The Olympic games have lit fire under a lot of American to become more active and get healthy.
Even kids have been inspired by the Olympic athletes they were admiring on TV.
The Aquatics instructor at the Albany YMCA says he's seen a big increase in kids joining the swim team and phone calls from parents looking tog et their kids involved.
The success of the US Olympic Swim Team has kids getting off the couch and jumping in the pool.
"They saw Michael Phelps and all those gold medals and they liked them," says Rosemary Duprey, Mother.
Rosemary Duprey has two kids who swim for Americus Blue Tide. They were in Albany Saturday afternoon for a swim meet, and those swim meets are filled with more kids than ever.
"People just saw the amount of dedication it takes to become a good swimmer," says Duprey.
During an Olympic year, The Albany YMCA has an influx of kids excited and inspired by what they see on TV.
"I always hear the kids, mom look how buff they are look how good of shape they are in and I think that sort of motivated a lot of kids to do that too," says Duprey.
The YMCA'S Aquatic Director says there has been an increase in children wanting to join the swim team and they've seen a big increase in the number of people calling, mostly from parents interested in getting their kids involved in the sport.
"The first week after the swimming Olympics we probably had about 20 calls," says Jeffrey DeMott, Albany YMCA's Aquatics Director.
He says about 15 new swimmers have joined the team, which makes up about one third of the team.
"Then the perception is that they are accessible, and they are something that anyone can do and so kids get excited about it and want to participate," says DeMott.
And getting their feet wet now may lead to them making a big splash in the future.
http://www.albanyareaymca.org/swimming.php
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