Linda Berry can’t remember exactly when she first joined the Alderwood Teddy Bares swim club–maybe 1975 or 1976 – certainly before her daughter was born in 1977. Linda was a young mother looking for some fitness and fun, and she’d heard about Ted Roach’s new group at Alderwood, and she wanted to give it a try. She joined up, and she’s been a member ever since.

While some things have changed – we’re not doing 9:45-11:00 p.m. practice times any more! – many things are the same. Most notably how much she’s enjoyed the many people she’s swam with throughout the years.

I sat down with Linda to talk a little bit about her experiences with the club through the years. [This conversation is edited for clarity and length.]

Q: While you’ve continuously been a member since the mid-1970s, did you find over the years that you changed the way you attended at different points in your life?

A: Certainly when I was raising kids it was harder to go at supper time or at times when they were swimming. At one point we had practices from 9:45 to 11:00 at night–that was the only pool time we could get. I would go with a neighbor. And after swimming we would go to Knob Hill Farms, which would be open 24 hours, and do our grocery shopping. There were some times when Lesley would have a practice and I would have a practice, so I would take her to one pool, leave, go and do my practice, and go back and pick her up again.

At one point we needed lifeguards I don’t know if it was to save money or what, but we all took a lifesaving course and we took turns being on deck being as the lifeguard, but eventually our credentials ran out and the requirements became stricter than what we had, so we had to use hired lifeguards.

So over the years has it changed? Yes, how it fits in with my lifestyle. 

What has been distressing has been going from the middle fast lanes to the outer slow lanes over the years! However, it’s to be expected.