Programs offer a mix of fun, physical activity and safety to create a lifelong love of swimming
As the season turns from spring to summer, The Gateway Family YMCA encourages children and parents in Eastern Union County to explore the many benefits of swimming, while also keeping safety top of mind. In Y swim programs, participants can enjoy water sports, enhance or learn new techniques, meet new friends and develop confidence, while also learning safety skills that can save lives.
“It’s never too early to get children involved in swimming—it’s an important for safety reasons, but also a great way to keep active and healthy,” said Krystal R. Canady, CEO, The Gateway Family YMCA. “There are so many options for parents, but the best place to start is by learning basic water safety skills that helps get kids familiar with the water that often continues with swim lessons and competitive swim programs and can even lead to a career.”
The Gateway Family YMCA encourages parents to take an active role in fostering a relationship between their children and swimming—beginning with water safety. Following are safety tips to practice when in and around the water:
- Only swim when and where there is a lifeguard on duty; never swim alone.
- Adults should constantly and actively watch their children.
- Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
- Parents or guardians of young children should be within an arm’s reach.
- Children and adults should not engage in breath holding activities.
“In addition to learning lifesaving water safety skills, swimming is a great way to increase physical activity,” said Melynda A. Mileski, EVP/COO. “Swimming also motivates children to strive for self-improvement, teaches goal orientation and cultivates a positive mental attitude and high self-esteem. It also teaches life lessons of sport and sportsmanship, so that children can learn how to work well with teammates and coaches and how to deal with winning and losing.”
As a leading nonprofit committed to youth development, the Y has been a leader in providing swim lessons and water safety for more than 170 years. The Gateway Family YMCA continues to help youth and adults experience the joy and benefits of swimming, so they can be healthy, confident and secure in the water. There are a variety of programs to choose, including parent child, preschool, youth, teen or adult swim lessons, family swim, summer day camps and competitive swimming. To ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate, financial assistance is available to those in need to help cover the costs.
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 22 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change
To learn more about The Gateway Family YMCA’s swim programs, visit www.tgfymca.org or contact The Gateway Family YMCA – Five Points Branch 908-688-9622 or Rahway Branch 732-388-0057.
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