Olympic Swimmer Talks Water Safety As We Head Into Summer

By: Ashley Alt

Drowning is the leading cause of death in children aged one to four, with 80 percent of drownings happening within the sight of an adult, and 83 percent of drownings occurring at your own house. In light of Water Safety Month, I spoke with Olympic swimmer Rowdy Gaines on best practices in the water, including specific ways we can combat drownings. 

Rowdy Gaines, olympic swimmer and champion of best practices in the water, has made it his mission to educate as many families as possible on water safety protocols, with the ultimate goal of preventing drowning accidents. Growing up in Florida where he learned to swim before he could walk, water has always been an integral part of his DNA. 

Through leading initiatives like Step Into Swim, which funds learn-to-swim programs across the country and serves as a go-to resource for all things water safety, Rowdy believes every child deserves access to safe swimming in order to feel confident in the water. 

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Always keep an eye on children near water.

“I just want to educate people,” he states plainly. “We have found the cure to drowning accidents, and that is swim lessons. Water is the fabric of who I am, and I want to help families stay safe and overcome their fear of the water.” 

Beginning his journey into competitive swimming at age 17, Rowdy broke his first world record just two years after the fact. Making two Olympic teams, one in 1980 and the next in 1984, Rowdy touts that there is “no such thing as a former Olympian; once you’re in the Olympics, you’re an Olympian for life.” 

He stresses the fact that water can bring great joy for families. Going to a lake to water ski, sitting in a hot tub, or boating on the ocean are all activities that bring families together, and make for lasting memories. 

Now broadcasting for the Olympics, and with four daughters and five granddaughters of his own, Rowdy knows better than anyone how life-saving swim lessons can be, and wants to share his knowledge with every parent to stop drownings from happening. 

His tips on making water safety a priority include creating barriers, designating “water watchers,” and giving kids swim lessons. Here is a breakdown of each tip: 

● Creating Barriers: Examples of creating barriers include being aware of your surroundings around pools, beaches, and other water locations, spotting potential hazards, and acting on them before they can act on you. For pool owners, an example of this is ensuring your screen door is locked (and the screen is intact) so a child can’t slip through and run out to the pool when you aren’t looking. If you go to a public pool where lifeguards are present, Rowdy says that you can’t solely rely on them. “You still need to keep an eye on your child,” he says. 

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Summer fun starts with safety.

● Water Watchers: Rowdy encourages us to designate “Water Watchers” at any and all pool parties this summer, which are simply adults watching kids swim, free of distractions like getting lost in conversation with another adult or scrolling through your phone. “All water watchers do is take turns watching the kids swim,” he explains. “It’s an easy fix and something any adult can do.” 

● Swim Lessons: This is the most important suggestion, as knowing how to swim is a life-saving skill. “We don’t put kids in a car without a seatbelt,” Rowdy states. “Why would we do that in the water?” 

He provides further tips on how children can become confident in the water, in addition to swim lessons: 

1. Learning to blow bubbles through their nose 

2. Learning to jump to the side of the pool: When kids are in a swimming pool, they squat down to touch the bottom of the pool with their feet, continuing to jump until they reach the side of the pool where they can grab onto the ledge. 

3. Learning how to float on their back: Rowdy explains this “starfish” position is the easiest position to be in if a child falls into a pool. “When kids learn to float on their back, they can wait for a parent or adult to come assist them,” he states. This is yet another life-saving skill that Rowdy cannot recommend enough. 

Positive Benefits of Swimming 

Rowdy reiterates that swimming is a life-saving skill that you can do forever, explaining it is “the only sport in the world that can literally save your life, and not ruin your knees like basketball!” 

The health benefits of learning to swim are tremendous, from the physical fitness aspect to the mental clarity that comes along with being in the water. Rowdy encourages parents to be the first line of defense and “put your children in swim lessons,” stating that swim lessons reduce drownings by 90 percent. 

“When a drowning happens,” he says, “it’s not like it is in the movies with a child flailing their arms in the water and screaming for help. The water envelops the lungs, making the incident silent.”

He tells me that a child can drown within 30 seconds — the time it takes to check a text or answer the door. “This is why being that first line of defense is so critical,” he says.


summer water safety
Ashley Alt

Ashley Alt is a freelance writer based in Connecticut. Her interest area lies in mental health, as she continues to advocate for those struggling with mental illness. She believes our weirdness is what makes us great.

You can sign up for her happiness newsletter here.

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