Victor Brasil remembers a time where Salem was known across the state for setting record-breaking swim times. 

It was the ‘90s and early 2000s. Then budget cuts robbed Salem of its public pools, and clubs started disbanding.

“Since then, it’s been about ten years that the scene is very difficult,” Brasil said. “Since there are no public funded pools, we all rely on private pools that we rent, and there’s not a lot of support for the sport.”

Salem Swim Club emerged three years ago, after the Courtside Aquatic Team swim program partnered up with the Salem YMCA and Willamette University to host their swim practices and meets. Brasil said the Salem Swim Club launched with a mission of making the sport more accessible and affordable for local kids.

The organization offers K-12 kids, and some college students, a year-round place in Salem to compete and learn how to swim with Brasil as the head coach. Parents of swimmers make up the nonprofit’s board.

Their six-week summer league will commence Monday, which Brasil described as a friendly, low-pressure environment where the swimmers learn how to work as a team, setting them up to become competitive swimmers. Swimmers practice for an hour at the Salem-Withnell YMCA four days a week, and have meets every weekend until a final, all-pool competition on July 26.

It has about 50 slots which have already been filled, but Brasil hopes to pull students from the waitlist if he can secure more swimming lanes in the pools.

Salem’s summer swim league program has existed for 25 years, Brasil said, but Salem Swim Club absorbed it two years ago. 

Brasil said his coaching philosophy is to build skills and technique first, then worry about speed. If a kid finishes with the exact same time but better form, that’s a win for him.

“To me, swimming is a lot more than a sport. It brings so much to everybody. First, it’s a life-saving skill. Second, they build so much character,” he said. “It’s about self-development, facing adversities, facing your own challenges.”

Originally from Fortaleza, Brazil, coach Brasil swam while attending Linfield University, and competed in the NCAA championships twice. He trained in Salem, and said the now-closed Olinger Pool was a great help.

Brasil said his college swim coach Kyle Kimball had once broken swimming records at South Salem High School.

“We always talked a lot about it, like ‘Hey, we want to bring this (attention to swimming) back, because it was great for the community,’” he said. 

Brasil said every kid in the community should join a summer swim league, at least once. He hopes to help one become a national champion someday.

“A lot of what I am today, I owe to swimming. And it’s good to give it back to the community as well. It’s important that kids have an opportunity to develop themselves in a safe environment. And getting some energy out, as well,” he said.

Brasil said the summer program is an exciting time of year, and the swimmers bring their enthusiasm straight into the fall.

“We always have a pretty good turnout. Hopefully we will have a little more pool space so I can fit more kids,” he said. “Waitlists bug me, because that means there’s not enough space for everybody. And that’s not what we are about.”

He said anyone interested in getting involved can check out their website, or email him directly at [email protected].

Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.

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