Braced for a challenge
By Sarah Slee/Senior Reporter

Weatherford Democrat

 27 August 2004

   COURTESY PHOTO Dr. Steven C. Wood, a world champion swimmer, competes with Team Ridglea, a Masters swim team in Fort Worth. He started swimming when he was 8 and holds a number of records.

As men and women of all ages sit glued to their televisions during this year's summer Olympics, many are focused on water sports. Whether fans of diving, swimming or other aquatic events, viewers are sure to keep up with their favorite contestant.

One Weatherford orthodontist hopes to see a Weatherford resident in the 2012 Olympics. How? An indoor aquatic center.
"I am very passionate about this," he said. "I love to swim and I know others who do, too."

Having an Weatherford Olympic swimmer would be a bonus, but Dr. Steven Wood's biggest motivation is the opportunities it would provide for Parker County youth.

He started in the sport at 8 and has competed around the world. An indoor pool would also open the door for high school swim teams, he said.

"Swimming has had a tremendous impact on my life," he said. "Tremendous. It's taught me self-discipline, given me self-esteem, not to mention good health."
 

Currently Cherry Park Pool has a swim team, but those swimmers can only compete three months a year. An indoor pool would allow it to last all year. It would also provide activities for senior citizens, opportunities for triathalon training and much more, Wood said. A center with both a competitive pool and a leisure pool would offer activities, swimming lessons and more to families.

Martin Talley's 15-year-old daughter loves to swim. A Weatherford High School student, she started swimming 10 years ago and wants to swim all year around.

"Swimming has really become a mainstream sport," Talley said. "With the level of interest in Weatherford, an indoor pool would allow kids to go to the next level -- and it would provide an outlet for thosse who struggle with more vigorous exercises."

Currently Aledo High School has a swim team, but they drive to the Benbrook YMCA to practice. Both Parker County high school students and members of the community could benefit from a local indoor facility, Talley said.

Weatherford Parks and Recreation Director Kathy Mosby agrees.

"I think we need a recreation center and an indoor aquatic center," she said. "Something with not only a competitive pool but a leisure pool, also."

According to Mosby, the city is in the process of evaluating the possibility of such a center on property it owns behind Chandor Gardens. In the next budget year, the city will hire a firm to study the property and come back with cost estimates and conceptual ideas.

"It may be that property works for hike and bike trails, a rec center or maybe an aquatic center. That's what we want to find out," she said.

Although the process is in the preliminary stages, it's hopeful, Mosby said.

Wood, who still swims five to six days a week, has conducted an informal study polling his patients and their parents about the importance of an indoor pool in Weatherford.

"I plan to gather people's opinions and take it to the city by the end of the year," he said.

He began actively pursuing an indoor pool about a year ago.

"I just got tired of driving to Fort Worth every day," he said.

Wood swims for Team Ridglea, a Masters swim team, and recently competed in the United States Masters National Championships in Savannah, Ga., where he won three events. He holds national records, NCAA records and ranked third in the world in 1982 in the men's 200 meter freestyle. He qualified for the 1980 Olympics but missed the opportunity when the Olympics were boycotted from Russia.

He has researched the benefits and is confident an indoor aquatic center could only help the community -- both with water sports and economically.

"Weatherford needs this," he said.

For information on Wood's cause, call him at (817) 599-5084. He wants to take his survey outside the office and collect signatures from around the community.

You may contact reporter Sarah Slee by e-mail at wdreporter3@trcle.com or by phone at (817) 594-7447, ext. 225.