In support of youth drowning prevention efforts, made possible by a grant from the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and the leadership of the YMCA, Brandon Sports and Aquatic (BSAC) is pooling its own resources together to help give this year’s ‘Mobile Swim’ program another gentle push out and into the local communities it serves in Brandon and beyond.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, BSAC has been working to turn the tide against loss of life in the water since its inception back in 1963. Here in the present day, CEO Chuck Burgess remains just as strong of an advocate as ever, saying that everyone on his team feels simply “blessed to be a part of it.”
“We couldn’t ask for a better lead agent than the YMCA. Together with the Children’s Board, they make sure that every partner involved—including all of us at BSAC—meet the expectations of the funding,” he explained. “We’re very excited to focus on our part in the youth drowning component with regard to overall lessons made possible through Mobile Swim, which is one area where we can excel at through our own swim school.”
Burgess said that while BSAC has earned international recognition for Olympians and Olympic medalists, the first and foremost priority is to “make sure that no child ever drowns again.”
“Of course, it all starts with teaching kids how to swim safely and confidently. The other component with the Mobile Swim and Head Start is the education we provide for parents and caretakers responsible for watching over them in and around water,” he said.
Over time, BSAC’s water safety programs for children in Head Start have provided free swimming lessons for more than 2,000 students. Yet, according to Burgess, BSAC is “more than just a pool”; it’s an expansive, 12.5-acre facility serving the greater athletic goals of more than 15,000 people and their families.
Among BSAC’s five pillars of service in the community, the organization is also a leader in special needs education for children and adults; in turn, it is contributing to the physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of the region at large.
For details about BSAC, visit mybsac.org. To find a Mobile Swim location near you, with a complete listing of dates and times for upcoming sessions, log on to www.mybsac.org/programs/aquatics/mobileswim/.
All participants must be between the ages of 3-14 and be residents of the neighborhood where the swim classes are being held. Registration forms by local property managers must also be completed in advance.
