Make a Splash Tour presented by Phillips 66 will visit four cities this year, as announced by USA Swimming and its longtime partner Phillips 66.
To raise awareness around the importance of learning to swim, the Make a Splash Tour presented by Phillips 66 will be visiting Houston (May 1-3), Lake Charles, La. (May 4-5), St. Louis and Roxana, Ill. (May 14-16), and Billings, Mont. (May 23-25).
For years, the USA Swimming Foundation and Phillips 66 have worked together to promote water safety and education. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Make a Splash Tour, which will feature USA Swimming Foundation ambassadors and Olympic medalists Rowdy Gaines, Cullen Jones, and Elizabeth Beisel. These ambassadors will travel to various cities across the United States to educate children, parents, communities, and civic leaders about the importance of swimming as a lifesaving skill.
“The Make a Splash tour is an important opportunity for us to speak loudly about the criticality of learning how to swim,” USA Swimming President and CEO Tim Hinchey III said. “We appreciate Phillips 66’s continued support of our efforts to bring this vital message to more communities and families across America.”
Each year, about 3,500 people die due to drowning, and nearly 25% of them are children under 14 years old. This issue is particularly severe in ethnically diverse communities, where the drowning rate is almost three times higher than the national average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Formal swimming lessons can decrease this risk by 88% for children.
“We are proud to work with the USA Swimming Foundation to raise awareness around water safety and teach children to swim,” Phillips 66 Senior Advisor of Social Impact Courtney Meadows said. “Safety is pivotal to Phillips 66’s operations and culture.”
The USA Swimming Foundation and U.S. Masters Swimming joined forces in 2021 to create a lasting impact on future generations by consolidating their support for youth and adult learn-to-swim programs. According to a 2009 study by Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, if a parent doesn’t know how to swim, there is only a 19 percent likelihood that a child in that household will learn how to swim. Additionally, the CDC reports that over one-third of American adults are unable to swim the length of a pool.
Phillips 66 has been supporting the USA Swimming community through various initiatives since 1973, including National Championships, international competitions, and publication of sport development materials. The Make a Splash Tour, which the company has been sponsoring since its launch in 2009, is a natural extension of Phillips 66’s commitment to safety.
You can visit www.usaswimming.org/makeasplash to locate a youth or adult swim lesson provider near you or to obtain more information on programs that offer free or reduced-cost swim lessons.
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