Hanging up my lifeguard whistle

After a bit over two years as a part-time lifeguard at the McGaw YMCA in Evanston, IL, I've decided it's time to move on. I initially became interested in becoming a lifeguard as a retiree after reading a news article in 2023 about a nationwide lifeguard shortage. I had been a lifeguard in college, but hadn't really been in the water much since letting my US Master's Swimming membership lapse after developing rotator cuff problems 10-15 years ago. I was involved in a crash with a car on my bike ride home from work in 2017 which left me with a titanium rod in my right leg and a dislocated left AC joint (the shoulder which had forced me out of the pool in the first place). After surgery and a long period of recuperation and physical therapy, I was declared "as good as new," or at least as close to that as I was ever going to get. Since then, I'd begun a more-or-less daily routine of stretching mixed with a bit of strength training thrown in.

Which brought me to 2023. After taking a swim test and a lifesving course, I was ready to go. I took a position at the Y to help reduce the lifeguard shortage. Now, the lifeguard staff has increased enough so that I can't even find a shift to pick up. This is good, but I will miss the people.

During more than two years as a lifeguard, I've come to realize how hard it is to keep the Y going. As Hillary Clinton said, it takes a village; building maintenance staff, day care staff, swim instructors and coaches, day camp counselors, personal trainers and aerobics instructors, front desk, all have a role to play.

Some things stick out in my mind's eye:

• I see a little Head Start kid go from terrified of the water, to jumping in the water to their instructor, to crying that they have to get out. This all in the space of a single half-hour group swim lesson. It's something to behold.
• I see many more than the four basic strokes used to get from one end of the pool to the other, FINA be damned. It's all good. Whatever keeps you moving.
• I see people in the water who don't swim at all in the technical sense of the word, but still get the benefit of a workout in a weightless world.
• I see young kids move up the slope of aquatics mastery.
• I see older patrons resist the pull of gravity on the down slope of their time on this mortal plane.

I've recently gotten involved with groups resisting ICE's & CBP's invasion of our community. On the one hand it's exhilarating and another way to give back to my community, but it can also be extremely stressful. "What hammer will drop next?" is frequently on my mind. During my time in the pool yesterday, I realized about halfway through my workout that all the chaos and stress hadn't crossed my mind once. It was refreshing to get away from that for even a few minutes and recharge my mental batteries. One hand in front of the other, again, again, again, touch the wall, back the other way. It can be a meditative experience.

I haven't touched on even a tenth of what goes on at the Y; pickleball, basketball, yoga and aerobics classes, Camp Echo, even the residence section. You really ought to check out your local Y.