Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: Fwd: SKWIM

Friday, June 09, 2017

Fwd: SKWIM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bret

Kevin,

I just heard you will be visiting here in Paso Robles tomorrow. That's great. I look forward to meeting you. Let me just say thank you for creating and promoting this game. It is a lot of fun. This will be the second summer I will play SKWIM, with last year being the first.

So my SKWIM story started last year about this time. I had spent the last three years watching my son play water polo. I saw how much fun the boys were having and I wanted to play too. Though truth be told, water polo would be way too rough for me. But that still didn't stop me from wanting to play some type of team water sport. Sadly, actually frustratingly, there was no team water sport games that I could find. And I don't just mean I couldn't find any team water sport games in my town, but even through an internet search I could not find any meaningful team water sport games through out the world either. I think the closest I came was underwater hockey (seriously, it's game where you hold your breath and dive down to advance a weighted puck).

Then a few things happened. First, when I lamented my unresolved yearning for a water sport game to my coworker, he told me a little story. While vacationing in Washington on the lake shore one day, he came across some folks passing a yellow foam disc across the water. Those folks were very friendly and included my coworker in passing this disc among them. When the folks left, they said my coworker could hold on to the disc. Well, as you know, this yellow foam disc was a SKWIM disc. When my coworker told me about this, I looked SKWIM up on the internet and was immediately captivated. I so wanted to try SKWIM out. Problem was I needed a pool.

As it turns out, at this same time, our community pool was due to be reopened after five or so years of being closed due to budget issues. This pool would be perfect for SKWIM. It was just long enough and one could touch bottom the whole span so people with multiple swimming backgrounds could participate. I approached my city about the prospect of having SKWIM being played. I was soon put in contact with Lynda, who you now know. Together, the two of us brainstormed a way to make it work. We were able to squeeze in two sessions a week for a total of nine sessions. Everybody who played had a great time. SKWIM is just what I was looking for. It's a great non contact team game to play in the water. The spacing of the game is perfect and the way passes are made by gliding the disc across the water is amazing.

I don't know if you know much about our town, Paso Robles, but it can get really hot here in the summer. So having SKWIM during the summer was a fantastic experience. I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to play again this summer.

Bret Halebsky

Hi Bret:

Thanks for being a SKWIM pioneer!
How did you find out about SKWIM?
When did you first start to play some SKWIM?
What is your watersports background?
A Capo Beach guy? Surfer? Salt Creek 😊
How did you get folks to first try it?

Bret:

We are writing the original SKWIM Story Book.

Dedication/Purpose/Mission
My family SKWIM story
A game for the whole family
Ways to play
Safe Play / International Rules
SKWIM Gear and care
Play SKWIM / Learn to Swim
Fin Swimming Saves More Lives
SKWIM Certification
C.A.R.E. Campaign
Water Stories

In this "Water Stories" section we will publish multiple short stories; 250-500 words only, stories about safety, heroic rescues, enrichment, fulfilment, enlightenment, discovery, exploration, about the water. Bret: Can you share a story with us that we can publish – one of your most memorable times in the water!?

All the best,

Kevin

Coach Kevin I. McCarthy

kevin@skwiminternational.org

www.skwiminternational.org

SKWIM® Global Development

CC: 1 - 425-802-2167 (USA)

Address: 1125 205^th Avenue NE

Sammamish WA 98074-6654 USA