With recent temperatures soaring in the 90s, residents of all ages can enjoy fun and fitness at the Lander County Recreation Center in Battle Mountain.
The pool is a popular oasis, with open and lap swimming every day of the week, and water aerobics classes are offered Monday through Friday.
Swimming lessons are offered at $30 per person for a one-week session.
The swim team is doing very well, and the kids compete all over Nevada, Idaho and California.
“The Northern Nevada Aquatic Center out of Reno is actually the swim team, and they pay a membership to them,” said Sean Bakker, who recently took the position of supervisor.
“With the swim team being so new to Lander County just the last two years, we really had to start with the basics,” said Lead Lifeguard Robin Smith.
Michelle Hall is the swim coach, and the team competes all over Nevada, Idaho and California.
“Michelle is teaching them how to jump off the block and do flip turns,” said Bakker, “a lot of things that weren’t taught when the old pool was here.” The kids practice every day for a couple of hours, and most of them are involved in other sports.
Hall said, “They won the district and they made it to state. They’re going next to a long course championship meet – Shayne McMillin, Zayne Hall and Nevaeh Serna of Battle Mountain, and some of our Winnemucca team. They just got done with the Tahoe meet, and one in Bishop, California.” Hall is proud of their accomplishments, and stated, “Zayne Hall took High Point at Bishop, Elko and Tahoe; Nevaeh Serna took High Point at Bishop and Elko; and Daxon Bakker swam his very first meet in Tahoe and took home First Place High Point.”
In addition to the pool and splash pads, the center has a fully stocked gymnasium and offers volleyball, basketball, racquetball, and other activities and specialty classes for all ages.
“We have yoga,” said Smith, “although we don’t have a certified instructor, we do have videos, and a lot of people just come in and do it individually.”
There is a large game room for children, with a PlayStation, Xbox, and other games and puzzles, making it a safe and healthy place for kids to come after school. “They can do their homework in there,” said Bakker.
Pickle ball is new to the center and is an indoor version of tennis played with smaller wooden or plastic rackets and a Wiffle ball.
“It started here with just two players and it’s grown in popularity – more and more are showing up to play,” said Bakker.
“Fallon has a big pickle ball tournament every year, and the whole community gets into it. We’ve been trying to get it here since we opened this building, but nobody really knew how to play,” said Smith. Kids can go to the center at any time to play, and an instructor comes from Austin once a month to teach pickle ball.
The Lander County Recreation Center is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rates for full building, all-day usage are $3 per day or $30 per month; for a family of three, $8 per day or $80 per month; a senior rate of $2 per day or $20 per month; and punch cards are available.
