Benefits of Swimming

New to team swimming and curious about the benefits for your child? Keep reading for all the positive ways organized swimming can positively impact your child!

Safety Benefits

Not only is swimming fun, but it is also a lifesaving skill! 

• Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of unintentional injury or death for children under 14, with the highest rates among children ages 1-4

• Formal swimming lessons reduce the likelihood of childhood drowning by 88%

If you’re new to swimming, lessons are a great place to start.

Learn more here: https://www.usaswimming.org/parents/learn-to-swim

Health Benefits

Swimming is one of the best workouts for your physical and mental health.

• It’s a full body workout that will use muscles in your arms, legs, back, and core

• Can be an aerobic workout to develop endurance to swim for long durations

• Can be an anaerobic workout to develop the power for sprints in a meet

• Great for your cardiovascular health (heart, blood vessels, lungs)

• Gain mental toughness while staying focused and completing workouts

Academic Success 

USA Swimming celebrates good grades with the Scholastic All-America Team. To be a part of this honor swimmers must:

• Have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade

• Maintain 3.5 GPA while on the team

Learn more here: https://www.usaswimming.org/times/popular-resources/scholastic-all-america

Social Benefits

Joining a swimming club can provide your child with lifelong social skills

• Connecting with kids their age over a common interest

• Connecting with the community through volunteering events 

• Understanding what being a part of a team means 

• Leadership skills can be developed as confidence grows

• Gaining time management skills while balancing family/friend commitments, school, practice, meets, etc.

• Learning how to be adaptable to change and things out of their control

• Being able to interact with children outside of their age group

• Overcoming obstacles and hurdles

Information courtesy of USA Swimming