As 10-year-old Hector Jimenez emerged from the pool at the Robertson County YMCA in Springfield on Wednesday, July 12, he was greeted by unexpected cheers.

Hector had just completed a 25-yard freestyle swim the length of a 6-foot-deep competition lane, making him the 600th swimmer to pass the YMCA’s swimming test this summer alone, a tremendous milestone for the facility. 

As Kathy Gunn, the Membership Family Services and Active Older Adults (AOA) Director, explains, “We had all been on alert because we knew we were getting close to the 600th, and we didn’t want to miss it,” she says. “We were communicating with our radios, calling out the numbers, ‘Here’s 597, 598.’ We have 50 lifeguards who rotate through here, so if someone hadn’t realized what we were doing, they could have easily given the test and missed it.”

According to YMCA regulations, swimmers under the age of 14 must pass a swim test before they are allowed to be in the pool without an adult present. Swimmers who pass the test are given a green wristband informing lifeguards that they are safe to swim alone. As tests are passed, names are added to a digital list, allowing the YMCA to not only keep track of which children have passed, but also to maintain an accurate number of successful swim tests.

During past summers, the number of tests performed and passed has averaged between 400 and 450, making this year’s current number of 600 a dramatic increase. The fact that the Robertson County YMCA has reached 600 in the middle of July speaks volumes of not only the popularity of the establishment, but the growth within the community itself. 

Ms. Gunn explains, “This area is growing rapidly. When I started here just over 2 years ago, we had 4,527 members and approximately about 2,900 households. Right now, we're sitting at 3,917 households and approximately 8,346 members.”

Additionally, another one of the YMCA’s greatest contributions to the community is a wonderful Active Older Adult program (AOA), which provides classes, luncheons, and day trips for seniors. According to Ms. Gunn, “We've been to Top Golf several times, and we have plans to go to the Cumberland County Playhouse as well as a pottery studio in Nashville, so there are constant activities for seniors.”

They are doing great things and affecting many with no plans to slow down or stop. As for Hector Jimenez, once the cheers diminished and he was informed that he was the 600th swimmer, it was back to the pool, with a glow of accomplishment and newfound independence.