I first learned how to swim at the long island swim school in Garden City which is around 20 minutes from where I lived in Massapequa. The instructors were all teenagers who competed for the Long Island Aquatic Clubs national level program and were great role models for me as a young swimmer.
I swam there for around a year before they offered to put me into a two week program that was for youths who were excelling at swimming and were willing to learn all four strokes and possibly be offered placement into the clubs main program LIAC which developed athletes who have gone on to World Championships and the Olympics.
After the two weeks I was placed into a stroke clinic group at the Long Island Aquatic Club where I would swim for the next 10 years moving through the higher level groups. It was there where I saw what the sport could do for me in the future.
Long Island Swim School: LISS