JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Department of Defense cardholders will soon have an opportunity to escape the Texas heat by cooling off in Joint Base San Antonio’s swimming pools.
The JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Aquatic Center, JBSA-Lackland Warhawk Pool and JBSA-Randolph Center Pool will open for recreational swimming at 4 p.m. May 26, the start of Memorial Day weekend.
For the duration of open swimming season, the hours of operation are noon-8 p.m. Monday-Sunday at the Fort Sam Houston Aquatic Center; 1-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 1-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the JBSA-Lackland Warhawk Pool; and 1-8 p.m. Monday, 1-8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at the JBSA-Randolph Center Pool.
Daily fees are $2 for children 10 years old and younger and $3 for other swimmers. Season passes are $45 for individuals, $35 for military students, $85 for a family of three and $10 for each additional member, and $50 for military members E-1 through E-4.
Swimming lessons will also be offered at the JBSA pools. Cost is $65 per two-week session.
At JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, lessons for children ages 6 months to 16 years are scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Monday-Friday starting June 13. The 9-9:45 a.m. and 11-11:45 a.m. classes are open to dependent children, while the 10-10:45 a.m. class is for children in the Youth Programs summer camp. Registration begins May 15 at the aquatic center.
“Our lessons go Monday-Friday for two weeks with eight days of instruction,” said Dave Waugh, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Aquatic Center manager. “The first day is an assessment day where we evaluate the child’s swimming ability, then assign them to a class based on their ability and age. The last day of the two weeks is a makeup day if we had to cancel lessons because of weather or an extra instruction/graduation party day if all classes went as scheduled.”
Classes at the JBSA-Lackland Skylark Aquatics Center start June 5 and continue through early August. Each class is two weeks in length, with eight 40-minute lessons. Registration for the first class is May 30 at the Skylark Aquatics Center.
Swimming classes at the JBSA-Randolph South Pool start June 19. Each two-week class consists of morning lessons held Monday through Thursday. Registration begins at 9 a.m. May 23 in the Community Services Mall, building 895.
JBSA pools also offer special attractions.
“The JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Aquatic Center has three water slides and a climbing wall in the deep end of the main pool,” Waugh said. “It also has a small baby pool that is from 1 to 2 feet deep. The baby pool has a roof covering it and a playground outside the pool.”
The aquatic center will also host three triathlons this summer: a 200-meter swim, 5-mile bike ride and 1 mile run June 11; a 300-meter swim, 10-mile bike ride and 2-mile run July 9 and a 400-meter swim, 15-mile bike ride and 3-mile run Aug. 6.
The pools at JBSA-Lackland provide activities ranging from water aerobics to teen nights.
“We are always looking for new and fun ways to bring families to the pools and make it fun for everyone,” said Stephanie Soto, JBSA-Lackland aquatics director. “This year we are looking at offering a new water volleyball night every other Thursday night. Our Dive-in Family Movie nights were a huge hit last summer, so we are happy to bring it back.”
Lap swimming is offered 5-8:30 a.m. Monday-Friday at the JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Aquatic Center; 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday-Friday at the JBSA-Lackland Skylark Aquatics Center and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the JBSA-Randolph South Pool starting June 12.
For more information, call JBSA-Fort Sam Houston at 221-4887, JBSA-Lackland at 671-3780 or JBSA-Randolph at 652-5142, option 2.