Tsunami swimmers back to training at PIC

Swimming Center Tsunami Saipan head coach Hiro Kimura teaches 3-year-old Ao Morishita how to float during a toddler class at the Pacific Islands Club Saipan pool last week. (Contributed Photo)

Yesterday marked 100 days of closure of the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool and with the reopening of the facility still uncertain, Swimming Center Tsunami Saipan is thankful that they found a new home—the Pacific Islands Club.

“We have started our regular practice at PIC last week. The venue is very good. We can have practice for competitive swimming at this pool,” Tsunami Saipan head coach Hiro Kimura said.

Tsunami Saipan swimmers used to train at PIC after the Kan Pacific pool shutdown last Sept. 30. However, they had to look for an alternative venue when PIC Saipan suffered massive damage from Super Typhoon Yutu in late October last year.

“We are very thankful to PIC Saipan and its management for allowing us to train at their pool,” Kimura said.

Though the PIC pool is shorter than the 50-meter facility in Marpi, the Tsunami Saipan head coach believes the former will be advantageous to their swimmers.

“Our practice pool is a 25-yard pool. This size of pool is the most popular in USA swimming. Many U.S. swimmers trained at 25-yard pool and they improved and became national team members,” Kimura said.

“It is more useful for us to train young swimmers in the 25-meter pool than the 50m long course pool. This pool is not only good for beginner level swimmers, but also for the experienced ones. I can guarantee, Tsunami Saipan will become a stronger swim team by training at the PIC pool,” he added.

Tsunami Saipan swimmers are working doubly hard to make up for the lost time when they were forced to suspend practice sessions due to Super Typhoon Yutu. They are training for a competition in Guam next month.

Meanwhile, besides its regular training sessions, Tsunami Saipan is also offering two swim classes at the PIC pool.

The toddler class, which Kimura calls “Future Star Project,” is for 5-and-under age group. Enrollees in this class should be potty trained.

For the beginner level or fitness class, Tsunami Saipan will only accept those in the 12-and-under age group. For children to make it to this class, they must first take a test, which is divided into two parts. The first part is the 10-second hold your breath in the water and the second and last is the 15-meter swim kicking using a kick board. The swim test is held every Tuesday and Saturday at 4:50pm.

For more information about Tsunami Saipan and its classes, send email to tsunamisaipan@gmail.com.