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Students become the teachers as county’s learn-to-swim classes return this summer

Once program participants themselves, Maui Swim Club members give back by teaching next generation

By Robert Collias 5 min read

KAHULUI -- Ka'iwa'iwa Oura summed it up perfectly.

"Everything," said Oura, 5, after being asked what was the best part of her learn-to-swim class on Friday at Coach Spencer Shiraishi Memorial Pool.

Oura is one of more than 90 youngsters back in the water for the Maui County/Maui Swim Club learn-to-swim free summer classes at the pool named in honor of the late Shiraishi, the founder of MSC who started the classes more than five decades ago.

The program had been dormant for four years, due to the pandemic.

When Oura was asked again what the best part of the 30-minute lesson was -- kicking in the water, streamline and kicking to their teenage helpers, blowing bubbles in the water, or jumping in -- she was adamant.

"Everything," she said again, with a wide smile.

Macy Fillazar, a recent Maui High School graduate, and Caitlyn Antonio, a rising MHS junior, are both in-the-water instructors for this generation after learning how to swim in the program more than 10 years ago, both with Shiraishi, who passed away in 2012, leading the lessons.

"I mean, it's so awesome -- I remember being a kid in the program and it was just so much fun," Fillazar said. "I'm so glad that other kids get to have the same experiences and that I get to help them."

Fillazar, who will be attending Seattle University in the fall, added that the experience for her is "so much fun, they're hilarious, I love working with them."

She said she gets as much or more from the program than the younger kids. Fillazar was a standout on the Maui High girls basketball team that advanced to the state quarterfinals each of the past two seasons -- and she swam for the Sabers as a freshman -- but is now done with competitive sports.

"I'm so grateful for my experiences here and I feel like that's really helping me in the fall and giving me extra motivation because I want to come back, so just gaining a better appreciation of everything," she said.

Antonio has similar memories of the program.

"I started when I was 5 and that was, like, 11 years ago," Antonio said. "Honestly, I just love giving back to the kids. It's so fun to work with them because they're so enthusiastic about swimming."

The two-month program has more than 90 children attending on alternating weeknights from July 3 to Aug. 31. Only 100 applications were handed out to possible attendees for the program that is tuition-free.

The class is sponsored by the county parks and recreation department in partnership with Maui Swim Club. The lessons are taught by MSC coaches and experienced swim team members.

"I have a lot of fun with them," Antonio said. "I just love like teaching them and giving them the same experience I was given when I first started with this program."

Antonio wants to go into the medical field, perhaps as a physician's assistant, after college and is currently also a math tutor at Kumon.

"I think it prepares me for my future because I get the experience of interacting with the kids," she said. "I love working with the kids."

Kiki Matsumoto, the MSC head coach, is now the person in charge on the deck during the lessons. She guides the way, the entire time with a smile on her face -- among her duties is to walk past every youngster and tap them on the head, splitting them into groups of "ones" and "twos."

"Our program was started over 50 years ago by coach Spencer Shiraishi and we're just continuing his legacy," Matsumoto said. "It's been a four-year hiatus since we've been able to have our summer learn-to-swim program and getting it going again, but thanks to Duke (Sevilla, Maui County pool manager) and county aquatics department we've been able to partner with them to do the program again this year."

Matsumoto said the program is essential for all: youngsters, parents and the helpers in the water that pass along what they have learned.

Fillazar and Antonio were each leaders of the latter group, coaxing reluctant youngsters off of the pool ladder to swim -- or "streamline," kicking with arms above their heads -- to the next helper about 10 feet away.

"Most of our swimmers at Maui Swim Club started out in this program years ago," Matsumoto said. "I currently coach the program, but our advanced swimmers are the ones in the water working with the kids and they do a tremendous job."

When asked if the program warms her heart, Matsumoto said: "Yeah, it really does. It's really a great opportunity for our swimmers to give back to our community -- they really love working with the kids."

Most of the helpers in the water stay after MSC practice to help with the program. The average ratio of learners to teachers in the water is about 3-to-1 or lower. On Thursday, Matsumoto noted that the ratio was nearly one to one -- the kids must be 5 years old and usually the oldest learners are 12 or 13.

It is a crucial program for an island community, Matsumoto said. Dozens of parents were glued to the action as they sat in the Shiraishi Pool bleachers.

"We want to help them become water safe," Matsumoto said of the learners. "If they fall in a pool, they know what to do, we don't let them wear goggles. They know what to do and get to the side of the pool and get out of the pool.

"But ultimately the goal is to teach them to swim the length of the pool by the end of the program."

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

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