Float, Move, Recover: Caporella Aquatic’s Water Fitness for Moms-To-Be
By: Ali Yenchick
There is a moment every expectant or new mom knows well: the body feels different, the schedule is stretched thin, and traditional gyms or fitness classes suddenly feel like they were built for someone else. Those who know, know. But one can imagine that having to modify a workout in a way that’s both comfortable for the already-compromised mother and safe for the baby is frustrating and, honestly, deflating.
But the experts at the Caporella Aquatic Center understand this. For the aquatics complex in Tamarac, Florida, that moment became the spark for a new kind of program that turns a community pool into a maternal wellness sanctuary.
The Big Idea: Aquatics as Maternal Wellness Infrastructure
Across the country, pregnant and postpartum women are actively searching for fitness options that are safe, low-impact, and tailored to the realities of pregnancy and recovery. Too often, they find generic offerings that don’t account for changing balance, joint pain, or pelvic floor health. Caporella Aquatic Center saw that gap and responded with a dedicated water fitness class designed specifically for pregnant and postpartum women ages 18 and older.
As with seniors or those facing mobility issues and chronic pain, aquatic exercise is uniquely suited to this life stage. The water offloads joint stress, supports body weight, and allows moms to move more freely while still getting the benefits of strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular training. For women navigating everything from fatigue to back pain to mood changes, that combination is powerful.
Listening First: How One Team Member Sparked a New Program
The program’s origin story starts with a single team member and a very real need.
“It is thanks to my assistant manager, who recently had a child and needed a safe space to exercise postpartum with others like herself,” says Desiree “Des” Shirley, General Manager at Caporella Aquatic Center. What could have been a one-off accommodation instead became the foundation of a full-fledged class that now welcomes pregnant and postpartum women each week.
Olivia Johnson, assistant manager, hasn’t stopped at the initial idea. Over the past year, she has been instrumental in the conception and execution of two new venue programs at Caporella: the pregnant and postpartum water fitness class and a high-energy, low-impact Aqua Dance Fit offering. Her push for new programming is a direct response to what she hears from the community every day, especially from women who want to stay active without feeling judged, unsafe, or out of place.
For aquatics professionals, that’s the first lesson: the most innovative ideas often come from listening closely to your frontline team and the guests they serve.
What the Class Actually Looks Like
Caporella’s pregnant and postpartum water fitness class is intentionally gentle and low impact, but it is not soft on results. The programming focuses on three things women consistently say they want during pregnancy and postpartum recovery:
- Flexibility and mobility work that reduces stiffness and discomfort
- Strengthening of the core and pelvic muscles to support labor, delivery, and recovery
- Relaxation and stress relief in a space that feels supportive rather than clinical
To sum it up, it’s a welcoming, water-based workout specifically designed for expectant moms and those in any stage of postpartum recovery. It invites women to stay active, ease discomfort, and connect with others who are navigating the same chapter of life.
Class sessions are scheduled with moms’ realities in mind, offered in a consistent weekly time slot that works around workdays, nap schedules, and childcare. Participants only need the essentials–a swimsuit, towel, and water bottle–and Caporella handles the rest.
A Support Network in the Water
For Desiree Shirley and her team, the class is just as much about emotional well-being as it is about physical fitness. Aquatic programs like this one provide social interaction that reduces isolation and promotes emotional health among mothers, especially during a period when many feel cut off from old routines and communities.
“These programs improve health outcomes and foster community connections among participants,” Shirley emphasizes. In the water, labels like “first-time mom,” “C-section recovery,” or “high-risk pregnancy” fall away. What remains is a group of women moving together, cheering each other on, and reclaiming confidence in bodies that have done something extraordinary.
The impact extends beyond the edge of the pool. Once moms are comfortable at the facility, they are more likely to return for mom-and-baby swim sessions, toddler playtime, or future fitness programming. The aquatics center becomes not just a place they visit, but a community anchor they trust.
Why Caporella Is the Right Backdrop
Caporella Aquatic Center is uniquely positioned to host this kind of program. The venue features a 25-meter swimming pool with zero-depth entry, an avalanche slide, a children’s water playground, a 3,000-square-foot fitness center, locker rooms, picnic spaces, and a large pavilion, all operated by The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) as a full-service management partner.
That mix of amenities allows pregnant and postpartum water fitness to exist alongside learn-to-swim lessons, senior water aerobics, and family play, making the class part of a larger ecosystem rather than a standalone one-off.
A testimonial from the city of Tamarac underscores why this matters. “Our Caporella Aquatic Center has the highest safety standards, the guest experience provided is terrific, and our programs are growing each year,” says Sammie Monroe, Recreation Manager for the Tamarac Parks and Recreation Department.
A Model of Inclusive, Innovative Aquatic Programming
Shirley frames it simply: when inclusion and innovation intersect, barriers are removed before they have a chance to exclude anyone. That is exactly what this program does for women who have historically been under-served in traditional fitness environments.
For The Sports Facilities Companies, which operates aquatics venues nationwide, this type of programming reflects a broader philosophy: every resident, regardless of age, income, or background, should have access to safe, high-quality aquatic experiences, and thoughtfully designed programs can preserve and enhance that access.
What Other Aquatic Centers Can Learn
For industry peers, Caporella’s story is not just inspiring; it is actionable. Any community pool, waterpark, or aquatic center looking to innovate can borrow from this framework:
- Start with a real person and a real need: Listen to staff and guests who are living the realities you hope to serve. At Caporella, an assistant manager’s postpartum experience became the catalyst for an entire program.
- Design specifically for pregnancy and postpartum, not just “low impact”: Build classes that prioritize comfort, safety, and accessibility with warm-water access, easy entry, and movements tailored to changing bodies. Train instructors in prenatal and postpartum aquatic safety so they can coach with confidence.
- Build in social connection from the beginning: Treat the class as a support group in motion. Encourage introductions, shared check-ins, and post-class conversations so moms leave with new connections, not just a completed workout.
- Lower the barriers to trying it: Use trial passes, affordable daily rates, and clear “what to bring” guidance to make that first visit feel easy. Make sure schedules align with childcare realities and consider family-friendly touches so moms do not have to choose between care and self-care.
- Partner with healthcare providers: Collaborate with OB/GYNs, midwives, and pediatric practices so they see your aquatic center as a trusted resource for safe movement before and after pregnancy. Referral-based outreach can turn your pool into part of the local care ecosystem.
- Tell the story, not just the schedule: Share testimonials, photos, and behind-the-scenes moments from your maternal programs. Stories of confidence regained, pain reduced, or friendships formed do more to drive participation than a list of class times ever will.
When executed well, innovative maternal programming does more than fill a time slot. It improves health outcomes, grows memberships, builds long-term community engagement, and strengthens the financial sustainability of the facility by broadening who feels the center was built for them in the first place.
Looking Ahead: A Blueprint for Bolder Aquatic Programming
For mothers in Tamarac, Caporella Aquatic Center hosts a weekly reminder that their health, comfort, and confidence matter. For aquatics and parks and recreation leaders across the country, it is an invitation to think differently about what is possible in a pool. This program, born from listening and refined by staff who care deeply about their community, is backed by the operational expertise of SFC.
Ready to serve others in new ways at your facility? The Sports Facilities Companies can help you design and activate maternal-focused programming that fits your venue, budget, and goals. Reach out to us to help make your new water fitness class into sustainable, high-impact programs that transform both lives and your venue.
