The idea of taking a swimming class during the middle of a Michigan winter might initially strike some as odd.
But to the students who have taken either the swim fitness or the lifeguard training classes offered at Hillsdale, the benefits of taking these classes far outweigh any fears concerning the cold weather.
“[It's] a gym class where you seriously do get in shape,” said sophomore Bethany VanCamp, who took the swim fitness class last year from Coach Mary Anne Gerzanick.
The class focuses on mastering the proper techniques for individual strokes and strengthening the students' endurance and speed while swimming.
The work is intense, but VanCamp said that Gerzanick was encouraging and took into consideration the varying levels of swimming expertise among students in the class.
“I really felt like I learned a lot about how to swim right,” VanCamp said.
Sophomore Stephanie Jordan, who also took the class, agreed.
“The coach really worked hard on teaching us the proper technique [and] gave us a hard workout every time.”
While VanCamp emphasized the effectiveness of the exercise which the class provided, Jordan talked about the wide range of exercise which swimming allows.
“It's a great way to work all of your muscles—arms, legs, your whole body—all at once,” she said, adding that swimming is something “you can make an exercise for the rest of your life.”
“Swimming as a lifetime activity is very important. It allows one to maintain cardiovascular fitness without joint problems,” said Gerzanick, who has been the head coach for the Hillsdale women's swim team for the past four years and has worked with several Olympic coaches.
In addition to swim fitness, Gerzanick also teaches the lifeguard training class at Hillsdale.
This class does have certain swimming prerequisites but contains several perks.
Those who complete the class and finish with a minimum grade of B on the final receive a three year certification in lifeguarding and first aid, and they also receives a one year certification of CPR for the Professional Rescuer.
Junior Alycia Polce, who took the class last year, acknowledged that the course was challenging but taught her useful skills.
“It basically has applications outside of just life guarding,” she said. “I know how to do CPR, rescue breathing, [and] dealing with minor and major injures.”
“You're able to help others with [your training],” said Rita Jenkins, who has been a swimming instructor since her senior year of high school and now teaches the summer session of the lifeguard training class at Hillsdale.
Polce also stressed the practical advantages of the class, saying that she now feels more confident about her opportunities to get jobs over the summer as a lifeguard or camp counselor.
Jenkins said that having the certification will be valuable when applying for those jobs.
And what about the cold weather?
Surprisingly, Polce found the low temperature an incentive to taking the class.
“Because it's cold, I wouldn't have been motivated to go down to the gym if I didn't have a class for credit,” she said.