MELBOURNE, Fla. — The swimmers are on the starting blocks, ready to start their heat and race the others to the other side, flip over at the end and come back in this 50-yard race. The goggles are checked, the swim cap is pulled down, the swimmers wait for the official to say, “Swimmers take your mark” and then the buzzer goes: Beeepppp! Splish splash into the pool they dive in and race!

John Walsh and Mike Mirda are the coaches for Swim Melbourne Mahi. This young program began in January 2019 and the kids train at the Satellite High School pool.

The swimmers in this program range from ages 6 to 18, or kindergarten through high school age. During this unprecedented year, 60 kids are part of the program. Three hours of practice time allows for 4 to 5 swimmers per lane. Swimming is a safe alternative to other sports and they are hoping that they will be able to accommodate more swimmers going into summer.

Summer is a great time for the program as daylight is longer and they offer a fun “summer team” that allows new swimmers to get a feel for swimming on a competitive team. A year-round USA swimming club, they provide a comprehensive swim development program. Day 1 starts with teaching proper stroke techniques and learning to practice and race with the hopes of eventually swimming in college. Swim Melbourne Mahi provides a fun and competitive environment to all different levels, making swimmers not just love the water, but love to race with friends.

The program is broken down into five training groups: Development, White, Red, Blue, and Senior. Coach Mike says, “The idea is to get children to love swimming and to have fun swimming with friends while learning values like teamwork, discipline, commitment (which will help them throughout their regular careers) and provide them with a path to potentially swim in college.”

The program has grown and they are starting to make a name for themselves. Coach Mike says, “Not only do we have the most fun swimmers and parents, super cool swag, and passionate coaches, but we are performing well at meets. At the last swim meet in Sebastian, we took 5th overall. All of the swimmers outperformed expectations, but it wasn’t so much times or places. Their starts were fast, turns and streamlines were precise, strokes improved by a thousand, and they were happy and wanting more after every swim.”

The coaches are proud of the year-round swimmers as they are giving 100% at practice and meets, and they are excited to have the “summer team” program starting in June.

Interested in learning more about the swim program? Find Swim Melbourne Mahi at www.swimmelb.com and also on Facebook.

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