FAYETTEVILLE — Yes, it was a squeaker, but it appears Fayetteville broke the world record for hosting the largest swimming lesson.
The final count came in at 262 children and adults simultaneously kicking, bobbing, floating and just about every other swimming move imaginable, reported Fayetteville Parks and Recreation officials.
That’s a scant 16 more than the 250 attendees it took to break the record, said Chase Gipson, parks and recreation superintendent.
The lesson started about 30 minutes late because pool officials did not have enough students lining the edge of the Olympic length pool. But after urging, and cajoling walkers-on, parents and anyone else in a swimsuit, the lesson began with much felt relief, as a few hundred giddy, anxious tweens perched on the edge of a pool on opening day took to the water.
“I think it’s going to be awesome,” cooed Shea O’Grady, 13, who was hanging out with friends.
“It’s too hot to do anything else,” added Danys Parker, a mom nearby who’d brought a group of girls for the lesson. “It’s free and it’s the best place to be.” The Wilson Park pool kicked off its opening day with free admission.
When the lesson finally got started instructors took the opportunity to review some basic pool do’s and don’ts.
“What’s the No. 1 pool rule,” Caleb Markovich, 20, an assistant pool manager, asked the three young boys he was leading.
“No horseplay. No running,” replied Corwin Stites, 11, wearing wasabi-colored googles, in the sort of rote, rehearsed sing-song, that suggested he might have just maybe broken one of these rules at some point in the past.
“And no using the restroom in the pool,” piped in Justin Meyl, also 11.
“Yes,” agreed Markovich, sounding relieved he didn’t have to remind the boys about this all-too familiar spill occurring in any pool packed with kids.
“And another important pool is to always obey the lifeguard,” he added.
Friday’s swimming lesson is following the heals of the somewhat more official world’s largest swimming lesson June 3, where more than 10,000 children participated in pools all around the world on four continents for a single lesson. The event, headquartered at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park near Orlando, Fla., hoped to raise awareness about child drownings. Friday’s event in Wilson Park was to break the record for the largest swimming lesson in a single pool.