According to the CDC, drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States. About one in five deaths from drowning are children under the age of 15.
The Valley of the Sun YMCA pledges to make a difference in Arizona through our water safety education, swimming lessons, and aquatic programs.
Every year, the Y starts the summer off with the Safety Around Water program. Safety Around Water teaches children of all ages and backgrounds that water can be fun, not scary! It consists of a consequent set of swimming lessons that teach the objectives; “Jump, Push, Turn, Grab” and “Swim, Float, Swim.” The program engages parents and children with interactive games to learn different safety topics such as CPR, backyard pools, life jackets, and more.
Sara’s Story
A seven-year-old at the Tempe Family YMCA started the summer, afraid of the water and not able to swim. After two weeks of Safety Around Water Swimming Lessons, Sara had learned how to swim a short distance on her front, roll over on her back to rest, and then roll to her front to continue swimming towards safety. She gained confidence in and around the water. From there, she continued her progress with group swim lessons, and within four weeks, Sara was trying out for the Recreational Swim Team.
Sara began practicing with the Tempe Typhoons and soon swam in her first regional swim meet. As her love for the pool grew, so did her ability in the water. At the end of the season, she competed in the Valley of the Sun YMCA Championship Swim Meet. In just one summer, Sara went from being scared of the water to competing as a Tempe Typhoon.
This is just one child’s story out of the many children that have taken Safety Around Water Lessons. Give your child a summer experience they will never forget. For more information, visit the Safety Around Water page online.
Visit https://valleyymca.org/swim/ for more information on Valley of the Sun YMCA swim programs.