Pools from Pflugerville to San Marcos join world record attempt

On another cloudy summer morning, a bunch of would-be swimmers attempted to break a world record at Hawaiian Falls Water Park.

The lesson Friday was part of the World Waterpark Association’s World’s Largest Swimming Lesson Event, which hosted a simultaneous swim lesson in countries around the world to raise awareness for childhood drowning. Rio Vista Park Pool in San Marcos, the Georgetown Recreation Center, Vista Oaks and Teravista in Round Rock and Steiner Ranch also participated in the event.

According to the World Waterpark Association, 32,350 people participated in the simultaneous swim lesson at 432 facilities in 13 countries during the 2013 event, setting the current Guinness World Record. The association will not know if Friday’s lesson will break the record until all participant forms are counted, a process that could take up to 10 days.

“Every year it’s on the same date and you’re given a lesson plan,” said Hawaiian Falls programming manager Susan Kruizinga. “(The lesson) has to happen at the same time so we’re very fortunate that in our time zone it’s at 10 a.m. and not 3 a.m.”

Hawaiian Falls water safety supervisor Keane Malish said swim lessons are an important part of child development.

“They don’t learn any major strokes, but they learn the things that are really going to help the kids when they get in difficult situations,” he said. “(The free lesson) really encourages parents to bring kids out here and learn the techniques so they can be a little bit safer.”

Pflugerville resident Nicole Fish and her kids Peyton, 7, and Phoenix, 5, were among the 24 people who participated in the 30-minute lesson at Hawaiian Falls.

“The kids have taken swim lessons before, but these are all great reminders to start the summer off,” Fish said. “The kids and I have a ‘100 things to do this summer’ list so it’s a fun thing to put on the list that we tried to break a world record.”