While some kids spend their summer soaking up the sun in the pool in their own backyard, a growing number of young athletes dedicate their summer vacation to the area's only summertime competitive swimming program.
The Susquehanna Valley Swimming and Diving League (SVSDL) is a non-profit program consisting of teams from around central Pennsylvania including the local Shamokin Stingrays and the Mount Carmel Area Sharks squads.
Both programs owe their start to an organization formed in the 1980s with the help of Jose Gonzalo, a local pharmacist, and Robert Else, the owner of King Coal Tours.
This small organization is now a part of the larger SVSDL and provides a competitive swimming environment for kids ages four to 18.
The only requirement in order for a child to compete on one of these teams is that before the first swim meet, they must be able to swim one length of the 25-yard pool.
Because a number of the younger participants don't know how to swim when they first start out, many who join these teams use it as a type of swimming lessons.
"It's amazing how quickly they improve," Eric Belfanti, assistant coach for the MCA Sharks and president of the SVSDL, explained.
Belfanti has helped usher in several changes he thought were necessary to improve the organization and make it easier for anyone to join.
The volunteer-based organization means receiving a lot of help from parents and now the coaches, as opposed to the past, are unpaid.
"I had the votes and the support of the parents," said Belfanti. "Coaches for Teener League, Little League and AYSO don't get paid. Why should we?"
Since this change has been made, the number of kids who have joined the league has more than doubled, and Belfanti thinks that this modification had something to do with the increase.
Today, the only fees include an $8 insurance and $3 registration fee per swimmer. There is also a provision that waives all fees for any family that may be experiencing some sort of financial hardship, which is in stark contrast to the fees that previously made joining one of these teams difficult to afford.
Unfortunately, rumors floating of attempts to shut the pools down for the summer due to cost and budget issues have created uncertainty about pool usage in the future, particularly at Mount Carmel and Shamokin.
Because the number of swimmers has risen steadily in recent years, it also means more people would be affected if the doors to the pool were barred.
Sharon Fellin, a parent representative for the Shamokin Stingrays, knows how important this program is to her daughters.
"I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have been able to learn all the different swim strokes just through swimming lessons," she said. "It's good exercise, and the kids tend to have a good time even though they're working out."
The swimmers have the opportunity to learn and master four strokes: the front crawl, the butterfly, the backstroke and the breaststroke.
Coaches actively instruct the kids by getting in the water and demonstrating each stroke as well as demonstrating on land, and some teams have even begun showing videos of Olympic swimmers as a means of instruction and inspiration for the youngsters.
While it may be obvious that everyone involved agrees that ripples in the budget cuts would create big waves to the kids in the programs, statistics have shown that any type of physical activity improves academic performance, in addition to improving self-esteem, confidence and emphasizing the importance of being part of a team.
And although this program is all about the kids and their dedication, it has an effect on the adults involved as well.
Mandy Fantini, head coach of the MCA Sharks, has been involved with swimming for many years. She swam competitively in high school, and now it brings her joy to see her 6-year-old son following in her footsteps.
"He plays baseball and soccer, but he loves this," she said. And she feels fortunate to be a part of what makes her son happy.
"Besides having my son," she explained, "it's been one of the greatest experiences of my life."
Both the Shamokin Stingrays and the Mount Carmel Area Sharks, as well as teams from Bloomsburg, Central Columbia, Danville, Lewisburg, Mifflinburg, Milton/Warrior Run, Selinsgrove and Sunbury/Norry will compete in the SVSDL championship meet in Williamsport, Saturday.