• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

  • Home
  • Advertise
    • Advertise in One or All of our Magazines
    • Advertising Payment Form
  • Print Subscription
  • Digital Subscription
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Login
  • Contact Us

swimming

Ready to Open Pool Clubs Eager for a Green Light

June 10, 2020 by Megan Klein

Willowbrook, like other county and private pool clubs throughout the county, anticipates opening during Phase 4.

The soundtrack of a pool club consists of the following: wet flip flops, lifeguard whistles, kids asking for snack-bar money, parents saying no, but then giving in after the fifth ask and loud splashes following a cannonball.

Unfortunately, the sounds have been put on pause. Although summer has arrived and Coronavirus cases have declined, pool clubs in New York are still not open for the season.

We’re all looking for answers, but unfortunately so are those who are in charge of the clubs themselves. Harriet Engel has been a board member at Willowbrook Swim and Tennis Club for four years and is a long time member herself of 16 years. She recently spoke to Westchester County Executive George Latimer on the phone, who is also awaiting answers from the state, to discuss the status of the pool clubs.

“George Latimer said on this call that he strongly feels that the pools can be open safely and they have done that in other states…it’s just a matter of when and what specific restrictions are imposed when they can open.”

The reopening of pool clubs is part of the Phase 4 structure in relation to COVID-19, however it is unclear if that means county pools or private ones. But, county pools are preparing to open, which means so is Willowbrook.

“We are prepared to open…when we are given the green light. We’re ready to go,” Engel said, stating that they’ve had plumbers there and pools being filled and repainted.

Breathe Pilates and Yoga
ADVERTISEMENT

The question of snack bars, playgrounds and swim teams are all currently unanswered and not up to individual pool clubs but rather the state. However, tennis clubs have been open. At Willowbrook, although both pickleball and tennis courts are open for play, you can’t share balls and large clinics are not being held. With that being said, the Pros at the club are available for lessons if you are looking for something to get your kids out of the house.

That’s another thing. Kids have been cooped up for months inside their homes due to quarantine, so the opening of pools would be a great way to let them be outside and get out of the house. And with the cancellation of many sleepaway camps, families are now home with their kids with nothing to do. For those who are worried about social distancing and the travel of germs, no need to fear.

“The benefit of the pool clubs is that they are all open air…they say that being out in an open air environment is much safer because everything can circulate, so it seems like it’s a safe environment and plus we have a lot of deck space. So, we could allow the chairs to be more distanced from one another for people to social distance themselves on the deck,” Engel reassured.

And in terms of the swim team, although there is no concrete plan or set of guidelines to follow that have been provided just yet, there are some possible solutions.  For instance, separating kids into different age groups and capping the number of swimmers allowed in the pool at one time. Even though these potential implementations change one’s normal routine at the pool, it seems as if that might be the only way to get back in the water.

“It’s the price of being able to partake in an activity, safely, to keep yourself and others safe. That’s the name of the game. You want to be able to do all these things, but we’ve taken all these precautions so to do something in an unsafe manner just doesn’t make sense right now,” said Engel. “You would sort of destroy all the work that you’ve put in up until now.”

Filed Under: Surviving COVID-19 Tagged With: Chappaqua, County Executive, COVID-19, Phase 4, pool clubs, swim, swimming, Tennis, Willowbrook Swim and Tennis

Discover Chappaqua’s Private Pool Clubs

November 13, 2019 by The Inside Press

Chappaqua boasts four private swim & tennis clubs. The cost to join doesn’t vary too radically–there’s a bond and an annual fee–and all offer rental memberships so prospective members can try them out. Each club welcomes visitors to come and see and consider joining.

Birchwood Swim & Tennis on Quaker Road has been a cherished family club for more than 50 years. Birchwood offers eight Har-Tru tennis courts, large pool and diving well for adults and older children, a children’s pool, ping-pong, playground equipment, expansive open grass field, paddle tennis courts and its own Clubhouse Grill, run by a family of restaurateurs. Each year the club runs a robust swim and dive program and holds summer tennis clinics and camps, as well as adult competitive leagues at all levels. Paddle tennis leagues and events run throughout the winter. birchwoodswimandtennis.com

Chappaqua Swim & Tennis Club is a beautiful, flower-filled club just off Hardscrabble Road with a Division 1 swim team, Red-Cross-certified swim lessons, tennis staff headed by Lukas Beman of Club Fit and an excellent snack bar. There are several paddle tennis courts for winter racket fun and CST holds an annual fundraising swim under the auspices of Swim Across America to raise money to fight cancer. cstclub.com

Seven Bridges Field Club, one of the oldest swim clubs in the area, is a family-oriented, year-round club nestled in a tranquil setting at 160 Seven Bridges Road. Summer fun includes a swim team, barbecues, potluck dinners, frog catching, movie nights, an annual clambake and more. For tennis lovers, there are five Har-Tru courts and private lessons with the pro are available by appointment. Two lighted paddle tennis courts are available throughout the winter months. Seven Bridges does not charge any guest fees. sevenbridgesfieldclub.org

Willowbrook Swim & Tennis Club on Millwood Road in Mount Kisco is one of northern Westchester’s premiere swim and tennis clubs for families. Members can enjoy the large heated pool, deep end for diving, kiddie pool for tots, basketball court and eight Har-Tru tennis courts. The Division 1 swim and dive team offers a fun experience for all. Additionally, club members can golf twice a month at Anglebrook Golf Club, a private club in Lincolndale. willowbrookst.org.

 

Descriptions above, courtesy of respective clubs.

Filed Under: Discover New Castle Tagged With: Diving, Family, pool clubs, summer, swimming, Tennis

Olympic Swimmer Inspires Local Youth

October 21, 2015 by The Inside Press

Boys and Girls Club Marlins’ coaches Bobby Hackett (Distance Coach), left, and Dennis Munson (Head Coach/Aquatic Director), right, welcome Olympian Ariana Kukors.
Boys and Girls Club Marlins’ coaches Bobby Hackett (Distance Coach), left, and Dennis Munson (Head Coach/Aquatic Director), right, welcome Olympian Ariana Kukors.

By Susan Draper

Never underestimate an Olympian! When she retired from swimming in 2012, Ariana Kukors set out to use her experiences to inspire change in others. From kids’ clinics and corporate presentations, to her role as Director of Health Inspiration at LifeWise Health Plan of Washington & Oregon, Ariana has been able to engage, encourage, and motivate people from all walks of life. As she set out to work with over one hundred of our local athletes during the last weekend in September, I was in awe of just how much valuable information, pertinent to performance, could be included in a 2-2.5-hour workshop. I knew the workshops would be inspiring and insightful, but I didn’t realize that they had the potential to be life changing.

Ariana’s first Westchester workshop, graciously hosted by the Bristal in Armonk, was a Dream Clinic for teens looking for targeted ways to become better at their craft. The teens were everything from equestrians to soccer players, with obviously some swimmers in the mix. Ariana began by telling the story of how she was a member of the National Swim Team since age 13, and that her first crack at the Olympics was in 2008. She candidly described the details of finishing the semi-finals in first place, but sinking to third place in the final lap of the 200 IM. One doesn’t have to be a swimmer to know that coming in third by .09 seconds is a devastating experience. The ensuing night was rough, but beginning the next day–after dropping a full 9 seconds in the 200 breast–she began to develop a comeback plan. The clinic was an opportunity to explore one’s personal philosophy and vision with a suggestion to develop a vision board for life. The teens learned about positive self talk, mindfulness, and steps to calm the mind through meditation. She explained exactly what techniques she employed in order to break the world record, not once, but twice to win the gold medal at the World Championships in Rome in 2009, being named American Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine. The teens worked on their own personal ideas during the session and left with techniques to complete a comprehensive plan for success. One parent let me know that her daughter didn’t waste any time putting elements of the plan into practice, scoring points for her team in a competition the very next day.

Ariana gives tips and advice to a rapt group of competitive young swim- mers at the Boys and Girls Club in Mount Kisco.
Ariana gives tips and advice to a rapt group of competitive young swimmers at the Boys and Girls Club in Mount Kisco.

That Sunday, Ariana conducted swim clinics at the Boys and Girls Club in Mt. Kisco. Again, she began with her story, which every swimmer in the room could relate to as she spoke. “Who has had a bad race?” Again, she described that fateful race of 2008 where years of training kept her in first place for the first 150 meters. She described how panic set in as her mind strayed to the thought of being chased down by freestylers who at moments in the past had been flat out faster than her personal best time. Her honed technique fell apart as she panicked. Everyone in the room identified with her at that moment–including swimmers I had seen repeatedly take first place at Metropolitan Swimming championships. It was her absolute humanness that drew them in to her world. Every swimmer has had the race where they put themselves out there only to touch the wall and look back at the clock to see that they fell short of their goal. There were questions about strategy, mental preparation, opponents, and how to pick an element to develop to drop their times. There were moments of laughter and moments where she tugged at their heart strings. For much of the afternoon she was in the pool with them working their strokes in new sets and drills. In the end, all of them had their opportunity to race an Olympian while swimming their best stroke. As the session closed, I could see that they had fallen in love with Ariana as they all stayed for photographs, autographs and even more laughter.

The afternoon brought me back to thoughts when, as a family, we met Ariana at the Olympic Trials. She had realized her dream of becoming an Olympian in a race that we watched on the edge of our seats the evening before. Little did we know in that moment as she touched and placed second–erupting in tears of joy as she connected with her family–that she was destined to take a place in our hearts. I knew the kids at the workshops would love her too, but what I learned is that she is truly as amazing outside of the water as she is in the pool. She put her heart and soul into the preparation for these clinics and once again, it paid off as a true gift for everyone involved. We can’t wait to have her back again!

Susan Draper is currently pursuing her RN degree while teaching yoga and spinning in her spare time. She lives in Armonk with her husband, daughter, and competitive swimmer son who inspired the whole family to “dive” into the sport eight years ago.

Filed Under: Armonk Cover Stories Tagged With: Ariana Kukors, Inside Press, inspiration, Olympian, swimming, theinsidepress.com, youth

A Wonderful Chance to Learn from Olympic Swimmer Ariana Kukors!

September 14, 2015 by The Inside Press

ariana

By Susan Draper

As parents of a competitive swimmer, we had heard that attending the Olympic Swimming Trials is incredibly exciting because it allows the spectators to see the Olympic team as it is formed.

It was an amazing trip, one beyond our wildest dreams! Because we purchased a special package through the USA Swimming Foundation – partly the cost of the event tickets and partly a donation – we received numerous perks during our trip: We had an opportunity to sit with Rowdy Gaines as he announced events, took a behind the scenes tour of the broadcasting center, enjoyed both a fun swim with some Olympians and a cocktail hour with autograph opportunities, had ever-changing amazing event seats alongside USA Foundation members and/or Olympians plus much more. One day we had the unique opportunity to have lunch with some new Olympians.

IMG_6225Ariana Kukors was the absolute highlight of that lunch– she simply sparkles! She told us the most heartfelt story of the days leading up to her monumental swim, and described the exciting moment when she realized that she made one of the required top two spots to become an Olympian. We made an instant connection with her and, though we’ve only seen her twice since June of 2012, we’ve kept in close contact.

When we met Ariana she was already the world record holder for the 200 IM, set in the 2009 World Aquatic Championships in Rome. In addition to her Gold at that meet, she had also won a silver medal at the World Championships, and, based on her performance, was named the American Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine. That is pretty amazing, and in that fight for an Olympic team spot in 2012, she candidly told us that part of herself pep talk was to remind herself of the fact that she held the World Record. One of those spots was hers- she just had to swim her best to claim it.

Any age group swimmer knows that swimming your best time or achieving a personal best time can be a daunting task. There are no guarantees. It requires an efficient start, turns that are spot on, swimming one’s best strokes, the proper finish and the mental fortitude to pull it all together. Ariana has won seven medals in major international competition and 22 National Titles, but she isn’t the typical super tall swimmer with height on her side. She has developed some strong strategies and techniques to help make all of her talents – beautiful strokes and execution, along with utter determination and a belief in herself- come together to achieve her dreams.

It has been our dream to have Ariana here for a visit, and help coordinate events for both swimmers and non-swimmers alike. We are thrilled to announce that she will soon spend two days in Westchester, inspiring young athletes to be their very best: On September 26th from 4-6 p.m., Ariana will offer a “Dream Clinic” at the Bristal in Armonk. This event will be for teens from ages 12-18 looking for tips and strategies to make their dreams become realities.

On September 27th Ariana will offer swimming workshops in the pool at the Boys and Girls Club in Mt. Kisco. Because she would like to offer a very “hands on” clinic, there will be multiple timeslots –  Novice swimmers 9-11:30 a.m., Junior level swimmers 12-2:30 p.m. and Senior level swimmers 3:-5:30 p.m.. To sign up for either of these events, please email Arikukors@gmail.com. Registration and payment ($45 for the Armonk/Bristal event, $65 for the Boys/Girls Club Mt. Kisco event) must be completed in advance.

Filed Under: North Castle News Tagged With: olympics, swimming, USA

The Little Pool That Could!

September 1, 2015 by The Inside Press

Swim across America

By Isabella and Margaux Weiner

The best of Chappaqua was on display on Sunday morning’s Swim Across America fundraising event at Chappaqua Swim & Tennis, the picture-perfect sunny weather reflecting the optimism of this broad community effort. What started eight years ago as an off-site, four-person swim has grown to a home event involving more than 80 swimmers with ages ranging from six to nearly sixty. Each swimmer swam a half-mile or mile, and money pledged for the swim funds cancer research and treatment.

Swim for America Volunteer Committee
(Left to right): Maija Cekic, Stacey Sayer, Lori Shay, Carrie Dillon, Beth D’Alessandro, Dan Levy, Judy Simon, Katri and Bill Coster–all local volunteers for Swim Across America

The fundraising results of the Chappaqua swim have increased dramatically, with more than $60,000 in contributions so far this year! This puts the Chappaqua Swim & Tennis swim in the number one spot for fundraising among all the pool swims in Westchester and Long Island. This is an outstanding accomplishment for an event that held its first home swim only four years ago, thanks to our community! Olympic silver medalist Bobby Hackett of Katonah helped kickstart the Chappaqua swim, offering a swim clinic to participants.

Many local businesses contributed food and refreshments for the event, as well as wonderful prizes for raffle and high-end items for silent auction. Beneficiaries of SAA-LIS funds include the Cancer Support Team–Purchase, NY; Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital at New York Presbyterian, New York; and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center-New York, supporting the Swim Across America Research Laboratory.

Filed Under: Happenings Tagged With: inside chappaqua, Inside Chappaqua (Sept 2015), pool, Swim Across America, swimming

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Holocaust Survivor Helga Luden Relates her Story of Escape, Rescue and Survival
  • Four Winters Shines a Light on the Bravery of World War II Survivors Among the 25,000 Jewish Partisans
  • $86K State Grant Awarded to 2023 Phoenix Festival Signals Growing Focus on Tourism
  • Scarsdale Music Festival Gearing Up for a June 3rd Event: Sponsorships, Performers and Vendors Sought
  • Governor Hochul Urges: SHOP SMALL to Help Small Businesses Which Make Up 98% of New York State’s Economy
  • Chappaqua’s Always Magical HOLIDAY STROLL on December 3rd: Ice Sculpting, Tree Lighting, Horace Greeley Encords… and More!

Please Visit

White Plains Hospital
Boys & Girls Club
Compass: Goldman and Herman
Compass: Generic
Desires by Mikolay
William Raveis – Chappaqua
William Raveis – Armonk
Dodd’s Wine Shop
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
Lumagica Enchanged Forest
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
Compass: Natalia Wixom
Eye Designs of Armonk
Stacee Massoni
Club Fit
Beecher Flooks Funeral Home
Houlihan Lawrence: Harriet Libov
Houlihan: Kile Boga-Ibric
NYOMIS – Dr. Andrew Horowitz
Compass: Aurora Banaszek
Houlihan Lawrence – Rusminka Rose Jakaj
Compass: Usha Subramaniam
King Street Creatives
Compass: David Braham

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Our Latest Issues

For a full reading of our current edition, or to obtain a copy or subscription, please contact us.

Inside Chappaqua Inside Armonk Inside Pleasantville

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Subscription
  • Print Subscription

Footer

Support The Inside Press

Advertising

Print Subscription

Digital Subscription

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime to our print editions?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2023 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in