Beloved swim instructor’s reach spans five decades

Published 10:00 am Friday, August 1, 2014

Water safety and swimming confidence mark the cornerstone for Gail Oliver’s 56 years spent helping others.

The 73-year-old American Red Cross Water Safety instructor has taught thousands how to swim using more than 60 estimated pools.

After a cancer, which she successfully knocked down, came this March, Oliver thought about passing the swim teacher reigns to apprentice Ansley Roberts, 17.

Oliver went through radiation and still showed for lessons last month.

“I was committed to the children. There were too many people depending on me,” Oliver said. “It may seem trivial that it’s just swimming, but I think it’s important for all these children to learn to swim and be safe in the water.”

She handled her last group classes Friday, July 18. It’s been a memorable run though Oliver won’t disappear from local poolsides completely.

Seeing children and even adults take off through the water is always a thrill.

“I was passionate about everybody loving (swimming) as much as I did and being safe in the water,” Oliver said. “I’ve been so blessed with amazing people and wonderful children.”

By age 8, Oliver started passing Red Cross swimming tests at home in Tennessee.

The summer prior to her senior high school year she decided to take the senior water safety instructor certification class though just shy of the 18-year-old requirement.

“I always thought it would be fun to teach swimming. I loved it, and it was my passion. They cheated and let me do it,” Oliver joked.

After college and marriage to military man Brad Oliver, moving became a regular occurrence.

“Everywhere we lived, I’d get with the Red Cross program and teach swimming,” Oliver said. “Brad and I moved 19 times in 21 years.”

The couple settled in Milledgeville by 1974.

People called for lessons, and Oliver started obliging in local private residence pools.

“It developed into more and more students. Of course I loved it, so I spent the summers doing that,” she said.

Small group lessons became popular enough to create a waiting list.

Anyone from infants to men and women over 70 years old has gained a life skill through a one-week session.

Proper body position and leg motion are part of turning students into fish.

“My philosophy is be safe. Have fun,” Oliver said.

Oliver even helped a U.S. Navy recruit prepare for a swimming test.

“When I first worked with him three weeks ago, he couldn’t get across the pool,” she said. “Yesterday on his second lesson, he was swimming everywhere with three different strokes.”

Identifying water emergencies and protocol to save others come from the Red Cross background.

Roberts assisted the swim instruction the last six years.

It’s going to be her show pretty soon.

“Ansley is ready and really great,” Oliver said. “I’ll be involved on some level.”

Roberts started personal swim lessons at 3 years old.

The John Milledge Academy senior said Oliver’s reputation makes her job easy.

“I’m excited, but don’t want her to be out of it completely,” Roberts said. “I’ll be calling her all of the time.”

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