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NCAA News Archive - 2007
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Different age, same outcome
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By Leilana McKindra
The NCAA News
The NCAA News
The sights and sounds of Wilmington Area Middle School fifth-graders bobbing and splashing their way across the pool under the watchful eye of Westminster College (Pennsylvania) swimmers are familiar to Chris Lehberger.
And rightfully so — since Lehberger used to be one of those fifth-graders.
The Westminster swimming team has conducted lessons for the Wilmington kids annually for 14 years. For five weeks during the spring semester, 120 students crowd into the Westminster natatorium for the sessions, which fulfill a physical education requirement. In addition to being a service to the community, the program works as a fund-raiser for the team. The college charges the district a small pool rental and administrative fee, part of which goes toward the team’s annual training trip to Florida.
Lehberger was one of the first to participate in the outreach program. Now as a member of the Titans swimming team, the sophomore is the first participant to serve as an instructor. Although it has been 10 years since Lehberger was the youngster soaking up the attention and guidance from the more experienced college athletes, the memories haven’t faded.
“I was always the weird kid because I was the swimmer. I remember going to the lessons, and for once I was the best kid at something athletic,” he said.
Lehberger began swimming competitively at the age of 7. Though he was skilled long before becoming eligible for the Westminster outreach, he benefited from more than the swimming instruction. “I remember really enjoying it and getting to meet a couple of swimmers from Westminster who actually kept in contact with me through camps for the next couple of years. It was a really cool thing,” he said.
Now it’s Lehberger’s turn to mentor, guide and teach. It’s a role he said he felt obligated to take on as a member of the Titans squad.
“I feel it’s my job as a swimmer on this team to contribute to the community and the program and help raise money for the team. I decided I could give 45 minutes of my time each day to teach kids how to swim.”
Consequently, Lehberger joins about 15 of his teammates in volunteering to work with the kids each week. “Here I am teaching these kids how to swim and I can remember being that kid in the water, looking up at those college kids and thinking they were so old. It’s ironic to think back — and now I’m one of those college kids,” he said.
He has made a difference as one of those college kids, too. This past season, the public relations major and writing minor broke the school record in the 200-yard breaststroke, placing 12th overall at the Division III championships in Houston and earning recognition as an all-American as a member of the 400 medley relay team.
The biggest difference between then and now? Besides having picked up a lot more knowledge and experience about the sport in the intervening decade, Lehberger said having been on both sides of the pool, so to speak, gives him a unique insight into the minds of his young charges.
“It’s rewarding to see a kid come in the first day and not be able to swim and leave knowing how to swim pretty well,” said Lehberger, who believes that beyond mastering basic swimming skills and various strokes, participants also take away an appreciation for the sport. “It’s teaching me leadership, how to deal with kids and how to invest in peoples’ lives,” he said. “You don’t know if those kids have a good home life or whether they are living with their mom and dad. The kids really enjoy the lessons and it gives them time to escape.”
And rightfully so — since Lehberger used to be one of those fifth-graders.
The Westminster swimming team has conducted lessons for the Wilmington kids annually for 14 years. For five weeks during the spring semester, 120 students crowd into the Westminster natatorium for the sessions, which fulfill a physical education requirement. In addition to being a service to the community, the program works as a fund-raiser for the team. The college charges the district a small pool rental and administrative fee, part of which goes toward the team’s annual training trip to Florida.
Lehberger was one of the first to participate in the outreach program. Now as a member of the Titans swimming team, the sophomore is the first participant to serve as an instructor. Although it has been 10 years since Lehberger was the youngster soaking up the attention and guidance from the more experienced college athletes, the memories haven’t faded.
“I was always the weird kid because I was the swimmer. I remember going to the lessons, and for once I was the best kid at something athletic,” he said.
Lehberger began swimming competitively at the age of 7. Though he was skilled long before becoming eligible for the Westminster outreach, he benefited from more than the swimming instruction. “I remember really enjoying it and getting to meet a couple of swimmers from Westminster who actually kept in contact with me through camps for the next couple of years. It was a really cool thing,” he said.
Now it’s Lehberger’s turn to mentor, guide and teach. It’s a role he said he felt obligated to take on as a member of the Titans squad.
“I feel it’s my job as a swimmer on this team to contribute to the community and the program and help raise money for the team. I decided I could give 45 minutes of my time each day to teach kids how to swim.”
Consequently, Lehberger joins about 15 of his teammates in volunteering to work with the kids each week. “Here I am teaching these kids how to swim and I can remember being that kid in the water, looking up at those college kids and thinking they were so old. It’s ironic to think back — and now I’m one of those college kids,” he said.
He has made a difference as one of those college kids, too. This past season, the public relations major and writing minor broke the school record in the 200-yard breaststroke, placing 12th overall at the Division III championships in Houston and earning recognition as an all-American as a member of the 400 medley relay team.
The biggest difference between then and now? Besides having picked up a lot more knowledge and experience about the sport in the intervening decade, Lehberger said having been on both sides of the pool, so to speak, gives him a unique insight into the minds of his young charges.
“It’s rewarding to see a kid come in the first day and not be able to swim and leave knowing how to swim pretty well,” said Lehberger, who believes that beyond mastering basic swimming skills and various strokes, participants also take away an appreciation for the sport. “It’s teaching me leadership, how to deal with kids and how to invest in peoples’ lives,” he said. “You don’t know if those kids have a good home life or whether they are living with their mom and dad. The kids really enjoy the lessons and it gives them time to escape.”
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