March 2, 2015
Natalie Bluhm
[email protected]
Located in the Rec Center, the Aquatic Center has many options to offer in the water. Junior Julia Lucero-Orebaugh, a lifeguard majoring in sociology, explained that the center has both serious and fun activities.
A four-lane lap pool, vortex pool with an added volleyball net and a slide are available for students. A 20-person hot tub and a bubble couch, a ledge that has bubbles coming up from it, are for students looking to relax.
These amenities are available for the entire UCCS community, and community members are also able to use the Aquatic Center. Lucero-Orebaugh said the best times to swim are 6-8 a.m. on the weekdays as well as Saturdays from 1-5 p.m.
The center also offers a variety of swim lessons.
“There are lessons available for ages five to any age, and they come in different packages for different lengths of time,” said Lucero-Orebaugh. “There are also semi-private lessons for smaller children.”
A private one-on-one 45-minute session costs $15 for UCCS students or a student can take part in a semi-private lesson, with one instructor and two students, that costs $25 in total. Students catch a small price break if they pay for a ten lesson package for $120.
Lucero-Orebaugh helps develop strokes and hone in basic swimming skills that make a person more efficient and safer. She also teaches workout plans to help a person get in better shape.
She explained why swimming should be part of each student’s life.
“Swimming is a very good life skill,” she said. “It is very important that people know how to swim for their own safety and it’s also a lot of fun.”
The Aquatic Center also offers a mixture of intramural sports, including a water volleyball tournament that took place Feb. 4 and an inner-tube water polo league.
The Aquatic Center is open Monday through Friday from 6-8 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4 -9 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.
Info Box:
Swim Lesson Costs for Students
Private: (1 instructor, 1 student)
Semi-Private Lessons (1 instructor, 2 students)
Private Lessons: $15 each
Private Lessons (3 pack): $40
Private Lessons (10 pack): $120
Semi-Private Lessons: $25 each
Semi-Private Lessons (3 pack): $40
Semi-Private Lessons (3 pack): $120