Announcements
COVID-19 has cancelled swimming for most of us! Pools are closed, most lakes are still inaccessible and only a few well wetsuited friends are swimming in the Deschutes River. Swim Meets have been cancelled and open water events are also starting to be affected. Now is a great time to do some cross-training with a run or walk. Or, try an on-line excercise class from Bend Parks and Recreation. Stay safe everyone! Here is what we know about our upcoming calendar:
The Long-Course Swim meet scheduled for May 16, 2020 at Juniper Swim and Fitness Center in Bend has been CANCELLED due to COVID-19.
The Beautiful Lake Juniper Buoy Swim and Brunch in Bend scheduled for May 17, 2020 has been POSTPONED due to COVID-19. We hope to reschedule the event for later in the Summer or Fall!
The Portland Bridge Swim scheduled for July 12, 2020 has been CANCELLED.
The Foster Lake Cable Swims scheduled for June 27, 2020 have been CANCELLED due to COVID-19.
Due to multiple safety concerns about our events and the pandemic, the 2020 Cascade Lakes Swim Festival at Elk Lake has been CANCELLED.
Applegate Swims, Eel Lake Swims and Lake of the Woods Swims are still on the calendar as planned. We will update you as we get any further information!
Do you need some new swim gear (google, paddles, fins, suits) or maybe some COMA logowear (shirts, sweats, bags, swim parkas)? Check our our COMAGear Store today! A portion of the proceeds comes back to COMA.
If you have any questions about COMA activites, please contact us here!
Who We Are
We are adult fitness swimmers (18 and over) who live all over Central Oregon. We come in all shapes, sizes, ages, goals, skills, and walks of life. Some of us have lifetime swimming backgrounds, some are triathletes, some recently started swimming with only long-ago childhood lessons, and some are even completely self-taught. All of us share a love of swimming and a dedication to fitness through swimming. We welcome fitness swimmers, competitors and mult-sport athletes. Many of our members swim at coached practices, and some swim with other training buddies or on their own.
For those wishing to challenge themselves through competition, COMA hosts several swim meets and open water swims during the year. We are best known for our Cascade Lakes Swim Series & Festival run each summer which includes 5 swims over 3 days! If you choose to compete, there are plenty of masters swimming opportunities and triathlete events in Oregon and surrounding states.
Where We Swim
COMA swimmers practice at several different public and private facilities throughout the area. The flagship pool is Juniper Swim & Fitness Center in Bend which includes a 50 meter seasonally covered pool. Other sites include the Athletic Club of Bend, the Cascade Swim Center in Redmond, the Madras Aquatic Center, Sisters Athletic Club and Sunriver. Look under Practices in the menu above to see where and when you can swim with us!Each facility provides their own swim coaches and coached practice times. COMA does not pay coaches salaries (which is why we can keep our membership fee so low). The fee you pay at the facility you attend covers the cost of pool time and a coach on deck. The coaching staffs and sponsoring pools welcome all interested swimmers to experience practice and the camaraderie of like-minded athletes.
A COMA Membership
COMA actively supports a large variety of activities for the local adult swimming community, including meets, clinics, fitness challenges, social events and service opportunities. COMA members pay nominal annual dues (currently $20) to help support these events as well as camaraderie and communication between our members. With your membership you will receive a team email newsletter "The ComaGram" to keep you informed of events and our team activites. Please consider joining COMA by clicking on JOIN in the menu or click here.COMA operates within the framework of United States Masters Swimming, the national organization that promotes fitness and competitive swimming for adults, and Oregon Masters Swimming, the state branch of the national body. While you do not need to be a member of these organizations to participate in practices at COMA training sites, your local membership in masters swimming can open the door for you to the state, national and international swimming community. Membership in these organizations gives everyone a voice in the direction that masters swimming takes locally and beyond. USMS member receive a monthly swimming magazine and OMS members receive a monthly newsetter of interest to Oregon swimmers.
Team Sponsors
Central Oregon Masters Aquatics could not operate without the generosity of our local community. We would like our viewers to know who these wonderful folks are and encourage you to patronize their establishments. Thank you, Sponsors!
Cascade Lakes Overall Event Sponsors - 2019
Central Oregon Masters Aquatics
Bend Metro Parks and Recreation District
Cascade Lakes Race Sponsors - 2019
3000 Meter Race - Doug Graeber, D.A. Davidson
500 Meter Race - Steve Mann
1500 Meter Race - Mike Tennant, Tennant Developments
5000 Meter Race - Stephanie Martin & Don Uhlir
1000 Meter Race - Amy Holcomb and Paul & Cathy Imwalle, i&j Carpets
Cascade Lakes Series Sponsors (Award Sponsors) - 2019
Short Series - Kelsey and Jason Adams, Bend Car Wash
Long Series - Laura and Andy Schob & Anonymous Lane-mates
Survivor Series - Mark and Jeanette Fairlee, Abracadabra Printing and Design
Porta-Potty Sponsor: A terrific Anonymous Donor!
Cascade Lakes Contributing Sponsors/Donors - 2019
Farmer Brown's Produce, Rebecca and Christen Brown, 20950 Knott Rd, Bend
Strictly Organic Coffee, Richard Steffenson and Rhonda Early, 6 SW Bond St
Laughing Planet, 913 NE 3rd St, Bend
Longboard Louie's - East Side, 62080 Dean Swift Road, Bend
Crouton's, 335 SW Century Dr, Bend
Country Catering, 900 SE Wilson, Bend
If you would like to become a sponsor for the Cascade Lakes Swim Series & Festival, please contact us
2018 Silent Auction Donors
Each December at our annual holiday party, we hold a silent auction to raise funds to both support our team and learn-to-swim programs through out Central Oregon. The following businesses and individuals donated at our event last year. If you have the opportunity, please visit these business and thank them for their support!
Businesses:
Aspen Mt. Dermatology: Dr. Pivik
Bangers and Brews
Baja Fresh
Bend Healing Arts Center: Randy Weinreb
Bendistillery and Crater Lake Spirits
Bend Pet Express
Chicken Bonz
Dutch Bros Coffee
Farmer Brown Produce Stand: Rebecca and Chris Brown
Fishermans Quay, LLC: Kris Calvin
FootZone
Gear Fix
Good Life Brewing Co.
Good Drop Wine Shoppe
Hardys Hamburgers and Ice Cream: Hardy Lussier
Hola-Mexican/Peruvian Restaurant
Jackalope Grill
Lay It Out Events
Longboard Louies, Eastside
Midtown Beauty Salon
Mod Pizza
Newport Market
Noi Thai Restaurant
Nutrition Solutions: Lori Breezie
Original Pancake House
Oxford Inn Boutique hotel
Pastini in the Old Mill
Recharge Massage Therapy: Cinda Strauch
REI
Shops at Old Mill
Spork
Touchmark Retirement
Wheel Fun Bikes Old Mill: Joanie Krehbiel
Wild Birds Unlimited
Zealios: Stacey Keifer
Z Pizza: Peppertree Hospitality Group
Individuals:
Linda Andrus
Bob Bruce and Barb Harris
Dennis Gallagher
Janet Gettling
Pam Himstreet
Madeline Holmberg
Grace Ogawa
George Thayer
Gillian Salton
Laura Schob
Connie Shuman
John and Carla Spence
Sue White
Peggy Whiter
Common Masters Swimming Myths
MYTH: I am too slow!
No! Lanes are set up by abilities, from beginners to champions.
MYTH: I have to know all the strokes!
No! We will teach you. We offer instruction in practice and clinics so that you can learn to be a well-rounded swimmer.
MYTH: There are so many great athletes here - I will be intimitated!
No! Every swimmer can find an appropriate fitness challenge at every practice.
MYTH: It is only about competition!
No! Most of our members do NOT compete. Some of us compete often, some occasionally, and some never. It is entirely up to you.
MYTH: I am not ready.
No! If you can swim 500 yards continuously, you are ready. So come join us!