By Janette Turner

For folks in the Westgate area, Klahaya Swim and Tennis Club events are neighborhood affairs. Cars from the Blue Ridge, Sand Point and Wedgwood clubs spill over onto side streets as parents herd their little swimmers to the pool. For members, Klahaya is one of the highlights of summer, with its perfect-temperature pool, fresh-topped tennis courts, and supportive coaching. But according to Kristi Lin, a lifeguard from the 1980s, it’s the friendships that really make the club memorable.

My Edmonds News: What years were you first at Klahaya?
KL: In 1970 when I was 3 years old, my father became the Klahaya manager for six years. Even when my brother and I moved away for 12 years, we begged my parents to keep their membership and pay their dues because we knew that we wanted to join the club right when we moved back without being placed on the waiting list. I have been a member for over 40 years.

My Edmonds News: What are some highlights you remember from those years at Klahaya?
KL: The friendships! The Klahaya friends and families were the foundation of the swim and tennis club, and the friendships are lifelong. When I look back at the memories, names and faces are at the forefront. Even now, 40 years after I first came to Klahaya, there are many of us “old members” who grew up together and who want to share it with their families. It is a joy to see our children creating the best memories of the summers…some of the best memories of their lives. Another highlight was the Klahaya Swim Team. I swam from ages 5-17, lifeguarded for four years while I was in college, and also helped coach the swim team. Through these experiences, I further confirmed my passion for teaching children and working with their families. This is one of the reasons I became a teacher.

My Edmonds News: What do you remember about your dad at the club?
KL: My dad was a high school teacher and coach at Shoreline High School, and club manager was a perfect job for him during the summers. He enjoyed working at Klahaya and, of course, playing tennis! He was not only the manager, but also he helped teach me and my friends how to swim and assisted with the swim team as a coach. He and my mother were avid tennis players, and if you go to Klahaya now, you will see their names on the trophies.

My Edmonds News: Tell us about where you went to college and where you moved.
KL: As all Klahaya friends know, I am a WSU Cougar! In fact, most of the lifeguards during my era were Cougars, including Kay Johnson, Jill Ballo, Karin Mork, Lisa McAndrew, and Jenni Liekkio! We made all our swimmers sing the Cougar Fight Song. After WSU, I taught second and third grade in the Shoreline School District (taking my students to Klahaya each year for end-of-the-year parties), and then I married and moved to New York City, where my husband did a fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering and I taught third grade in NYC public schools. We moved back to Seattle in 2001 when I was pregnant with Steven, just one week before 9-11. My husband had a wonderful opportunity as faculty at the University of Washington Medical Center, and the chance to be close to my parents, the amazing schools, and Klahaya was icing on the cake!

My Edmonds News: Are your children on the swim and tennis teams?
KL: Yes, all three of my children swim on Klahaya Swim Team: Emily (6), David (8), and Steven (10). What other sport can kids participate in where there are 5-18 year olds competing together and cheering each other on? (We have a Big Frog|Little Frog Program where older kids cheer on the younger kids.) The coaches were amazing swimmers growing up —some swimming at a collegiate level. Their love for the sport and for our swimmers is a treasure. Steven, my ten-year-old, couldn’t wait to start his first year on the tennis team. I giggle when I think of our tennis coaches, as they could have their own comedy show. The head coach (Peter Reni) is an elementary school teacher, and I wish he would move to Shoreline so he could teach my kids. All of our swim and tennis coaches create an environment where every child learns the sport, has a blast, and can see their success at the end of the season.

Klahaya’s season ends in early September. Folks interested in joining the club can learn more here.