Have you wondered what age to start swim lessons?  Get your 2 to 6 month-old into our FREE Water Smart Infants class.

• Encourages bonding between parent and child
• Instructs the parent on how to teach the child basic water safety skills
• Boosts child’s motor, neurological, social, and cognitive development
• Builds child’s comfort in and respect of the water

Times:  Monday-Friday 10:00am, Saturday 9:00am (subject to change)

SWIMkids USA utilizes a UV system in our pools. Water is conducted through the chamber of the device where it is exposed to the UV-C band. The light penetrates cell walls of bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms (including chlorine-resistant crypto and giardia), altering the DNA. This process inactivates cells so they are no longer able to replicate and are considered dead. Then chlorine is free to attack bacteria and wastes introduced by swimmers and the environment so fewer chemicals are needed. Using UV-C is a chemical free disinfection method that can also deplete chloramines (a disinfectant by-product of chlorine), which are often the cause of odor and irritants in pools. The water will feel better to your child’s eyes and skin so we know that it is worth the investment.  We are the only swim school in the area to have it.

Congratulations, Lana!  Continuing her run as the most award winning swim school owner, Enterprising Women magazine has given Lana Whitehead Honorable Mention for its 2013 Enterprising Woman of the Year.  Receiving recognition from a national publication is an honor.

According to the magazine, ”The Enterprising Women of the Year Class of 2013 is a remarkable group of women leaders,” publisher Monica Smiley said. “This annual awards celebration is unlike any other event, because it honors each award recipient and brings together the finest women entrepreneurs from around the world to network, share best practices, and celebrate their amazing achievements. It really is an amazing gathering.”

Lance Whitehead, Accounting Manager at SWIMkids USA, says: Lana “has devoted her life to making sure children’s lives are being saved and serving the community. She is a great example of serving others and not thinking about herself. Her passion and love for teaching shows every day. She is always studying and learning more so she can better the program, which in turn gives the students and parents better tools on how to keep their children safe around water. She is also developing champions.”

Enterprising Women magazine is “the nation’s only women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners, it chronicles the growing political, economic and social influence and power of entrepreneurial women.”

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children 1 to 4 years, the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for children 5 to14 years, and the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury deaths for all ages in the United States (CDC, WISQARS, 2005[B1] ). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests “new evidence shows that children ages 1 to 4 may be less likely to drown if they have had formal swimming instruction. The studies are small don’t define what type of lessons work best, so the AAP is not recommending mandatory swim lessons for all children ages 1 to 4 at this time. Instead, the new guidance recommends that parents should decide whether to enroll an individual child in swim lessons based on the child’s frequency of exposure to water, emotional development, physical abilities, and certain health concerns related to pool water infections and pool chemicals. The AAP does not recommend formal water safety programs for children younger than 1 year of age. The water survival skills programs for infants may make compelling videos for the internet, but the policy states  that no scientific study has yet demonstrated that these classes are effective.  However, membersof the United States Swim School Association (USSSA) see first-hand that children can learn to swim and float at a young age with gentle, loving and nurturing guidance.

With this new information in 2009, the Broward County Drowning Prevention Task Force, under the guidance of Kim Burgess and Karen King, developed the Water SMART[B2]  Babies program, initiating one of the most effective drowning prevention programs in the country. The curriculum was launched in February of 2010 with the backing of the AAP Florida chapter. During the 2011 swimming season, Broward County Florida saw an 87% reduction in their drowning statistics from previous years.  Due to the success of the Florida program, Water SMART Babies project is being launched nationwide. It is now an initiative of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and has been adopted by several states. The Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona and the Long Island Drowning Prevention Task Force adopted the program in 2011, with Texas and California agencies joining the effort in 2012. Currently, other states coming into this venture are Michigan, Colorado and Wisconsin.

The Water SMART Babies program includes water safety education in pediatric well visits. On the child’s ninth or twelve month visits, the pediatrician writes out a “doctor’s prescription” for water safety lessons. The parents are also given the Water SMART Babies handbook which includes information on touch supervision, water safety lesson facilities, CPR classes, and home water safety, such as pool fencing, pool covers, and door and pool alarms. Handbook information will vary state to state based on local information. As the child visits the pediatrician in subsequent months, the doctor can follow up to make sure the family is getting their home equipped with the layers of protection and the child is participating in water safety lessons.

Proof that this program is working, not only comes from the data out of Broward County, but also from a 2009 research project. In 2009, Ruth Brenner and her colleagues conducted a research project at the National Institute of Health to investigate the connection between swimming lessons and drowning. They discovered that participation in formal swimming lessons provided a 88% reduction in risk of drowning in children ages 1-4 years. The authors concluded that “swimming lessons do not increase drowning risk in this [age] group and likely have a protective effect.” They reported that swim lessons “should be considered for inclusion as part of a complete prevention program.”

by Lana Whitehead, SWIMkids USA President

Experience the best of SWIMkids USA’s teaching techniques in a flexible, condensed three-four days per week format- all summer long!  Whether your child is just learning to blow bubbles or loves the water – we have the class for you.  Come in and see how we can make your summer a splash!  These are great for siblings, friends, and beginners of all ages.

Length: Two weeks, half hour lesson

Levels: Water Safety Levels:  Beginning to Advanced Survival and Swimmer 1

Dates: Beginning April 8 4-8pm MWF, After May 20 9am-12pm and 4-8pm M-Th

SWIMkids USA is excited to now be a part of the Employee Network.  If you work for a major employer, you may get discounts from the Employee Network.  ”The Employee Network is the official employee discount / purchase program of over 100 of the largest Corporations, Government agencies and hospitals in the nation.”

SWIMkids USA will offer quality swim lessons as well as gym and dance classes to Employee Network members.

The Employee Network regularly has Road Shows for employee groups.  SWIMkids USA will be at the Employee Network’s Road Shows at Arizona State University on April 18 and at City of Chandler on April 25.

Summer is Swim Season!  Time to join SWIMkids USA Summer Swim League.

We are pleased to inform you of our Summer Swim League: an eight week summer program designed to help kids get a boost to their competitive edge and skills. This year, we are offering two practice days per week at Chandler High School that you can choose from. Out of those two practice days, you may choose one or both in addition to your regular swim lesson(s) at SWIMkids USA. All swimmers in levels Silver to SWIMteam USA are eligible to participate. Below is a simple explanation for how this will work:

What you need to know:

• 1 Summer Swim League practice per week (eight total one-hour practices) for $90 payable to SWIMkids USA plus a registration fee of $35 payable to Desert Thunder Aquatic Club (total cost: $125; not including your monthly tuition to SWIMkids USA)
• 2 Summer Swim League practices per week (sixteen total one-hour practices) for $150 payable to SWIMkids USA plus a registration fee of $35 payable to Desert Thunder Aquatic Club (total cost: $185; not including your monthly tuition to SWIMkids USA)
• Practice Days will be held every Monday and Wednesday from 4pm to 6pm starting June 3rd and concluding July 24th
• Full Payment for the program is due at sign up
• There will be no make ups unless SWIMkids USA has to cancel practices for any reason
• Payments to Desert Thunder Aquatic Club (for registration) are made via desertthunderaquatics.org , not SWIMkids USA
• Sign up deadline is May 27th

Benefits to your child:

• Quality instruction from our aquatic staff: Your children will be taught competitive skills including diving and underwater swimming
• Greater strength and endurance from additional practices in a 25 yard pool
• Greater confidence in their ability to perform at a higher level of swimming

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us either by calling SWIMkids USA at 480.820.9109 or by sending Coach Chet (Head Coach of SWIMteam USA) an email to chet.lake@swimkidsusa.us.

Thank you!

1. Specific practice times for each level are available at the front desk at SWIMkids USA.
2. This is for instruction only; not for any meet fees which are separate.

May 15 every year has been designated International Water Safety Day.  ”International Water Safety Day is designed to help spread global awareness of the ongoing drowning pandemic, and educate the youth in becoming safer in and around the water.

With over 30,000 reported deaths monthly, the lack of water safety education has propelled drowning to the 3rd leading cause of accidental injury death worldwide.” (http://internationalwatersafetyday.org/)

To promote water safety, SWIMkids USA will be offering free, quality swimming lessons that day from 12-3pm.  To sign up, call 480-820-9109 or email customer service@swimkidsusa.us.

It will be a fun-filled event with free water slides, hot dogs, snow cones, and cotton candy.

SWIMkids USA is known for its small swim classes, for its amazing swim instructors and for its integration of brain development into the swim curriculum.

NBC’s TODAY Show is currently at SWIMkids USA filming a story about Water SMART Babies.  Water SMART Babies is an innovative program in which pediatricians give prescriptions for swimming lessons at a child’s 9 or 12 month well check-up.  SWIMkids USA helped to bring the program from Florida to Arizona.

At the well visit, pediatricians give the parents “the Water SMART Babies handbook which includes tips on home water safety, water safety lesson facilities (by county), CPR classes (by county) and safety device information, such as pool fencing, door and pool alarms. As the child visits the pediatrician in subsequent months the doctor follows up to make sure the family is getting their home equipped with the layers of protection and the child is participating in water safety lessons.” (Water SMART Babies)

The air date has not yet been determined.