From Survival Skills to Junior Olympics: A Family's RBAC Journey
I enrolled my daughters in the Parent & Infant swim classes at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center to empower them in the water, not just for fun, but for safety. As a triathlete and former ICU Registered Nurse in the Neuro Trauma Unit at UCLA Medical Center, I’ve seen firsthand how swimming is more than recreation; it’s a vital, lifesaving skill. As a parent, watching my daughters gain survival swim skills gave me peace of mind.
RBAC provided a safe, supportive environment where they could progress from basic skills like floating and stroke fundamentals to more advanced swim development. When summer rolled around, Splashball became the highlight—my daughters were hooked. Paige especially loved learning how to shoot the ball and making new friends.
Coach David Cohen’s parent meetings about the Gold Academy and competitive Water Polo teams were so informative, and we were overjoyed when Paige made the team after tryouts. There were tears of happiness watching her achieve a goal she worked hard for.
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Thanks to RBAC, Paige has not only grown as an athlete but as a person. From weekend tournaments and team dinners to meeting her heroes on the USA Women’s Water Polo Team, including Maggie Steffens and Ashleigh Johnson, she’s built lifelong memories.
I never imagined she’d become a Water Polo Club player competing in the Junior Olympics. That experience helped her thrive as a Varsity athlete her freshman year and swim for her high school team. She now encourages other kids to start with swim lessons, just like she did at RBAC.
This journey wouldn’t be possible without the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center. If you believe in building confidence, safety, and lifelong memories through aquatics, I invite you to join me in giving back.
As RBAC celebrates 35 years of lifesaving impact, we’re asking our community to give $35 for 35, a gift that helps ensure everyone has the chance to learn to swim, grow in confidence, and reach their full potential.
Your support creates ripple effects that last a lifetime.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Stephanie Magallanes
Proud RBAC Parent