Learning to swim

TIFFIN — In human years, it's middle aged. Alexa Gibson, lifeguard, and Tom Pucalik, volunteer, teaching swim strokes in the competition lap pool. Provided That's how long — 45 years — they've been teaching Tiffin 4th-graders water safety at the Tiffin branch of the YMCA of Bucyrus-Tiffin. Aquatics Coordinator Kristie Drown said the program was started by Louise Ducsay, who was a local PE teacher at the time. "The original idea was from Mr. Miller, principal of Lincoln Elementary when the pool was just a community pool and not the YMCA," Ducsay said. Miller felt that teaching Tiffin City Schools children about water safety practices could be "a valuable resource," Ducsay said. The first year of the program, she said, only Lincoln School participated, but five additional schools joined the second year. Ducsay, who no longer lives in the area, said "It does my heart good to know it is still ongoing." Come as you are Drown said the water safety program provides instruction based upon the experience of students, dividing swimmers into three groups according to skill level. Sandy Caldwell, volunteer, with her 4th grade granddaughters. Provided That skill level, she said, is determined with a pre-test given the first day of lessons. Level one, Drown said, are novice swimmers who have had little to no exposure to water, level two includes swimmers with moderate knowledge and skills, and level three students generally are those who can pass the "swim test" and are ready to receive more specialized instruction. The swim test, she said, involves swimming for 25 yards, treading water for 60 seconds, and performing a front float and back float. Throughout the six-week program, students learn, practice and build upon basic water survival skills, and new skills also are introduced. The goal, Drown said, is to introduce water safety knowledge to new swimmers and cement existing knowledge in students who are more seasoned in the water. The success of the program, she said, shows in the results. At the programs's completion, each swimmer again is given the pre-test that was taken at week one, and students show "100% retention" of the skills taught during the program, she said. Such positive results, she said, shows that participation in the program can help "prevent a lot of water accidents." Hundreds times 45 The Tiffin YMCA works with Calvert, New Riegel and Noble fourth-graders, and approximately 275 students are participating in 2025. Drown said she would "love to expand on it" and get more schools involved, and interested schools are welcome to contact her for information. "The more the merrier," she said. While Drown coordinates the swim program, she said the instructors working with the fourth graders are "a really unique niche" of retired teachers, grandparents and others who enjoy passing along their knowledge of water safety. "We are blessed with an amazing volunteer crew," she said, who "love coming to swim." For level 3 swimmers learning more advanced skills in the pool, the YMCA swim coach gets involved. "We have experts teaching swim strokes," Drown said. Charles (Buster ) Ardner, president and CEO of the Bucyrus-Tiffin YMCA, said the swim program receives funding from B.A. Seitz Grant from The Columbus Foundation. Since the program utilizes various swim equipment, such as life vests and kickboards, receiving that grant money is "a fantastic help," Ardner said. Drown said the new pools at the Tiffin YMCA, which were completed in 2024, have had a positive impact on the fourth grade swim program and the YMCA as a whole. The improvements, including the zero-entry ramp and aquatic wheelchair, offer swim opportunities to those with mobility issues and other detriments to swim participation, she said. "It's great to allow anybody access to the pool," she said.