By USA Swimming Foundation  | Tuesday, March 26, 2019 

Funding for free or reduced-cost swim lessons to help children across the country

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The USA Swimming Foundation announced today that it has awarded $507,461 to learn-to-swim programs across the country through its first-round of 2019 grant funding for Make a Splash Local Partners. The grants will go towards swim lesson programs, providing 25,705 children with the opportunity to learn how to swim.

The USA Swimming Foundation vetted more than 240 applications through a competitive annual review process and chose 85 programs to receive funding, 26 of whom are first time USA Swimming Foundation grant recipients. Since 2007, the USA Swimming Foundation has awarded more than $6.2 million dollars to help fund learn-to-swim programs across the country. 

“It’s an incredible feeling to know that USA Swimming Foundation funding will be used to create a valuable swimming experience for tens of thousands of children who may not have had the opportunity to learn how to swim,” USA Swimming Foundation Executive Director Debbie Hesse said. “We are thrilled with the depth of this year’s Make a Splash Local Partner applicant pool and we couldn’t be prouder to support these exciting and lifesaving opportunities for children across the country. We owe a tremendous thank you to our partners and donors, who continue to make a difference.”

In 2018, through its Make a Splash Local Partner network, the USA Swimming Foundation helped provide more than 1.3 million children with swimming lessons. Together, the Foundation and their network of 1,000 swim lesson providers across the country are helping to spread national awareness on the importance of learning to swim and bringing together strategic partners to end drowning. More than 7.5 million children have now been served since 2007.

The following USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Local Partners will receive funding through this first round of 2019 grant awards: 

The USA Swimming Foundation works to strengthen the sport of swimming by raising funds to support programs that save lives and build champions, in the pool and in life. To find, get, or give a swim lesson visit: www.usaswimmingfoundation.org

To learn more about the USA Swimming Foundation and the Make a Splash initiative, including grant opportunities, please visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org/makeasplash, or follow us at http://www.facebook.com/SwimFoundation

USA Swimming Foundation Sets Guinness Record for Largest KickboardBy USA Swimming Communications  | Saturday, June 2, 2018

The USA Swimming Foundation kicked-off its 10th annual Make a Splash Tour presented by Phillips 66 today in Washington, D.C., by setting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® record for the World’s Largest Kickboard. This gigantic kickboard, which is 10 times the standard adult size board at 18 feet high by 11 feet wide, will serve as a larger-than-life petition for all Americans to urge Congress to add the question, “Do you know how to swim?” to the 2020 Census. Drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of 14. The Make a Splash Tour presented by Phillips 66 will visit four cities nationwide during June to raise awareness around the importance of learning how to swim.The kickboard serves as reminder for parents to enroll their children in swim lessons, and for Congress to add this critical question to the 2020 Census in order to gain an accurate count of a family’s ability to swim in the U.S. All are encouraged to sign the petition by visiting http://bit.ly/swimfoundation. “Learning to swim changed the course of my life forever,” USA Swimming Foundation Ambassador and six-time Olympic medalist, Missy Franklin said. “This record-setting moment is designed to further the awareness of the importance of making sure children achieve the skills they need to build their confidence in the water and in life.”Make a Splash Tour Presented by Phillips 66This GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® moment kicks-off the USA Swimming Foundation’s 10thannual Make a Splash Tour presented by Phillips 66, which aims to save children’s lives through swim lessons. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), research has shown that formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of childhood drowning by 88 percent.The Make a Splash Tour takes place throughout June and brings USA Swimming Foundation ambassadors, Olympic medalists and elite athletes to four cities across the country to educate children, parents, communities and civic leaders on the importance of learning to swim.

The 2018 tour will visit: Washington, D.C. (June 1-2, 2018): with Olympians Missy Franklin, Cullen Jones, Rowdy Gaines, Andrew Gemmell, and Sports Illustrated Kids’ SportsKid of the Year, Reece WhitleySeattle, Wash. (June 4, 2018): with Olympians Nathan Adrian and Rowdy Gaines San Francisco, Calif. (June 6, 2018): with Olympians Simone Manuel, Katie Ledecky, Cullen Jones, Ryan Murphy and Rowdy GainesOrlando, Fla. (June 13, 2018): with Olympians Cullen Jones, Ryan Lochte, Caeleb Dressel and Rowdy Gaines

“The USA Swimming Foundation has made its mission to offer children in America the life skill of swimming regardless of race or financial circumstances,” USA Swimming Foundation ambassador and four-time Olympic medalist,” Cullen Jones stated. To date, more than 6 million children have received swim lessons through the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash Local Partner network, which is comprised of more than 850 qualified swim lesson providers across the country. The USA Swimming Foundation has set an annual goal to provide at least 1 million children with swim lessons this year through its local partner network. To find a swim lesson in your area, visit the Foundation’s lesson locator: www.usaswimmingfoundation.org/find-swim-lessons. “Safety is a core value for Phillips 66, and we believe child drownings are preventable,” Phillips 66 Manager, Corporate Brand and Creative Media, Tami Talbert Walker said. “We are proud to sponsor the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash Tour to keep kids safer in, on, and around the water this summer.” Since 1973, Phillips 66’s contributions have supported the USA Swimming community through National Championships and other international competitions, publication of club development materials, and many additional endeavors. The Make a Splash Tour, which the company has sponsored since the program’s inception in 2009, is a natural extension of its dedication to safety.“With the support of Phillips 66, the USA Swimming Foundation is able to educate parents and children about the importance of learning to swim,” Executive Director of the USA Swimming Foundation, Debbie Hesse said.  “We’ve seen an increase in the number of children participating in swimming lessons through the Local Partner network. We look forward to continuing to grow and surpassing the 2017 1 million children milestone this year, and every year moving forward.”  Alarming Drowning Statistics Drowning claims the lives of approximately 3,500 people per year, with nearly 25 percent being children under the age of 14. The problem is particularly prevalent in ethnically diverse communities, where the drowning rate is almost three times the national average (CDC).  Approximately 10 people drown every day in the U.S., according to the CDC.

• African-American children drown at a rate nearly 5.5 times higher than their Caucasian
• peers, as reported by the CDC.
• Drowning is a silent killer—most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time, according to the Present P. Child Drowning Study.

Source: https://www.usaswimmingfoundation.org

Photo Courtesy: USA Swimming

USA Swimming has named two-time Olympian Lindsay Mintenko as the first female senior executive to lead the organization’s National Team Division amid a restructuring of the organization’s technical swimming staff. She has been a member of the National Team staff since 2006.“With Lindsay’s 10-plus years of experience at USA Swimming, her role as a two-time Olympic Team captain and time on deck as a coach, she is a tremendous fit for this position,” said USA Swimming President and CEO Tim Hinchey. “Lindsay is well respected by our athletes and coaches, and USA Swimming is looking forward to continued competitive success by the National Team under her direction.”A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Mintenko replaces former National Team Director Frank Busch, who retired effective Oct. 1. She will retain the title of National Team Managing Director.  Read more by clicking the link below:

Source: USA Swimming Promotes Lindsay Mintenko to National Team Managing Director Position – Swimming World News

The first night of finals of the 2017 World University Games began in record fashion. Meet records were broken in both the men’s 400 freestyle and the women’s 400 IM, the only two individual finals in tonight’s program. The rest of the night featured fast swims in a number of semifinals.Full results can be found here.Schedule of Events:Men’s 400 Freestyle FinalWomen’s 50 Butterfly SemifinalMen’s 100 Backstroke SemifinalWomen’s 400 IM FinalMen’s 100 Breaststroke SemifinalWomen’s 200 Backstroke SemifinalMen’s 50 Butterfly SemifinalWomen’s 4×100 Freestyle RelayMen’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay  READ MORE….

Source: https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com

2017 Convention
2017 United States Aquatic Sports Annual Convention will be from September 11-17 at the HYATT Regency in Dallas (TX) on Reunion Blvd. For more specific information, click on the link below:

HYATT REGENCY in Dallas (TX)
Attendee Registration (live after May 1)
Exhibitor FAQs and Information
Exhibitor & Advertiser Registration (live after May 1)
Hotel Reservations (live after May 1)
DALLAS info (things to do)
Transportation Options

Source: United States Aquatic Sports : 2017 Convention

Make a Splash Grant Program provides reduced cost

Nico Payne Posted: Jul 25, 2017 11:50 AM MST  Updated: Jul 25, 2017 12:16 PM MST EL CENTRO, Calif. – The city of El Centro received funds to help provide free or reduced cost swim lessons for children.

The USA Swimming foundation awarded the grant as part of the Make a Splash Grant Foundation.During the hot summer months many people take to the pool to keep cool, but if you don’t take the proper safety precautions swimming can be very dangerous.News 11 spoke to city officials and a swim coach on why swim safety is so important in the desert southwest.

Source: Local city receives funding for swim lessons – KYMA

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USA Swimming Names Tim Hinchey President & Chief Executive Officer By USA Swimming  | Thursday, June 1, 2017  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A new chapter in the successful history of USA Swimming will begin as the organization announced that 2016 Major League Soccer Executive of the Year and Colorado Rapids President Tim Hinchey is the national governing body’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. He will start his tenure at USA Swimming on July 12.A Big West Conference scholar-athlete as a varsity swimmer at UC Irvine and a member of U.S. Masters Swimming, Hinchey becomes the third chief executive since USA Swimming was formed, following Chuck Wielgus’ 19-year tenure and the organization’s first executive director, Ray Essick.“This is an exciting time for USA Swimming and Tim Hinchey’s track record of business success and proven leadership abilities are well-suited to guide our future direction,” USA Swimming Board of Directors Chair Jim Sheehan. “I’m excited to work with Tim and also for our staff and membership to experience the reasons why the Board of Directors selected him. Tim’s experience in sport at multiple levels will be invaluable to help us embrace the opportunities that can take swimming to the next level.”Over 25-plus years as a sports business executive, Hinchey has driven growth and built an extensive network in a broad-based professional career that included leadership positions in the United States and the United Kingdom for organizations in Major League Soccer, English Premier League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and for junior and minor league hockey franchises.“Leading USA Swimming is a dream job for me. Being involved in the sport of swimming has played a major part in shaping who I am as a person and as a professional, and I can’t wait to give back to our membership,” Hinchey said. “I’ve benefitted from the dedication and commitment from athletes, coaches, volunteers and officials who make the sport so successful. It’s truly inspiring. It’s also an honor to join such a talented staff that has worked tirelessly to make USA Swimming the model national governing body in the Olympic movement. I look forward to continuing the legacy left by Chuck Wielgus by employing our resources and rolling up my sleeves alongside our staff, Board of Directors and membership to support our numerous stakeholders and grow the sport at all levels.”In his most recent role as President of the Colorado Rapids, Hinchey has led the club to both on and off the field success. In 2016 alone, the team won the MLS Best Digital Content of the Year award, posted the highest average attendance in stadium history and set new club standards in sponsorship revenue and earned media. Part of Hinchey’s duties were to serve as a member of the Board of the Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club. Since he joined the Rapids in 2010, the team enjoyed a more than 300 percent increase in season ticket member accounts.Shortly after taking over as team president, Hinchey developed the organization’s “One Club” mantra, which has banded together the franchise’s employees, from customer service staff to players and coaches to executive leadership to game-day venue workers, and created a culture of working together for the benefit of the whole. Since its inception, the program has expanded externally to the Rapids youth program, fans and corporate partners.Under Hinchey’s direction, the Rapids created new initiatives such as the Chairman’s Club, a directors’ box and boardroom within the stadium, and the Summit Club, the Rapids’ first VIP hospitality venue for premium customers. The Rapids also secured their first-ever jersey sponsorship, which provided the club additional resources to re-invest in the organization’s business operations. Annual revenues of the Rapids nearly tripled since 2011.Hinchey’s international experience includes a three-year term as the Vice President of Commercial and Chief Marketing Officer for English football club Derby County FC. As a member of the leadership team, he oversaw a philosophical shift in the club’s business operations and marketing approach, introducing innovative ideas and policies unique to English football that set new league standards.The franchise broke new ground as the first club to secure a ‘Season Presenting Partner’ under Hinchey’s leadership, a relationship that grew as the company became Derby County’s jersey sponsor. With Hinchey at the helm, the Rams more than doubled their sponsorship revenue and saw record sales for corporate hospitality.   READ MORE…..

Source: https://www.usaswimming.org