Bob Hirschhorn

An awesome Bass Player and spirit. He has been singing and playing on the local music scene for over 40 years.
He is referred to as the “spiritual leader” of the group, with his never-say-die attitude and love for a good time. Bob and his wife Eva, a local hair stylist in Seal Beach, have one child Eric who Cal State Long Beach. Following tradition, Eric also gigs with the band on saxophone. “Cha Cha” their loyal dog, attends many concerts.

By Zoe Mena
Published: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 11:56 AM PDT
Copyright © 2009 Gazettes Town-News
Editor’s Note: Zoe Mena will enter fifth grade at Naples Elementary School. She has agreed to spend her summer working to give the Grunion Gazette a glimpse into — Zoe’s World.
Cole Wallace heard soothing words travel through his ears. It wasn’t his mom. It wasn’t his babysitter.

It was Bob Hirschhorn, his swim instructor. Cole was three years old at the time and crying and slapping the water with his feet and hands. Now he is seven years old and he no longer fears the water.

Hirschhorn listens to kids like Cole. He also talks to them as if they were adults. He tries to change the way they think about the water. He has shared this technique while teaching at the Silverado Swimming Pool and people’s houses for 28 years.
“I want a no-drowning world. That’s the difference between a job and a calling,” Hirschhorn said.

Hirschhorn’s students love him. They think he is the best. Hirschhorn teaches them freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. He works right through kids’ crying and complaining. He becomes their friend. He remembers their names and the names of their parents and all the details of their lives. That is hard because Hirschhorn has about 80 students at any given time.

“He has taught a generation of children to swim in Long Beach,” said David Haldane, who attended Stanford Junior High (now called a middle school) with Hirschhorn and has his daughter Arianne, 7, taking lessons. “He is an icon among the parent pool set and a fixture in the city.”

In the summer, at outdoor pools through our community, Hirschhorn looks like a raccoon. He wears zinc sunscreen that matches his white hair, beard and mustache. He covers his head with a black hat. Students get used to the look.

When he is not in the water,

Hirschhorn is with his wife, Eva, or his 15-year-old son, Eric, or with the Elm Street Band. He plays bass and you can see him on stages around Long Beach. But most of the time, you will find him in the pool water.

At the end of each lesson, Hirschhorn takes Cole’s hand, slaps it. Hirschhorn falls back underneath the water. It’s his signature move and he says the same thing every time, “Whoah.” To kids, that’s the best music Hirschhorn can make.