By STEPHANIE BUNKER
Moapa Valley Progress
Everyone knows that the summers are hot here in Moapa Valley. And last week it was especially blazing, with record-breaking temperatures for mid-June. But despite those raging temperatures, some local kids want to get out of the house and be active.
The Logandale Lobster Swim Team provides them with the perfect avenue. This team under the direction of Clark County Parks and Recreation Aquatics program gets together twice a week at the Logandale Pool to practice competitive swimming.
The team can consist of kids ages 6 to 17. But the kids are divided into groups according to age and ability.
The team competes in two swim meets each year in Las Vegas. At those meets the Lobsters compete against other teams in the region.
The 8 and younger division get to race a 25 yard lap and the older kids do 50 yard laps. Team members can choose to compete with the breast stroke, butterfly, back stroke, or freestyle strokes. There is also a raced called IM that is 100 yards including 1 lap of each stroke.
Carrah Jones the Las Vegas director over the swim teams says that the kids learn their strokes, team work, sportsmanship, and learn about the sport itself in practices and competition. That allows them to better decide if it’s something they want to pursue.
“We like to teach the basics of competition so they know how to dive and do the strokes,” said Jones.
In years past the Logandale Lobsters have been quite successful filling up the class. “We can take up to 40 kids and it has been filled in the past,” she said.
Jones feels that swim team is a positive activity for kids during the summer. “It gets them out and involved with other people in the community,” she said.
Jones recalled the days when she was on swim team in Clark County, “I looked forward to and enjoyed swim team, and the work built a sense of accomplishment, its fun and its hot out.”
Jones continued, “There is also the physical health aspect, it give kids exercise.”
Logandale resident Rory Boss put her son in swim team for the same reason. “I have him do it for the exercise,” she said.”It’s hard to go outside and play.”
