Youths across county gain appreciation for physical activity, competition
Aubriella Nightingale had just come out of the locker room at the Butler YMCA, jumping and skipping at the feet of her mother, Bekah. The 3-year old was eager for something, then revealed what it was that she was looking forward to.
"Pizza! Pizza!" she shouted. That was her reward for the hard work she had just put in as part of the YMCA's Water Discovery Program, which introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment, accompanied by a parent.
"Aubriella's babysitter has a big swimming pool, and I want her to learn how to swim," Bekah Nightingale of Butler, said. "I went to St. Mary's Catholic School in Herman, and we had gym class here. I remember swimming at the Y.
"The biggest thing is for her to know how to be safe in the water."
Nightingale has brought her daughter to the right place to do just that.
"The parent/child classes (ages 6 months to 3 years) are all about getting the child acclimated to the water," said Jay McCaslin, coordinator for swimming lessons at the YMCA. "A parent gets into the water with their child and never loses contact with them. We want kids to learn to enjoy the water."
A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. Subscribers can read the full story at the link below. To support our local, independent newsroom, please subscribe at butlereagle.com.
