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YMCA South Montgomery County wants all kids to be safe around the water

By: Roxanne Davis
| Published 05/07/2015

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas – As swim season approaches, the South Montgomery County Family YMCA encourages children and parents in The Woodlands and surrounding communities, to explore the many benefits of swimming, while also keeping safety top of mind. In the Y’s swim programs, participants can enjoy water sports, enhance or learn new techniques, meet new friends and develop confidence, while also learning safety skills that can save lives.

“Water safety and swimming are important life skills in the growth and development of all children,” said Roxanne Davis, YMCA Community Liaison. “All children deserve access to water safety resources that not only could save their lives, but enrich them with an outlet for fun, healthy activity.”

As part of National Water Safety Month in May, the South Montgomery County Family YMCA encourages parents to take an active role in their child’s safety. Following are safety tips to practice when in and around the water:


Only swim when and where there is a lifeguard on duty or assign an adult “water watcher”

Make sure your “water watcher” has easy access to a phone in case of an emergency.

Adults should constantly and actively watch their children; never leave a child alone.

Parents or guardians of young children should be within an arm’s reach.

Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.

Enroll your children in swim lessons.

Learn CPR.

Never swim alone.

In addition to learning lifesaving water safety skills, children can increase their physical activity by swimming. Swimming also motivates children to strive for self-improvement, teaches goal orientation, and cultivates a positive mental attitude and high self-esteem. It also teaches life lessons of sport and sportsmanship, so that children can learn how to work well with teammates and coaches and how to deal with winning and losing.

As a leading nonprofit committed to youth development, the YMCA has been a leader in providing swim lessons and water safety for more than 100 years. The South Montgomery County Family YMCA continues to help youth and adults experience the joy and benefits of swimming, so they can be healthy, confident and secure in the water. There are a variety of year round programs to choose, including group

swim lessons for pre-school, youth and adult, parent-child class for 6 -36 months, private & semi-private lessons, swim-float-swim, stroke development clinic, swim team, masters swim class, family swim time, lap swim and water fitness.

Everyone is welcome at the YMCA. To ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate, financial assistance is available to those in need with limited resources. Learning to swim is a life–skill all children should have access to.

To learn more about your local YMCA’s aquatic programs, please visit www.ymcahouston.org/south-montgomery-county. The summer sessions begin June 8.

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