YMCA Offering Free Swimming Lessons in Tampa Bay as Florida Ranks 4th in Drowning Deaths
Tampa Bay YMCAs is offering free swimming lessons for kids. This comes when it’s needed most, as Florida ranks fourth in the nation for drowning deaths.
Kids between 3 and 12 years old can join these beginner lessons. They’ll learn important safety skills whether they’re completely new to swimming or just starting to get comfortable in the water.
“We do basic water safety skill. They learn how to roll over onto their back. They learn how to get out of the water on their own, to be able to help themselves,” Christina Noell Bravi, aquatics director at the YMCA. told ABC Action News.
Kids will learn two key survival techniques: ‘swim, float, swim’ and ‘jump, push, turn, grab’. These basic skills can help save lives when water accidents happen.
With spring break just around the corner and families heading to beaches and pools, it’s the perfect time to check with your nearby YMCA. These free classes tend to fill up quickly.
If March doesn’t work for you, don’t worry. The YMCA offers swim classes throughout the year for everyone from little ones to seniors.
Money shouldn’t stop you from learning to swim. The YMCA offers financial help for families who need it after the free March sessions end.
The YMCA wants everyone to learn. They even have special classes for kids with disabilities. Their teachers know how to adjust their teaching style so every child can learn water safety.
Kids build their skills step by step in these classes. They start with the basics and move on to harder skills as they get more comfortable in the water.
With programs like these, the YMCA is working to bring down Florida’s high drowning numbers. Every lesson taught could save a life.
