By Bridget Russell, Interim Aquatics Supervisor
If you’ve ever wanted to be part of setting a world record, here’s your chance.
On Thursday, June 22, you are invited to join College Station Aquatics at Adamson Lagoon for the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson. The free 50-minute lesson begins at 8 a.m. and will cover safe-swim topics for all ages and experience levels. Preregistration is not required.
Since the World Waterpark Association introduced the event in 2010, the City of College Station has helped the organization set world records while promoting water safety and raising awareness about the importance of learning to swim. The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson brings together tens of thousands of individuals around the world to participate in the same lesson in a 24-hour period.
Last year, more than 40,000 kids and adults participated in WLSL events in 24 countries, including 50 at Adamson Lagoon. Aquatic facilities from Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Galveston to schools in India taught the lesson with one message in mind -- swimming lessons save lives.
According to the World Health Organization, drowning is among the top five causes of death for people from 1-14 years of age. Research shows the risk of drowning can be reduced by 88 percent if children participate in formal swimming lessons between ages 1-4.
That means drowning is preventable, and swimming is a vital life-saving skill.
In addition to lessons, we offer these tips to keep your kids safe at the pool this summer:
- Never leave children unattended. Parents are the first line of defense in keeping kids safe in the water. If your child is in the water, you should be, too.
- Follow posted safety rules and warnings. Teach kids that being safe in and around the water is a personal responsibility -- yours and theirs.
- Teach your children to always swim with a buddy and never alone or in unsupervised places.
- If you or a family member is a weak or non-swimmer, wear a life vest. College Station pools provide them at no cost.
- Keep toddlers in shallow play areas.
- Don’t use air-filled swimming aids such as water wings in place of life jackets. These items provide a sense of false security and may increase the risk of drowning. Swimming aids and other inflatables aren’t allowed in College Station pools.
For information about swim lessons, visit cstx.gov/swim.
Interim Aquatics Supervisor Bridget Russell has served as pool manager for the City of College Station every summer since 2012 and is a certified lifeguard instructor. She also teaches in the Bryan Independent School District. A native of Torrance, Calif., Bridget earned master’s (2012) and bachelor’s (2011) degrees in sport management from Texas A&M.
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