Stacie's Otters swim program teaches tots to make it safely out of the water

Ashton Brown tries out his water wings. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Neither baby otters nor baby humans are born with the instinct to swim.

Both have to be taught to stay afloat.

That's the goal of the "Otters" class at the McCook YMCA -- to teach human infants and toddlers water safety skills that will help keep them afloat and alive.

Ashton Brown practices floating on his back. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

Family and friends of long-time Y volunteer Stacie Shaddock have funded the "Stacie's Otters" program through their gifts to the YMCA Memorial Program since Stacie's death in 2009.

Using a book about a little otter named Josh who learns to swim, Y swim instructor Anna Sis teaches little human "otters" how to "float for life."

Each private 15-minute lesson focuses on the skill of rolling over from back to front, and from front to a floating position on their back. Tiny ones start with an assisted back float, and, before they know it, Anna has moved her hands away and they're floating on their own.

Ashyln Bauman works her way along the edge of the pool to safety. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

Anna says it's amazing to watch even the littlest ones perform this skill through their fear, the tears and the screams.

"Oh, they will cry," Anna said, smiling. "And parents will apologize. But they don't need to."

Anna teaches each tiny tot to paddle -- "quack, quack, pull the water back" -- to the side of the pool, and climb out on his or her own. "They learn to 'monkey crawl,' hand-over-hand along the side of a pool until they can reach a ladder or steps and get themselves out of the water," she said.

Ashlyn Bauman enjoys her lesson. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

They're taught from the beginning that they need to have an adult with them when they swim.

They're taught the same skills fully clothed so that they react with the same floating technique if they should ever fall into deep water unexpectedly, Anna said.

The tiny swimmers start in the baby pool, and advance to the big pool, and, with Anna very close by, they float, kick and paddle into the deep end of the big pool.

Bricen Muirheid learns safety skills in the Stacie's Otters program. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

The side's never very far away as they learn to roll over from their backs to their fronts and swim to the wall.

And Anna, and her comforting encouragement, is never any further away than each swimmer's short little arms.

"Stacie's Otters" lessons are designed for little ones from nine months through three years old.

For more information, contact Anna Sis at the Y, (308) 345-6228; e-mail her at info@mccookymca.org; or go to the Y web site: www.mccookymca.org