Angela Gray's Blog (81)

Does Chlorine Fight Colds?

It seems counter-intuitive, but I don’t think cold germs stand a chance in the swimming pool.

Mind you, this is purely anecdotal. The my little google search didn’t turn up anything to back up my claims. I just know that whenever I have a cold, I could be almost all stopped up when I start a set, but I can breathe by the time I finish the set, and my cold is completely gone 2 days later.

I brought this up because my son in swim lessons has been coughing for over a month.… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on October 7, 2010 at 10:05pm — No Comments

Misty Water Colored Memories

I remember watching the awkwardness of growing up at the pool. Girls who started swimming while they were little continuing through the onset of curves and pimples. The horror of wearing a tattered, worn suit during that period. I see young girls at the pool, and it’s as if 4 years hadn’t gone by.

The coaches remember, too. They may not remember the baby boy born while his big siblings swam competitively, but they remember his older sisters who started swimming when they were… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on October 6, 2010 at 10:43pm — No Comments

"First Swim Lesson"

I know I’ve been building it up in my head quite a bit. That magical moment when my 6 year old actually *learns to swim* (cue trumpet fanfare). So I had great anticipation at taking him to his *first swim lesson* yesterday.

But, A: He didn’t learn to swim the first day, and

B: It wasn’t even his first swim lesson.

He’d taken lessons with his sister last year, remember, and there was the one time we made it down to the city pool for lessons this summer.

So,… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on October 5, 2010 at 11:00pm — No Comments

The the Pool at Last, and Oh No! A Problem!

I was one of THOSE people tonight. You know, the type who know that the pool closes at 9:45, so they show up in a suit at 9:25? My daughter, who was watching a very old man tread water from her lifeguard stand when I walked in put on a happy face and waved. I approached her very professional like. “Can you hold my glasses?” I asked her, “Or is that against the rules or something?” She made a face, I think. But by then my glasses were off and I couldn’t even see her face, let alone her… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on September 27, 2010 at 10:59pm — 1 Comment

Black Swim News Digresses in One Year

Last summer, the big swim news headline was the Valley Club of Philadelphia kicking black kids out. This summer, it was the group of Shreveport kids who drowned in a public park.

One was about denying access to swimming; the other was the fruit of lack of access.

The Philadelphia incident had several… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on September 22, 2010 at 10:30pm — No Comments

Another Teen Swim Flick?

I recently read this mildly amusing post about a teen swimming movie idea.

Having recently lost my gig as a movie/tv critic, I'm itching to review something, albeit a mythical project.

Mike Gustafson, the author is pitching this idea of an… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on September 18, 2010 at 10:00pm — No Comments

Fear of Drowning not Limited to Non-Swimmers

I remember putting my second born, as a fearless 3 year old in swim lessons for the first time. He stayed at the edge of the pull, threatening to fall in at any minute. His swim instructors were young girls who couldn’t even pronounce his name properly. As an observer from across the room, I was helpless to keep him safe. I wanted to scream, “WATCH MY BABY! CAN’T YOU SEE HE’S ABOUT TO FALL IN THE POOL ANY MINUTE?!!!”

And I am a swimmer.

It would be too much if I couldn’t… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on September 12, 2010 at 10:02pm — No Comments

I had noticed a difference in my endurance before, and I wasn’t sure whether it was due to weight loss or aerobic fitness. I had attributed it to weight loss, but now I think it’s because of aerobic …

I had noticed a difference in my endurance before, and I wasn’t sure whether it was due to weight loss or aerobic fitness. I had attributed it to weight loss, but now I think it’s because of aerobic fitness. What changed my mind was Friday, August 13th, when I did some triathlon training, or a triathlon workout. I did it in reverse. I ran a mile (in slightly over 15 minutes), rode a stationary bike for 15 minutes, and then swam 500 yards. Although my legs were sore from the running, biking, and… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on September 5, 2010 at 11:15pm — No Comments

Most Horrific Drowning Ever

It's been almost a month since a severe drowning tragedy in Louisiana. On August 3rd, 7 teens playing in the water at a Shreveport, LA park fell into a sinkhole. Each non-swimming teen tried to save another, all drowned but 1. Even more horrific: the children who drowned were siblings from 2 different families. And the most… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on September 2, 2010 at 9:30pm — No Comments

When Does Swimming Happen?

How long does it take to become a swimmer? Our trip to a friend’s backyard lake: My 10 year old daughter has a friend who lives on a lake. The friend has come to pick her up and taken her to her house to play a few times. My daughter usually gets home late, full of smiles, with wet hair. In early August, the whole family was invited to come play in the lake. We took our suits, and drove the 30 minutes to their house. It was picturesque. You had to go out in the yard to take in the whole view.… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on August 30, 2010 at 10:37pm — No Comments

Lake Michigan Trip

This was our first Lake Michigan trip in 4 years. It was a triumphant return in many ways–the sand was comfortable, and the water was warm, which is a never in Lake Michigan. But the beach that we visited had very big rocks on the lake floor, making it too painful for the little children to venture in.

The baby would go in if I carried her. Then she’d try to get bold and have me let go of her. The waves were ever present, but mild. There was sand deeper in the water, but it was hard… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on August 28, 2010 at 9:07pm — No Comments

3 Reasons Blacks Won't Learn to Swim

Although I suspect I’m laboring in obscurity here, I have figured out the mystery of the non-swimming black culture. There are three reasons, and they feed each other.

1. Non-swimming adults

If you don’t swim, you don’t get what the big deal is with swimming. You don’t make it a priority. If you hear about the disproportionate drowning rate among your people, and you’re a non-swimmer, you figure you’ll fix that by staying away from the water. Which brings me to. .… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on July 9, 2010 at 10:05pm — No Comments

Why Don't Blacks Swim?

The debate continues here. To be fair, the original question was not why don't blacks swim, but, rather, can blacks swim well enough to save themselves? I have contributed to the forum, without actually addressing that original question. I haven't found that question sufficient or interesting, or whatever, but I think I will address that… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on July 9, 2010 at 12:00am — No Comments

Do Swimming Attitudes Differ Between Blacks and Whites?

I mentioned a pool party in my last post. My sister-in-law invited one of her friends from work. Her friend was white, and she had three mixed daughters. Her attitude towards swimming was different from black people I’ve talked with, even from those who were at the party.

Maybe it’s a non-swimming, vs swimming attitude, and it looks like black and white because of the large number of… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on July 6, 2010 at 4:38pm — No Comments

Black Folks Don't Swim; They Splash Around in the Water

So we were invited to a birthday party today. It was an outdoor party, held at a camp. I knew they were going to swim, but with basketball, archery, and other activities, I didn’t expect to find anyone in the water for long. We were running late, I didn’t have my teenage helpers, I had just gotten my hair done, so I’d decided my kids wouldn’t swim.

Easier said than done. All the other kids were splashing around in the water. My children were soon discontent with just wading. The baby… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on July 1, 2010 at 11:00pm — No Comments

From Swim Teacher to Lifeguard and Back

My daughter has been lifeguarding rather than teaching lately. I have been swimming during part of her shift lately, but yesterday I just dropped her off and picked her up. When I arrived to pick her up, I pointed out the lifeguard to my 6 year old son. We noticed that she was a different girl. I was looking around trying to find my daughter when my son said, "There she is!" And sure enough, my daughter was in the water, teaching a lesson.

She was excited, because lifeguarding makes… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on June 27, 2010 at 9:40pm — No Comments

What good is an Above Ground Pool?

Our neighbors across the street have an above ground pool. They invite our little kids over nearly everyday to play in it. That includes our 6 year old, who can’t swim, and even the 2 year old. I have resisted letting the 2 year old go to play until the other day. I went over to supervise her pool time, fearful that the water would be over her head.

I needn’t have worried. The water came up to her chest at best, and my toddler happily splashed and played with her water wings on her… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on June 24, 2010 at 9:21pm — No Comments

Lia Neal in Santa Clara Grand Prix

Remember when I wrote about Lia Neal? I didn’t, either, until I saw her picture. That’s part of that thing I have where I never forget a face.

Anyway, the 15 year old swimmer competed in the Santa Clara Grand Prix this weekend. She swam in the 100 free, finishing 3rd. The winner was a 14 year old from Australia. I normally wouldn’t be celebrating a third place, but I was excited to see a young black swimmer in the race at all. Third place is still a medal at the Olympics, right? So… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on June 20, 2010 at 10:35pm — No Comments

Back in the Pool

This is not a theme I want to recur, ie., I stay out of the pool so long I can't stand it anymore, then I return and happily blog about it. That sounds like the recipe for standing still, or worse, getting behind.

But I had to work out some issues before I could see clear to go swimming again. So, today, I tagged along with my daughter when she went to work. She was a lifeguard for three hours; I thought I could swim during one of those. I was so proud going to the lifeguard to ask… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on June 19, 2010 at 8:24pm — No Comments

Cullen Jones Hits the Road

The latest study about minorities and drowning was disheartening. I started wondering what is the point of all the hard work Diversity in Aquatics is doing, or even the meager effort I've been exerting to get the word out about how important it is to learn to swim.

But then I found that Cullen Jones is doing more than just breaking swim records. He is on a… Continue

Added by Angela Gray on June 17, 2010 at 11:13pm — No Comments

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