25 players in attendance. Levels varied widely and teams were well-mixed, which kept things quite interesting. We rotated between 3 teams and played mini-games. Each team had subs so that breaks were available for those who needed them. We hope we can continue to have a great turnout! In the next month or so, we’ll be having a QUAC Polo planning meeting & social gathering so we can start the process of planning for IGLA. Stay tuned…
And, of course ... Utah Pride ... June 3–5
QUAC will be in the Parade, and if you want to participate, look for the QUAC BBQ on May 7
th where the fabulous and certainly memorable parade routine will be unveiled (and practiced)! New additions to PRIDE this year include online ticket sales and three-day passes. Find these and much more on the Utah Pride
web site.
Spring BBQ
QUAC Spring Party – Saturday, May 7th - 6-9 pm at 638 Scenic Hills Drive, North Salt Lake, 84054. Come celebrate the arrival of spring weather and BBQ with QUAC! QUAC will provide the meat and buns-- so just remember to bring sides/salads/desserts/drinks to share. Hope you see you there!
Board Notes
After several years of service, Ben Webb is stepping down from the QUAC board. We all appreciate his efforts on behalf of QUAC, and we are delighted to report that Ben will be continuing to coach – he has a true gift for teaching people to learn to swim. Thanks Ben.
Audra West has stepped down as Treasurer, and Katherine Thom has generously agreed to serve in that position, and as such, she was elected to the Board Executive Committee. Thanks Audra for all the hard work without which QUAC couldn't function. And welcome Katherine – and thanks to you too!
Duck Digress
Finally, things that caught our eye and we thought you might enjoy (or perhaps not).
Been taking a little break from the pool? Here’s a recent story in the New York Times about an up-and-coming swim star who was fed up with practice and didn’t get into a pool for 6 months.
But he’s back.
And are you ready to take the plunge for a swimcation? For all you open water enthusiasts, here’s a dream vacation – daily open water swims in exotic locations. We can dream.......Have a great rest of April, everybody!
Co-editors Barb Nash and Kit Kobe
