Harith Aleem has been the Aquatic Program Coordinator for the last two years. He started swimming when he was 7 years old. Harith said, “I grew up at the pool.
Published: May, 2004
Harith Aleem has been the Aquatic Program Coordinator for the last two years. He started swimming when he was 7 years old. Harith said, “I grew up at the pool.” His first job was interning at the pool. From that honorable beginning, Harith worked through all the different jobs available. What Harith learned from being an active swimming student, summer camper, competitive swimmer intern, junior lifeguard, lifeguard and pool manager, and finally a pool administrator has been very helpful. For the last two years, he has been able to improve on existing and create new programs for the community through the pools of the City of Oakland. Harith has taken what he learned to work out kinks he saw in the system as a youngster. He has been part of the overall pool administration team for the last six or seven years.
Last year, the seven pools operated by the City of Oakland served over 68,000 people in the community. The programs were good before, and now Harith is making them even better each year. It you have kids, the Oakland summer camps are open for enrollment now. “We have a 92-year-old woman who swims every week at our pools. We have kids that started as tiny tots learning to swim with their mothers. They continue to swim through classes, working up to junior lifeguard and finally as a lifeguard and teacher. One of our swimmers will be swimming for Cal Berkeley next year. Swimming was not a scholarship for him, but the Cal swim coach wanted him on his team. Swimming was an entry to higher education for him. In these competitive times to get into college, his love of swimming has really helped him reach for what he wants in life.” It’s easy to see the quiet pride Harith feels for kids of all ages that enroll to swim and keep coming back.
Programs offered through the seven pools in the Oakland Parks and Recreation include:
Open swim periods for $1.
Learn to swim for $20 for 2 weeks of lessons; as young as 6 months with mommy up to adults at all levels
All seven pools have swim teams. They compete through the summer with the other seven pools and have a championship meet at the end of the summer.
Life guarding classes have become more formally organized.
Junior Lifeguard Camp–one-week program for those not yet old enough
United States Youth Games, annual Olympic style event
In enrollment-based programs–classes and summer camps–there is room for 3,000 participants. Classes do fill up quickly, so if you have kids look into Oakland’s Park and Recreation options or the community programs near you as early as possible. Swimming, kids, and summer simply go together.
