Polo swimming pool opens Saturday

POLO – At one point in her life, Elizabeth Grogan was an unlikely candidate for her new summer job as the Polo swimming pool manager.

Grogan, 31, was in Mexico more than two decades ago and went for a swim in a lake. It was more than she bargained for.

“I jumped in and freaked out,” Grogan said. “I panicked. I couldn’t get myself to where I felt comfortable to be able to touch. That’s where I experienced some of the distressed drowning situation. I was very scared for a very long time. I would get in the water, but I would never go in the deep end. I was terrified of the deep end.”

A 2008 Oregon High School graduate, Grogan began working for the Freeport Park District shortly after high school. She soon was asked if she would like to teach some aquatic fitness classes. That spurred her on to become a better swimmer.

“For a year, I swam every day in the deep end, getting over that fear,” Grogan said. “I ended up getting certified as a lifeguard and loving it, and I ended up getting certified as a swim instructor.”

Grogan has worked at the Nash Center in Oregon for about 10 years, instructing aquatic fitness classes and teaching novice swimmers young and old how to swim. A big part of her job is getting her students to face their fears of the water, like she did.

“I love seeing that fear, like I had, but at the end of the lessons, they end up loving the water,” Grogan said. “I also have worked with adults that are 60 and older and retired, and want to learn how to swim. I’ve had multiple people that were that age that I taught how to swim. It doesn’t matter what age you are. You can learn how to swim and enjoy the water.”

It is with that background Grogan takes over as manager of the Polo pool. It opens on Saturday and will remain open through Labor Day weekend.

Then she will go back to working at the Nash Center, as well as at Stronghold Camp in Oregon, where she teaches aquatics classes and works in the kitchen.

At the Polo pool, she will oversee a staff of 21 lifeguards. Fifteen are high school students, four soon or recently will have graduated, and two are in in college. Each must be a certified lifeguard, and Grogan is giving them some last-minute instruction this week in preparation for opening day.

“It will freshen up on their CPR, first aid and all of their rescues,” Grogan said. “I’m very serious about that. We love to have fun, but we also make sure that we’re keeping everyone safe.”

Open swim time is from 1 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Season passes may be bought and pool parties booked at the building adjacent to the pool at 303 E. Webster St.

Starting June 7, water aerobics classes will be held at various times throughout the week. There also will be lap swimming; swim lessons still must be approved by the Park District board.

Call 815-946-3406 for more information.