Swimmers, visitors welcome at Mission Valley Aquatic Center pool
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POLSON — The Mission Valley Aquatic Center’s pool is full, open for swimmers and approximately 82 degrees, quite a bit warmer than Flathead Lake.
MVA officially opened on May 20, according to Tana Seeley, MVA project director, but the staff is easing into things with open swim from noon to 6 p.m.
The staff is busy assembling and training a cadre of lifeguards and other personnel. Swim lessons and classes will begin June 17. By that time a lot of the lifeguards will be out of class and home from college, Seeley said.
Dana and Mark Johnston are new additions to the staff, coming to Polson from Denver. Mark is managing lifeguards and the pump room, while Dana also works with lifeguards and programming. Both Johnstons are also swim coaches and had their own USA Club team, a family program for adults and children.
USA club team is the program Michael Phelps, U.S.A. Olympian, emerged from, and there are competitive teams across the United States.
Dana has been in Polson for 10 days and Mark for over a month.
“I’m really excited to be here,” she said. “It’s beautiful.”
Everyone tells Mark and Dana that MVA is lucky to have them on staff, but Dana thinks they are lucky to work at such a wonderful facility and to get the chance to begin a competitive swim team for the Mission Valley, maybe even an adult swim team.
Dana was going down the line at the MVA pool talking to youngsters and telling them about the introduction to swim team class.
Two lanes are always open for lap swimming, Dana said. Since the pool is just getting up to speed, there have been three lanes blocked off for lap swimmers.
Dana is also in charge of programming and said there will be coached adult practice.
Swim lessons for all ages from six months to adults will be offered. In addition, people can sign up for aqua fitness, resistance water aerobics, aqua Zumba and aqua therapy. Aqua Zumba will begin in July.
Sharon Murphy will be teaching aqua therapy. “It’s a gentle movements class,” Murphy said, “for people with arthritis, recovering from an injury or knee surgery who just want to be moving in warm wonderful water.”
The water in the therapy pool is 95 degrees, and there is a million dollar view of the Mission Mountains through the windows near the pool.
Interested swimmers or parents of swimmers may come in and sign up for classes that start June 17.
For more information about lessons, classes or prices, call MVA at 883-4567 or check on the web at swim@mvaquatics.org.
The parking lot was packed on a Wednesday afternoon so swimmers are already enjoying the pools.
