Save the date: 12th Annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, June 17, 2021

By | February 5, 2021

Now in its 12th year, The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) serves as a crucial platform for the aquatics industry to build awareness about the fundamental importance of teaching children to swim. With a whole year of learn to swim programs having been lost in 2020, the need to provide children with access to formal swimming lessons this summer is more important than ever. 

“A dire consequence of the pool closures created by the 2020 pandemic is that millions of children did not have the chance to begin swimming lessons as they normally would,” said Rick Root, President of the World Waterpark Association, founding organization of the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson.

As waterparks, aquatic centers, Y’s and swim schools return to a more normal operating schedule in 2021, TEAM WLSL™ is unveling a new #21in21 campaign to encourage host locations of all sizes to get back on deck for the WLSL event on June 17th, 2021.

Whether facilities are able to host just 21 swimmers and their parents due to social distancing  protocols or 2,100 because the whole community is in full-swing, organizers are encouraging as many locations as possible to participate in this year’s program.

“Over the last 11 years of hosting the WLSL event, we’ve learned we can make a real difference in our communities if we all work together,” said Root. “By committing to the #21in21 campaign, we can get kids and families back on track to being water aware by participating in life-saving swim lessons.”

Aquatic facilities and trainers in the local community are encouraged to help parents connect the dots between learning to swim and staying safer in and around the water. Registration for host locations opens April 1, 2021 at www.WLSL.org.

When:
This year’s WLSL event will take place over the course of 24 hours at host locations that are able to reopen on Thursday, June 17, 2021.

Who/Where:
Local WLSL events take place at waterparks, aquatic centers, swim schools, YMCA’s and other water leisure venues. Traditional and socially-distanced lessons plans will be available.

Why:
The purpose of the event is to provide kids and parents exposure to life-saving water safety skills and build awareness about the vital importance of teaching children to swim to prevent drowning. Aquatic venues are joining TEAM WLSL™ in their mission to spread the message Swimming Lessons Save Lives™ to kids and adults to help prevent drowning, the leading cause of accidental death for kids 1-4 in the U.S.

About The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson
Since its inception, more than 320,000 children and adults have participated in life-saving WLSL lessons, generating more than two BILLION media impressions about the vital importance of learning to swim. Learn more about this phenomenal program by visiting www.WLSL.org.

Background

  • The problem is real: Per the CDC, drowning remains the leading cause of unintended, injury related death for U.S. children ages 1-4, the second leading cause for children under 14 and the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for all ages in the United States. Drowning is an even greater threat in other countries around the world. According to the World Health Organization, drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths.  
  • Swimming lessons make a difference: Participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children age 1-4 by up to 88%.
  • Many lack basic swimming skills: In 2014, a survey completed by the American Red Cross found that more than half of all Americans (54 percent) either can’t swim or don’t have all of the basic swimming skills.
  • Parental supervision is key: According to a 2016 Safe Kids Worldwide report, despite the fact that lack of supervision played a role in the majority of drowning deaths, less than half of parents (49 percent) indicate they remain within arms’ reach of their child in the water.
  • Males and minorities are at the most risk: According to the CDC, nearly 80% of people who die from drowning are male. In addition, Black children aged 5-19 drown in swimming pools at rates 5.5 times higher than those of whites. This disparity is greatest among those 11-12 years of age, where Black children drown in swimming pools at rates 10 times those of whites.