Jeff Steers takes over as Y?s aquatic director

The Washington Community Y has a new aquatic director. He is Jeff Steers and he hails from Kokomo, Ind. Steers began work at the Y in April and is still in the process of moving his wife, Lisa, and children, Cameron, 17, Aaron, 15, and Jarrod, 15, to town.

?I have a passion for aquatics activities,? he said. ?I love to be on, in and under the water. I want to fashion the Washington Community Y aquatics program to meet the needs of people who will come to enjoy aquatic activity of whatever level they choose.?

Steers was born and raised in Fortt Wayne, Ind. He learned to swim at the YMCA in Fortt Wayne at the age of 8 and enjoyed aquatic activities throughout this youth. He and his family often went camping, so his mother told him it would be useful if he learned to swim since he was around water so much. Steers also enjoys fishing, boating, and doing anything else on the water.

Steers is a certified scuba diver, too. He said fresh water lakes and ponds are known for being cloudy, but he said quarries are good for scuba diving because they contain less silt and sediment. He said it?d be neat to start a scuba diving class at the Y at some point in the future.

His interest in scuba diving led him to become active in the Kokomo Y. The Kokomo Y needed early-morning lifeguards, and since Steers had his lifeguard certification, he jumped at the chance. That position grew into an almost full-time position as the acting assistant aquatic director. At the time, Steers worked in the newsroom at a local radio station, but he decided he wanted to devote more time to his position at the Kokomo Y.

?I joke that the position entails putting on a swimsuit and you?re ready for work,? he said. ?You can?t beat that. It?s one of those things where you think, ?Wow, they?re paying me to do this!??

Steers said he may tweak the programs at the Washington Community Y. He?d like to see an advanced aquatic class and perhaps a snorkeling class. He said he has been very pleased with the community?s involvement in the

Y?s aquatic program.  

Steers was at the Kokomo Y for seven years before he heard about the job opening in Washington. He said his sons haven?t moved here yet because they have to finish school in Indiana.

His interview with the Washington Y marked the first time Steers had set foot in Iowa. He said Iowa is not much different from Indiana, except that Iowa seems flatter. He remarked that he likes how the stars appear very bright in the night?s sky here.

Steers said his favorite part of Washington is the square.

?My apartment is about four blocks away from the Y, so I walk back and forth all the time,? he said. ?I thoroughly enjoy walking through the square on my way. The downtown area is very picturesque, too.?

Steers said that open ?squares? that contain just a park are less common in Indiana. He said it is more common to see a square that includes the courthouse with a park area around it in Indiana.