Places in Louisiana and Mississippi Announced to be Open for Masters Swimming

---

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• BTAC Masters, John Roy, Head Coach

Message from the coach:  Our main pool is fine at LSU.  We have been out of it this past week to avoid adding to the congestion in the area.  We will resume Tuesday, September 6 with masters practice from 5-7 AM and some space available from 5-7PM .  Any masters swimmers that are in Baton Rouge are welcome to join us.

Contact: John Roy, coachjohn{at}bellsouth.net

---

Houma, Louisiana

Bayou Barracudas, Frank Shepard, Coach

Message from the coach: We are up and running at Bayou Barracudas...any Masters that have landed in the Houma area may train with us...  We have several families with Age Group swimmers that are training with us...some have already registered for school here...

Contact: 985-851-7665, fsswim{at}hotmail.com

---

Fort Worth, Texas

• from Paige Kirn (a master's swimmer)

Message: I am a masters swimmer now in Fort Worth, Texas.  I swam with the Elmwood sharks in Harahan, LA for many years as well as several age group teams in the New Orleans area.  If any masters or age group swimmers find themselves in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, they may contact me for ANY help they may need including a place to swim.  I have found a wonderful swimming/triatholon group here called Ridglea.  Here is the http://www.teamridglea.com/.  There is a masters group and an age group team.  The lead coach is Chuck Burr, and he is a great coach and person.

Contact for Paige: pk68{at}charter.net; for Ridgelea:  http://www.teamridglea.com/

---

Shreveport, Louisiana

• Red River Masters, Bill Cleveland, Coach/Contact

Message from the Coach: Recognizing the extremely disrupted situation that we face, some more directly than others, Red River Masters is offering free swimming in ourregular program for any gulf coast evacuees that find themselves in Shreveport/Bossier for the next year.  This applies to current USMS/SMS members as well as people who are new to masters swimming and find themselves in a new city.  New swimmers need not pay club dues for a full year.

We believe it is important to continue to offer a fitness outlet, especially in a time of tremendous stress, and want to make it easy for our new neighbors.  Please feel free to let friends (new and old) and family members who could benefit know about this offer.  Please contact us to get specifics on how to get to our workouts.

Contact: redrivermasters{at}hotmail.com, (318) 868-6165

---

 Jackson, Mississippi

• Catfish Masters, Ruth Ellen Germany, Contact

Message: The Jackson MS Catfish Masters Swim Team is extending an invitation for any swimmers displaced by Katrina to join us for practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday for our 5:45 AM workout and Saturday for our 7:45 AM workouts at the Lakeland Courthouse Fitness Club.  The Catfish Masters will waive the monthly membership fee and the Courthouse has relaxed the cost of membership to no joining fee or contract and pay by the month or; pay as you go, $5/day or half the daily guest fee.  Chris Baker at the Lakeland Courthouse 601-932-4800 or any membership coordinator can answer any questions about Courthouse fees.

Contact: ruthellen{at}bellsouth.net, Chris Baker at the Lakeland Courthouse: (601) 932-4800

---

Flowood, Mississippi (near Jackson)

• I-55 Y Masters, Jennifer Savage, Coach

Message: I am a member of the I-55 Y Masters Team but we practice at the Flowood Family Y in Flowood, MS.  I extend an open invitation to any other Masters swimmers who may be displaced in the Jackson, MS area to join our team for practices.  We practice every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:00 a.m.  You are welcome to contact me or our coach, Jennifer Savage at the Flowood facility @ (601) 664-1955 for more information and directions to the Y.

Contact: Coach Jennifer Savage, (601) 665-1955

---

Tupelo, Mississippi

• Shockwave Aquatics, Barbara Aguirre, Coach

Message: (from Barb Baumann) I am a member of the Tupelo Masters all the way up the state in Northeast Mississippi.  We have taken in a lot of people in our city.  We practice at 5:15 a.m. Mon., Wed., & Fri.'s. at City Pool on Joyner Ave.  You are welcome to contact me or one of our coaches for more information/directions.  We welcome you!

Contact: Barb Baumann (662) 869-3105;  Lucas Smith, Head Coach, Shockwave Aquatics (662) 213-4457; Barbara Aquirre, (662) 842-2358

---

Lafayette, Louisiana

• Red Lerille's Health and Raquet Club

Message (from John Walker, a displaced swimmer and confirmed by a second displaced person): "Red Lerille's Health
Club is giving free temporary memberships to anyone displaced by the Hurricane.  Steve Billeaud told me this morning that we are starting oganized evening masters' practices at  Red's soon and maybe mornings. I am swimming there every morning around 6 am."

P.S. In addition to the 25 meter heated (year-round) outdoor pool, Red is constructing a 25 yard indoor pool, due to be finished in February, and meant primarily for competition.

Contact: http://www.redlerilles.com/
 

---

Biloxi, Mississippi

The Biloxi Natatorium where I normally swim was not damaged to badly and will probably re-open around October 3rd when they plan to start school again in Biloxi.

Contact: Charles DePalma, depalma{at}hotmail.com

---