Via USA Swimming.
USA Swimming, Longhorn Aquatics and Olympian Cullen Jones Partner Up to Reduce Risk of Drownings
Free Learn to swim clinic educates families on water safety and the importance of swim lessons
Who: Cullen Jones, Two-time Olympian (2008, 2012), won a gold medal and set a world record in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay (2008 with Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber-Gale) and a gold medal in the 4×100 meter medley relay (2012), silver in the 50 meter freestyle (2012) and silver in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay (2012). He became the first African-American swimmer to break a long-course world record in 2006 in the 50 meter freestyle.
What: USA Swimming, Longhorn Aquatics along with Olympian Cullen Jones will host an in-water instructional session and an out-of-water presentation with beginner level swimmers to spread the message of saving lives through swim lessons. In an effort to increase swim participation and decrease drowning rates within the African American community, by engaging local youth in swimming programming.
Why: Child drownings are the second leading cause of unintentional death for children under 14, and the leading cause of unintentional death for children under the age of 4. A startling fact is that 70 percent of African American children and 60 percent of Hispanic children in the U.S. do not know how to swim. Additionally, African-American children are more than three times more likely to drown than Caucasian children. Formalized swim lessons can help reduce the risk of child drowning by 88 percent.
Olympian Cullen Jones is a USA Swimming Foundation Ambassador and since 2007, USA Swimming Foundation’s “Make a Splash” initiative has given more than 4 million children the lifesaving gift of free or low-cost swim lessons. The USA Swimming Foundation has a goal of providing swim lessons to 1 million children annually through their local partner network by December 31, 2017.