Drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1 to 4 years old and is the second leading cause of death for children from 5 to 14 years old. While people can’t wait to head to the beach, lake, or their favorite community pool as summer quickly approaches, the Y believes teaching children how to swim and be safe around water is one of the most important life skills parents can help their children learn. The Y is “America’s Swim Instructor” and the most accessible community resource to prevent drowning and encourage a lifelong enjoyment of swimming.
Lindsay Mondick, Senior Manager of Aquatics at YMCA of the USA, talks about what kids and families need to know about the Y’s Safety Around Water program and Swim Lessons. Learning what to do if you find yourself in the water unexpectedly is a fundamental safety skill and knowing how to swim builds confidence. Mondick says Water safety is important to every family! This year, the Y is awarding more than 33,000 scholarships for free water safety lessons to children from underserved communities as part of their Safety Around Water program to teach children of all ages from all backgrounds that water should be fun, not feared!
Through learning how to perform a sequenced set of skills over four lessons of 60 minutes each, the risk of drowning is reduced and gives your child confidence in and around water. Participants will learn to “Jump, Push, Turn, Grab” and “Swim, Float, Swim”, two skill sets they can use if they unexpectedly find themselves in the water. They will also discuss specific safety topics like what to do if you see someone in the water who needs help and participate in fun activities that reinforce skills. All swim levels are welcome.Lindsay Mondick is the Senior Manager of Aquatics at Y-USA and has been involved in the aquatics field for over 20 years. She provides resources and support to local YMCAs all areas of aquatic programming. Before joining Y-USA, she was with the YMCA of Greater Twin Cities for 14 years in a variety of aquatic leadership roles, including setting strategic priorities for the association and its 27 branches.
