TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Parks & Recreation is uniting with aquatic facilities around the world to send a roaring message that swimming lessons save lives.
This wave of advocacy is part of the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL), a one-day global event that takes place annually at hundreds of aquatic centers, swim schools, and waterparks to help prevent drownings.
Tampa swim instructors plan to blow the whistle and begin lessons at 10 a.m. today.
The City provides more than 6,500 swim lessons yearly at all twelve of its pools for residents as young as six months old. The cost of a class with eight lessons is $24, and financial assistance is available for those who qualify.
Information on pool locations and swim lessons is available online at: www.tampa.gov/parks-and-recreation/activities-recreation/aquatics/pool-facilities
For the 12th year, the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is expected to attract tens of thousands of kids and adults to aquatic facilities across the globe.
With a whole year of learn-to-swim programs lost in 2020 due to the pandemic, the need to provide children with access to formal swimming lessons this summer is more important than ever.
Tragically, in the U.S. drowning remains the leading cause of unintended, injury related death for children ages one to four, and the second leading cause of accidental death for children under 14. Research shows participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% among children ages one to four, yet many kids do not receive formal swimming or water safety training.
More information about the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is available at: www.WLSL.org.
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