It was so exciting to watch Arlington’s own Torri Huske win 3 gold and 2 silver medals at the Paris Olympics!
If the Olympics inspired you to get in the pool but your options diminished after the summer, then join me on a tour of where you can swim year round.
Hopefully you already know that three Arlington High Schools have pools that are open to the public. Our tour starts at Yorktown High School since that is where Torri Huske and two-time Olympian Tom Dolan went to school. Yorktown, Wakefield, and Washington-Liberty have swim times open to the public if you just want to do laps, but you can also schedule private instruction.
All three pools offer drop-in rates and punch card rates for county residents and a slightly higher rate for swimmers who reside outside of the county. These pools are run by the Arlington Public Schools. Since the APS students swim and train there as well, please check the APS website for each school’s public swim hours and fee information.
If you want more advanced, individualized training, hop over to The Swim Box (located at 5183B Langston Boulevard). This unique facility has multiple infinity pools where your trainer will use video to help improve your technique, while a mirror on the bottom of the pool allows for self-correction.
There is a free 15-minute swim analysis to see if this approach is right for you. I haven’t been in the pool for exercise since I was a kid, so I asked if they worked with newbies. Gratefully they do! I am definitely signing up for my free, ego-shattering analysis. What a great way to get in shape while making sure my technique is correct.
No talk of swimming would be complete without a trip to Long Bridge Park’s Aquatics and Fitness Center. This 92,000 SF facility opened in 2021 with help from a $10,000,000 grant from Boeing and is home to the Arlington Aquatic Club. This facility is incredible. One side is a leisure pool complete with a slide, spray ground, and lazy river while the other side is for competitive swimming. This is the only 50-meter pool in Arlington.
They have springboards plus 3- and 5-meter diving platforms. You can take group or private lessons in both swimming and diving. They have aqua fitness classes and 55+ water aerobics as well as adult, child, teen and adaptive classes. Unfortunately, you can’t use your APS pool punch card here as it is run by the Parks and Rec Department and not APS. You can pay as you go or become a member. Please check the website for fees and membership options.
Lost your goggles, need a new suit? Head over to Sport Fair at 5010 Langston Boulevard. They have everything you need to start your swim fitness routine. I’m headed there to get myself ready to add swimming to my workout routine.
One more option in Arlington County is the YMCA at 3422 13th Street N. Check their website for programs.
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