Local swim team to bring Olympic swimmer here for clinic
This Saturday, aspiring swimmers will get a chance to meet and learn from former Olympic swimmer Jason Lezak as he pays a visit to Yuma to lead a swim clinic for local students.
Lezak is a four-time Olympian and an eighttime medalist who began swimming at the age of five in Southern California. He competed in the Olympic games in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012.
The 2008 games in particular secured a noteworthy moment for Lezak as he completed a swim in the 400 free relay that would later be voted by Sports Illustrated as the most memorable single performance by an American at the Beijing Games.
Following retirement after the 2012 Olympics at the age of 36, Lezak said he delved more heavily into hosting swim clinics across the country.
“I’ve always loved learning about swimming and I always paid close attention to my coaches and what they were teaching me,” Lezak told the Yuma Sun in a phone interview. “I kind of liked sharing that information and then giving it back to the kids. I have a pretty good story that I share with them as well. Not only am I able to share with them about in-the-water things, I can give them advice on how to become better outside the water.
“If they pay close attention they can absorb a lot of information, but what I really tell them is to make sure they are having fun,” he added. “Throughout my career, I noticed that when I was having fun and I showed up to practice with the right attitude, that’s when I was willing to do what it takes. It’s more than just having a goal and dreaming and wanting to do something — you actually have to do what it takes to get there. Having the right attitude and having fun usually encourages people to work harder and reach toward those goals and dreams.”
He has been doing the clinics for the past 17 years. Since he retired, he has conducted more than 200 of the clinics.
According to DeeDee Baumgarner, head coach of local swim team AquaForce, she first met Lezak at a national swim meet last March. Since then, plans were set into motion for Lezak’s first visit to Yuma.
“He started just like the kids did-in a USA swim team, and then worked hard and went to college,” Baumgarner said. “He has an amazing and really cool story just about his swimming career and what he did after swimming. He is really personable and I am really excited that he is coming to Yuma.”
Baumgarner said about 60 students between the ages of 5 and 18 years are involved with the AquaForce swim team, all of whom will be in attendance along with area swimmers as well as a few from Mesa, Ariz.
Lezak’s upcoming clinic in Yuma is scheduled to take place on Dec. 9 from 8 a.m. to noon at Marcus Pool. The cost for AquaForce team members is $25 and $50 for swimmers from any other USA swim teams or high school teams.
During the clinic, students will get a customized gift bag with a DVD, a notebook, an autograph card and a Breakout Swim Clinic T-shirt. Additionally, the clinic will include a motivational talk, a question and answer time and an in-the-water teaching freestyle time. Students will also work on backstroke and starts and at the event.
For more information, visit www.teamunify.com/Home.jsp?team=azaf