| 2015 Q2 | story by KATHERINE DIAZ | photos by STEVEN HERTZOG |

Lawrence Outdoor Aquatics Center has a variety of swimming lessons for all ages.
Take a splash back to the summer of 1969. While the country was jammin’ out to “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies, Lawrence was completing the construction of its outdoor pool specifically – and conveniently – located downtown on Vermont Street.
“Swimming pools, traditionally when they were built back in the 50s and 60s, were built in the commercial hub, the downtown area, at a park or a place of gathering,” said Jimmy Gibbs, Recreation Operations Manager for the Lawrence Parks and Recreation.
Swimming is a popular activity among adults and children during the summer, and by the time children go back to school, most would have visited a swimming pool or engaged in a water-related activity. However, just as the water can be fun, it can also be very dangerous. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in its most recent Drowning in Kansas: Injury Prevention and Disability Program, for children 14 years old and younger, drowning was the third leading cause of injury death in 2012. In Lawrence, however, Gibbs and his team ensure everyone attending public waters is safe. On the other hand, to help individuals enjoy their time at the pool, various swimming lessons are provided at all ages.
“Lawrence is a very unique community in that we have folks that come from all over the globe that go to school here and not everybody has grown up around water,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs has seen many adults, who are international students, that have never swam before. Whether it’s not culturally acceptable or their community doesn’t have the means to provide a source for recreational swimming, these individuals have no experience about having fun or being safe in the water.
“We had to create or craft several years ago how to start helping and teaching those adult classes in being comfortable and being safe around the water,” Gibbs said.
It’s also essential for young children learning how to swim, to also learn and understand the importance of respecting the water, as Gibbs says.
“It’s fun but it can also be very dangerous,” he said. “It’s important for us providing physical education and health and wellness that that safety aspect is very important and that’s why in our swimming lessons that we have, they’re not just learning the strokes but they’re also learning how to keep themselves safe.”
Another measure taken to ensure the safety of all visitors are those standing watch over the Lawrence pools – its well-trained lifeguards supervised by Lori Madaus, Lawrence Aquatics Supervisor. Madaus is the one responsible for overseeing the indoor and outdoor pool, the South Park Wading Pool and staffs the Carl Knox Natatorium during school year.
“The responsibility you have for people’s lives – it’s a huge responsibility,” Madaus said. “People trust their children to you, they trust you to watch over and guard them while they’re swimming and the children look up to them.”
The concept of safeguarding the lives of others was greatly upheld by Dr. James Naismith who understood the significance of lifeguard responsibility, as well as the importance of knowing how to swim, as Gibbs explains while taking a deeper look into Lawrence’s pools from the past.
“Dr. Naismith from the University of Kansas – the inventor of basketball – he had a requirement that his athletes had to know how to swim, and that was a big challenge for his African American athletes on his teams,” Gibbs said. “There were literally no integrated swimming pools at the time.”
At that time there were black-only and white-only swimming pools in Lawrence, Gibbs further explained. Though there was a swimming pool, a YMCA-type that used to be downtown in the 1940s and 1950s where Dr. Naismith would take his African American athletes and they would be able to swim there. However, during these times of segregation across the country, the simple idea of swimming was a challenge.
“Dr. Naismith took one of his African American athletes who was a lifeguard in Kansas City to the swimming pool, and this was most likely on a Friday and after the kid gets out the custodial staff starts to drain the pool,” Gibbs said, the reason being was indirectly implied. “So then Dr. Naismith brought in members of the football team to stand guard at these swimming pools so that his African American athletes could swim and use the pool without being harassed.”

Drowning was the third leading cause of injury death in 2012 for children 14 years old and younger in Kansas.
The construction of the downtown outdoor pool in 1969 marked a significant time in Lawrence history as it opened to become the first integrated pool in the community. There had been white-only pools in the area, with not one black-only pool, according to Gibbs. The exception was the pool where Dr. Naismith took his African American athletes. The true lesson, however, to take away from the simple ability of knowing how to swim is what it teaches individuals. Aside from being safe and respecting the water, what matters are the life-long qualities swimming teaches students.
“Swimming is a lifelong skill. It doesn’t matter how young you are or how old you are it’s a skill teaches you responsibility, it teaches you punctuality and job skills that you can take throughout your whole life,” Madaus said. “ It doesn’t matter what career you choose, swimming teaches you the basic fundamentals of job skills.”
One can never be too young or too old to learn and develop these skills. Madaus and Gibbs have seen a wide-range of age groups learning the basics of swimming through the swimming lessons offered by the Lawrence pools. Many start as young as six months old, and there are occasional 80 year-olds as Madaus has witnessed.
“First-time grandparents – maybe they never learned how to swim – but their grandkids do or they’ve been invited to somebody’s lake house or out on a boat and they’re terrified,” Gibbs said. “So it’s a process of you’re not going to teach them to swim 50 meters, but we are going to help you get comfortable weighing up to your knees or knowing what to do if your grandkids are in trouble.”
Whether people are going by the pool for lessons or to have fun in the sun and water, one thing for sure is the Outdoor Aquatics Center is part of the enjoyable downtown experience.
“We’ve always been in that downtown area, and so we’re part of the experience of coming downtown. You find a place to park, you go to the library, you go to eat, maybe do some shopping, you go to the swimming pool and so all of those things are right there,” Gibbs said. “You’re not having to get in your car and go shopping or go someplace else to eat. I think we’re an important part and will continue to be an important part of the community.”
From the summer of 1969 onward, the Lawrence outdoor pool remains as a representation of cultural change, a place of learning and developing life skills and, of course, a place to have fun – safely – with family and friends.
97 Comments
Hi, just wanted to say, I loved this article. It was helpful. Keep on posting!|
PRIME BIOME REVIEWS
AQUA SCULPT REVIEWS
apotek online: apotek pa nett – Apotek hemleverans idag
PRIMEBIOME
Great delivery. Solid arguments. Keep up the good spirit.|
Hello there, You have performed an excellent job. I will definitely digg it and in my opinion suggest to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this website.|
PRIMEBIOME REVIEWS
Kamagra Oral Jelly: Kamagra kaufen ohne Rezept – Kamagra Gel
PRIME BIOME
https://apotekonlinerecept.com/# apotek online
Online apotheek Nederland zonder recept: Apotheek online bestellen – Apotheek Max
Kamagra Original: Kamagra kaufen ohne Rezept – Kamagra online bestellen
http://apotheekmax.com/# Betrouwbare online apotheek zonder recept
AQUASCULT
PRIME BIOME REVIEWS
PRIMEBIOME REVIEWS
https://apotheekmax.shop/# ApotheekMax
https://apotekonlinerecept.shop/# apotek pa nett
Kamagra Oral Jelly Kamagra Gel Kamagra Oral Jelly kaufen
PRIME BIOME
PRIME BIOME REVIEWS
AQUASCULT
kamagra: Kamagra kaufen ohne Rezept – Kamagra kaufen
PRIMEBIOME
I have observed that in the world the present moment, video games are definitely the latest phenomenon with children of all ages. Often times it may be difficult to drag your children away from the activities. If you want the best of both worlds, there are plenty of educational gaming activities for kids. Good post.
Really made me think.
PRIME BIOME REVIEWS
Apotek hemleverans recept: Apoteket online – Apoteket online
http://kamagrapotenzmittel.com/# Kamagra online bestellen
Kamagra kaufen ohne Rezept: Kamagra Oral Jelly – kamagra
Apoteket online: Apoteket online – Apotek hemleverans idag
PRIMEBIOME
AQUASCULT
http://apotheekmax.com/# Beste online drogist
https://kamagrapotenzmittel.com/# Kamagra online bestellen
Just wow.
PRIME BIOME REVIEWS
apotek pa nett Apoteket online Apotek hemleverans recept
Thanks for this gem!
http://apotheekmax.com/# online apotheek
PRIME BIOME
AQUASCULT
PRIME BIOME REVIEWS
naturally like your web site but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very bothersome to tell the truth nevertheless I?ll definitely come back again.
Kamagra online bestellen: Kamagra kaufen – kamagra
PRIME BIOME
you’re actually a just right webmaster. The web site loading velocity is amazing. It seems that you are doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you have done a wonderful job in this matter!
Betrouwbare online apotheek zonder recept: Betrouwbare online apotheek zonder recept – Apotheek Max
Online apotheek Nederland met recept: Online apotheek Nederland zonder recept – Apotheek online bestellen
http://apotheekmax.com/# Online apotheek Nederland met recept
AQUASCULT
This is perfect.
de online drogist kortingscode Online apotheek Nederland zonder recept de online drogist kortingscode
Pornstar
https://apotheekmax.com/# Beste online drogist
Porn
AQUA SCULPT REVIEWS
http://apotekonlinerecept.com/# apotek online recept
https://apotheekmax.com/# Online apotheek Nederland met recept
Buy Drugs
Apotek hemleverans idag: apotek online – apotek online recept
https://kamagrapotenzmittel.com/# kamagra
AQUA SCULPT REVIEW
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again as exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike.
apotek online recept: Apotek hemleverans idag – apotek online recept
apotek pa nett: Apoteket online – apotek pa nett
Apotek hemleverans recept: Apotek hemleverans recept – apotek online recept
AQUA SCULPT REVIEW
https://kamagrapotenzmittel.shop/# Kamagra kaufen
https://apotheekmax.com/# Apotheek online bestellen
I think one of your adverts caused my browser to resize, you might want to put that on your blacklist.
Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Spending some time and actual effort to make a really good article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and don’t seem to get anything done.|
Я оцениваю широту покрытия темы в статье.
Thanks for the marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed reading it, you will be a great author.I will always bookmark your blog and will often come back later on. I want to encourage continue your great posts, have a nice morning!|
https://apotekonlinerecept.shop/# Apotek hemleverans idag
My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was totally right. This publish truly made my day. You can not believe simply how a lot time I had spent for this info! Thanks!|
What’s up to every one, the contents present at this web page are actually amazing for people knowledge, well, keep up the good work fellows.|
AQUA SCULPT
http://kamagrapotenzmittel.com/# Kamagra kaufen ohne Rezept
I blog frequently and I really appreciate your information. The article has really peaked my interest. I will take a note of your website and keep checking for new details about once per week. I opted in for your Feed as well.
de online drogist kortingscode online apotheek Online apotheek Nederland met recept
I am usually to blogging and i really recognize your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and hold checking for brand spanking new information.
Hi would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re using? I’m going to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a tough time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!|
ApotheekMax: Beste online drogist – Betrouwbare online apotheek zonder recept
Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue with your web site in internet explorer, could test this? IE still is the market chief and a large section of other folks will pass over your wonderful writing due to this problem.|
Автор предлагает практические советы, которые читатели могут использовать в своей повседневной жизни.
Beste online drogist: Online apotheek Nederland zonder recept – Betrouwbare online apotheek zonder recept
What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It positively useful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & aid different customers like its aided me. Good job.|
apotek online: apotek online – apotek online recept
http://apotheekmax.com/# Apotheek online bestellen
Hello! I’ve been following your blog for a long time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Kingwood Tx! Just wanted to mention keep up the great work!|
Kamagra kaufen: Kamagra Oral Jelly kaufen – Kamagra Original
https://apotheekmax.com/# Beste online drogist
kamagra Kamagra Gel Kamagra Gel
https://apotheekmax.com/# online apotheek
https://apotekonlinerecept.shop/# Apotek hemleverans recept