Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Nathan Adrian ‘Makes a Splash’ by Discussing the Importance of Swim Lessons
Photo taken at The Today Show from the 2019 Make A Splash Tour
Shortly before competing at the 2021 TYR Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis earlier this month, Nathan Adrian shared his support for Make a Splash and the essentiality of all children learning how to swim. As an Olympian, new father and swim lesson program owner, Adrian has a deep passion and understanding of water safety along with helping families prioritize their swimming proficiency.
“To me, teaching swim lessons is like learning your ABCs and 1 + 1, obviously with the right timing," Adrian said. "Parker (Adrian's daughter) is only three months old so I’m not teaching her the ABCs right now; we are just kind of cooing and smiling, and stimulating her senses. Swimming is kind of the same way. There is a right time to teach kids how to swim, but it comes at different times for every child.”
Starting on May 5, the Make a Splash Virtual Tour presented by Phillips 66 launched with the goal of educating the public about the necessity of acquiring life-saving swimming skills. The tour continued until May 15 as a vital component of water safety month and to highlight the importance of swim lessons. The tour showcased print and digital ads, interviews in local and national media outlets and featured USA Swimming Foundation Ambassadors Adrian, Cullen Jones, Rowdy Gaines, Missy Franklin, Elizabeth Beisel and Ryan Murphy.
Make a Splash executed its tour with a Facebook Live event, “Swim Lessons 101 with Cullen Jones and Nathan Adrian,” where the Olympians answered viewer’s questions about the necessity and value of swim lessons and swim safety. Adrian reiterated some of the points he and Jones discussed in the Facebook Live event, and explained their significance.
“Drowning is an epidemic in the United States,” Adrian said. “Ten people drown per day, and between two and three of them are children. We’ve also found that formalized swim lessons have reduced the risk of drowning up to 88 percent.”
Adrian added, “As Cullen mentioned in the Facebook Live event, he was trapped underneath an inner tube or some type of floatie and had a near drowning event. His parents realized, ‘We thought we were spending good quality time with our child in the water but he wasn’t quite ready for it yet. We need to get him in swim lessons.’”
Cullen’s experience (or something similar) happens to thousands of children nationwide, which is why learning to swim is so important. Make a Splash is partnered with many local swim organizations across the country to provide quality swim lessons with an approved curriculum that teaches children the fundamental skills they need to know while in the water.
In addition, central to a child learning to swim depends on whether his or her own parents can swim. “If your parent does not know how to swim, there is only a 19 percent chance that you will learn to swim. It really becomes a generational issue, and that is the cycle that we need to break,” Adrian said.
The first step parents can take before putting their child in swim lessons is to get them used to the water. Parents can enroll their child in a Parent-and-Me class at their local public pool, which encourages young children to feel safe and comfortable in the water. “The Parent-and-Me classes are for smiles and bonding, and your kid will get used to the pool and it will be easier to teach them how to swim when that time comes.”
Once children demonstrate they are developmentally ready to begin swim lessons—roughly by age 4—parents should start the process by finding a swim school or city pool in the area that offers lessons. Having children participate in swim lessons will not only help them learn key components in swimming safety, but also could lead to them finding joy in the activity as well. It is this joy that often motivates young swimmers to pursue swimming competitively.
Adrian continued, “It’s not just being able to swim. There is an entire water competency component that is defined by the CDC. An example is being out in the ocean and knowing how to spot a rip current and understanding how powerful the ocean is. I’ve been pulled out by a rip and found myself about half a mile from where I entered the water. And if I didn’t have fins and a wetsuit on, I would be in trouble, and I’m an Olympic gold medalist. I could imagine how terrifying that would be if you were alone and you didn’t have those swimming aids.”
Adrian stated that children learning water competency and basic swimming skills are comparable to parents making sure their kids are in a car seat or wearing a seatbelt after outgrowing the car seat. “It’s just part of being a safe young person and even adult these days.”
“I think many of life's most important lessons are taught through swimming and sport in general. It will teach you things about sportsmanship, hard work paying off, and how to manage failure to name a few. Many times when these lessons are taught through sport, they often come earlier and with a softer landing than waiting for life to force you to learn them.”
To locate a Make a Splash partner in your area for swim lesson information, go to: www.usaswimming.org/makeasplash.
Shortly before competing at the 2021 TYR Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis earlier this month, Nathan Adrian shared his support for Make a Splash and the essentiality of all children learning how to swim. As an Olympian, new father and swim lesson program owner, Adrian has a deep passion and understanding of water safety along with helping families prioritize their swimming proficiency.
“To me, teaching swim lessons is like learning your ABCs and 1 + 1, obviously with the right timing," Adrian said. "Parker (Adrian's daughter) is only three months old so I’m not teaching her the ABCs right now; we are just kind of cooing and smiling, and stimulating her senses. Swimming is kind of the same way. There is a right time to teach kids how to swim, but it comes at different times for every child.”
Starting on May 5, the Make a Splash Virtual Tour presented by Phillips 66 launched with the goal of educating the public about the necessity of acquiring life-saving swimming skills. The tour continued until May 15 as a vital component of water safety month and to highlight the importance of swim lessons. The tour showcased print and digital ads, interviews in local and national media outlets and featured USA Swimming Foundation Ambassadors Adrian, Cullen Jones, Rowdy Gaines, Missy Franklin, Elizabeth Beisel and Ryan Murphy.
Make a Splash executed its tour with a Facebook Live event, “Swim Lessons 101 with Cullen Jones and Nathan Adrian,” where the Olympians answered viewer’s questions about the necessity and value of swim lessons and swim safety. Adrian reiterated some of the points he and Jones discussed in the Facebook Live event, and explained their significance.
“Drowning is an epidemic in the United States,” Adrian said. “Ten people drown per day, and between two and three of them are children. We’ve also found that formalized swim lessons have reduced the risk of drowning up to 88 percent.”
Adrian added, “As Cullen mentioned in the Facebook Live event, he was trapped underneath an inner tube or some type of floatie and had a near drowning event. His parents realized, ‘We thought we were spending good quality time with our child in the water but he wasn’t quite ready for it yet. We need to get him in swim lessons.’”
Cullen’s experience (or something similar) happens to thousands of children nationwide, which is why learning to swim is so important. Make a Splash is partnered with many local swim organizations across the country to provide quality swim lessons with an approved curriculum that teaches children the fundamental skills they need to know while in the water.
In addition, central to a child learning to swim depends on whether his or her own parents can swim. “If your parent does not know how to swim, there is only a 19 percent chance that you will learn to swim. It really becomes a generational issue, and that is the cycle that we need to break,” Adrian said.
The first step parents can take before putting their child in swim lessons is to get them used to the water. Parents can enroll their child in a Parent-and-Me class at their local public pool, which encourages young children to feel safe and comfortable in the water. “The Parent-and-Me classes are for smiles and bonding, and your kid will get used to the pool and it will be easier to teach them how to swim when that time comes.”
Once children demonstrate they are developmentally ready to begin swim lessons—roughly by age 4—parents should start the process by finding a swim school or city pool in the area that offers lessons. Having children participate in swim lessons will not only help them learn key components in swimming safety, but also could lead to them finding joy in the activity as well. It is this joy that often motivates young swimmers to pursue swimming competitively.
Adrian continued, “It’s not just being able to swim. There is an entire water competency component that is defined by the CDC. An example is being out in the ocean and knowing how to spot a rip current and understanding how powerful the ocean is. I’ve been pulled out by a rip and found myself about half a mile from where I entered the water. And if I didn’t have fins and a wetsuit on, I would be in trouble, and I’m an Olympic gold medalist. I could imagine how terrifying that would be if you were alone and you didn’t have those swimming aids.”
Adrian stated that children learning water competency and basic swimming skills are comparable to parents making sure their kids are in a car seat or wearing a seatbelt after outgrowing the car seat. “It’s just part of being a safe young person and even adult these days.”
“I think many of life's most important lessons are taught through swimming and sport in general. It will teach you things about sportsmanship, hard work paying off, and how to manage failure to name a few. Many times when these lessons are taught through sport, they often come earlier and with a softer landing than waiting for life to force you to learn them.”
To locate a Make a Splash partner in your area for swim lesson information, go to: www.usaswimming.org/makeasplash.