USA Swimming Foundation representatives Simone Manuel, Nathan Adrian, Cullen Jones, Missy Franklin and Rowdy Gaines went on the Today show Wednesday to discuss water safety skills and make a push for donations for the Foundation’s #GogglesOn initiative and day of giving.
Manuel, Adrian and Gaines got in a pool set up on the streets of New York City to show off their skills and give some live swim lessons. Check out some highlights below:
According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children under the age of 5.
Gold medal-winning Olympians @missyfranklin, @Nathangadrian, @swimone, @CullenJones & @RowdyGaines are here with tips for keeping kids safe in the water! pic.twitter.com/SUJqPtVq7r
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 22, 2019
Get your #GogglesOn for the @SwimFoundation ! We spent the morning spreading the word about how important swimming lessons are to saving lives! Click the link for more info on where to find swim lessons near you! https://t.co/wTsUJr9JUV #drowningprevention #swimlessons pic.twitter.com/ukNC9nmnID
— Nathan Adrian (@Nathangadrian) May 22, 2019
I’m filled with so much joy! ☀️ It’s such a blessing to be able to use my gifts to save someone’s life and inspire them to dream big, bold, and beyond! I had a great time with @SwimFoundation and @phillips66co kicking of the #MakeASplah tour! (📸: @mike2swim) #GogglesOn pic.twitter.com/JigUlZoTSk
— Simone Manuel (@swimone) May 22, 2019
“Swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88%,” Franklin said. Today host Savanah Guthrie added that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children under the age of five, and the second leading cause in those under 14.
Noting that parents can get their children comfortable in the water earlier than most people think, Jones explained: “I’m expecting a baby boy in about eight weeks and I’m getting him in the water at three months.”
Adrian started the in-water portion by saying that kids should gain a “healthy respect” for the water in order to learn to swim. Manuel then said that the first tip to learning to swim after becoming comfortable in the water is learning to float, and had a young swimmer demonstrate a “starfish float.” Gaines stressed the importance of adult supervision around open water.