Splash Mid-South was formed following the tragic deaths of two Memphis teens in swimming pools in 2008. A diverse group of volunteers from across the swimming community has created opportunities to teach children to be safe in and around the water.
Splash Mid-South, organized by Safe Kids Mid-South and led by Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, is a community coalition.
Splash Mid-South has guided its efforts on findings from a University of Memphis research study commissioned by USA Swimming. In this first study of minority children and swimming, the researchers found that almost 60 percent of African American and Hispanic/Latino children don’t know how to swim and are three times more likely to drown than white children.
Splash Mid-South focuses on:
- connecting at-risk children with local swimming lessons
- encouraging minority participation in swimming
- supporting Lifeguard training
Splash Mid-South’s developmental swim program is proud to be a local partner of USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash program.
