Why Learn-to-Swim?

Lloyd Bridges closed every episode of the popular television drama "Sea Hunt" by declaring that "over two-thirds of the world's surface is covered by water." It is inevitable that most people will be exposed to at least one form of aquatic activity at some point in their life. The ability to swim is the most important safety skill of all. According to the National Safety Council, over 8,000 people drown in the United States every year. If more people knew how to swim there would be fewer drownings.

Since President John F. Kennedy established the "President's Council on Physical Fitness" in the early 1960's, America has been on a fitness kick. People of all ages have been encouraged to participate in a wide variety of physical activities to maintain at least basic levels of fitness, thereby prolonging and enhancing life. Statistics indicate year after year that swimming ranks #1 among all participant recreational activities. Swimming has long been recognized as the most complete form of exercise, developing cardiovascular, skeletal, and neuromuscular fitness.

Learning to swim means acquiring a skill level which permits participation in a wide variety of recreational and competitive aquatic activities. Opportunities include competitive swim racing which is organized to provide excitement for children and adults alike. There is long-distance swimming, triathlon, springboard and platform diving, water polo, synchronized swimming, and scuba diving. Activities such as boartin, water skiing, surfing, sailing, canoeing, and fishing are made less hazardous when its participants can remove themselves from danger if the unexpected should occur.