Island Athletic Club (IAC) is a local family-owned business that has been serving the South Whidbey community since 1996.
Management of the club transitioned from club founders Debora Valis and Steve Shapiro to their daughter Katie and son-in-law Nick Horton in 2013. Katie is now Vice President and Nick is the CFO. They are supported by their long-standing management team: General Manager Rick Urban, Assistant General Manager Michele Bolvin, Sales Director Elizabeth Urban, and Maintenance Director Mike Gurnee.
Katie comments: “We have an exceptional staff.” She adds, “The staff and instructors at the club are amazing people and are truly responsible for making IAC such an important part of so many lives. (Editor’s note: I have been coming to the IAC since I first came to Whidbey 18 years ago; I am a regular participant in the 10:00 a.m. classes Monday through Friday.)
In addition to the large assortment of sophisticated exercise machines and a variety of exercise classes, Island Athletic Club has the only public swimming pool on the south end of Whidbey Island.
IAC provides several water programs for all ages, as well as lots of lap swim, family swim, and independent exercise time:
- Diane Moondancer, Director of the Water Aerobics program, notes: “Water aerobics is good for the body. Non-impactful exercise allows many ways to move; hydrostatic pressure and water resistance builds and tones the body in ways that are gentle.” The Club currently offers 13 water aerobics classes each week at various times throughout the day.
- South Whidbey Island Masters provides organized swim workouts and instruction for adult swimmers--from those just mastering side breathing to national qualifiers—five times each week.
- South Whidbey Stingrays Swim Team, for kids ages 8-18, offers a great foundation in swimming and teamwork through twice-weekly workouts and bimonthly swim meets.
- Individual and small group swim lessons are offered several times each week, to both children and adults at all levels.
- Additionally, MoveWell Physical Therapy offers aquatic physical therapy to their patients twice a week.
From its beginnings, Island Athletic Club has always had a strong connection to the local community. Nick says: “I feel great satisfaction seeing people leave here feeling good and knowing they are optimistic about what they are doing to help themselves stay healthy. We are proud to be a point of community connection and healthy choices for so many people on South Whidbey.” Katie adds: “Building relationships and visiting with friends is every bit as important as the exercise.”
Aside from the health benefits of regular exercise, IAC members often say, “It’s a lot of fun!”
Stop by Island Athletic Club for a tour and for information about using the facility or becoming an active member: Island Athletic Club, 5522 S Freeland Ave., Freeland.
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Friday, 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
For more information, give them a call, 360-331-2582 or checkout their website: https://islandathleticclub.com/
