With Summer just around the corner, swimming might be on a lot of peoples’ minds as fun recreational exercise or a way stave off the heat. But for many adults in America swimming may conjure up a decidedly less appealing set of thoughts—struggling to stay afloat, gasping for breath, fighting to make it to dry land, or even drowning.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 37 percent of American adults cannot swim the length of a 25-yard pool. The CDC also says 10 people drown every day in America, making it the fifth most common cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. That’s why the Swimming Saves Lives Foundation—the charitable arm of U.S. Masters Swimming—has named April ‘Adult Learn-to-Swim Month.’
“If we can convince water-shy adults to learn to swim in April, we hope to save lives when people gather at pools and beaches for summer recreation,” says Rob Butcher, executive director of USMS. “Once adults learn the lifesaving skill of swimming, our 1500 local programs are there to encourage them to keep swimming and enjoy the lifetime health, fitness, and social benefits of swimming.”
In Westchester County, adults interested in learning to swim can find USMS programs in Bedford Hills, Mamaroneck, Pleasantville, and nearby in Greenwich and Stamford, Connecticut.
To learn more about Adult Learn to Swim Month, visit the USMS here.
You can also find your local YMCA by visiting here.