Competitive swimming struggles to stay afloat
During these hot summer days, lots of kids are taking advantage of the closest swimming pool, but only a few are diving in for the local swim team. That’s why USA Swimming has kicked off an aggressive campaign to remind kids that swimming is, in their words, “the funnest sport there is.”
One of the ads in the SwimToday campaign shows a girl wearing goggles, dropping into a pool of blue water in slow motion. Then, you hear a voice saying, “Basketball… softball… cannonball… Which sounds the most fun to you?”
Matt Farrell is Chief Marketing Officer of USA Swimming. He says he wants kids to know there are other sports to consider. Farrell says their survey shows parents are one major problem when it comes to getting kids in the pool – 80 percent of parents overlook swimming as an organized sport.
“It was as if parents said, ‘I’ve taught my kid to swim, I’ve checked the box, I’m a good parent, I’ve made them safe. Now let’s go play soccer, let’s play basketball,’” says Farrell.
Misha Neal, 15, of Durham, North Carolina swims for her high school team and for the YMCA. She remembers when it was time to make that big decision.
“I was doing a lot of sports at the time… I was also in gymnastics and track, and I had to pick. I remember Daddy telling me that I was better at swimming,” she says.
Misha has thrived, often coming in number one in the 50 Freestyle. USA Swimming is working to remind more kids of all the positives the sport has to offer, like teamwork, confidence, health and fitness.
Mark Anthony Neal, Misha’s dad, says Misha adores her teammates and has overcome the obstacles of swimming competitively.
Even the hair issue: “We knew that our daughter was serious about swimming, you know, when she was told matter of factly she wouldn’t be able to get a perm, she wouldn’t be able to put any chemicals in her hair, [and] she said ‘That’s fine.’”
The SwimToday ads are making the rounds on social media. They first television airing will be during the upcoming Phillips 66 National Championships.
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