FLORISSANT, Mo. – In an effort to reduce the number of drownings in the African American community, the Pallottine Center in Florissant hosted a life-saving swimming lesson for a group of predominantly Black children, teens, and adults. The Swim ON Foundation and British Swim School collaborated on Sunday’s event to address racial disparity in swimming statistics.
The O’Fallon Park MAKOS Swim Team, the region’s all-Black competitive swim team, was on hand to showcase some of their techniques to inspire those learning how to swim.
“We thought it would be a great inspiration to our kids to have the MAKOS Swim Team come talk to our kids and show them what a competitive butterfly stroke looks like; for example, that would really get our kids enthusiastic about the lesson,” Lisa McMullin, president of the board of the Swim ON Foundation, said.
Terea Goodwin, head coach of the MAKOS Swim Team, said there’s a good reason many Black children don’t learn to swim.
“They’re introduced to track, they’re introduced to football, basketball, baseball, but they never would know that swimming is a sport that can take them to college, to the Olympics. Now it’s a professional sport,” she said. “I want to give them the opportunity to see they learn how to swim first, it will save your life, and now it can be your life.”
The groups say nearly two-thirds of Black children and teenagers have little to no experience in the water, compared to 40% of white children. And that leaves Black youngsters five times more likely to drown.
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