Tampa hosts lessons for ‘World’s Largest Swimming Lesson’

TAMPA, Fla. – On Thursday, Tampa will take part in the 15th annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson by hosting lessons at four of its public pools.

The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is a global drowning-prevention event launched by the World Waterpark Association in 2010. 

READ: Inflation pushing Tampa Bay area seniors to seek more help

This year Tampa is teaming up with the non-profit Smile Like Aubrey, which seeks to encourage drowning prevention awareness by advocating for self-rescue swim skills and offering swim scholarships and support to families that have also suffered a personal tragedy. 

“In 2020, during the early days of lockdown when everyone was still adjusting to working from home, our family experienced the worst tragedy anyone can: the loss of our beautiful 16-month-old daughter, Aubrey,” said Smile Like Aubrey co-founder Matt Strojnowski. “We want to educate people, but we also want Smile Like Aubrey to be a celebration of her life. We want to do our best to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family.”

Swimming is a life-saving skill for children and a vital tool to prevent drowning, which is the No. 1 cause of death for United States children ages 1-4, and second-leading cause for ages 5-14.

Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows the risk of drowning can be reduced by 88 percent if children participate in formal swimming lessons between the ages of 1-4, but a survey conducted by the American Red Cross in 2020 found that 56 percent of Americans either can’t swim or don’t have the necessary basic swimming skills. 

SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter

The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is taking place from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at four City of Tampa pools: 

• Copeland Pool, 11001 N 15th St. (media will be present)
• Loretta Ingraham Pool, 1611 N Hubert Ave.
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Pool, 2200 N Oregon Ave.
• Cyrus Greene Pool, 2101 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

There are also nine pools and waterparks in Pinellas County, as well as one in Brandon and Lakewood Ranch participating locally today as well. For more information, click here.