The Brookings Swim Club was chosen as one of 124 youth programs from the USA Swimming Foundation’s nationwide network of swim lesson providers to receive grant money in 2024.

The grant award will go toward the Brookings Swim Club’s continued efforts to provide free or reduced-cost swim lessons. This year, the USA Swimming Foundation has awarded a total of $780,000 in its initial round of funding to programs across the country.

“We are extremely grateful to be chosen for this grant,” SwimAmerica Program Director Cassie Hendricks said. “We are going to use this money to make sure every child has access to swimming lessons in the city of Brookings and the surrounding areas!”

The Brookings Swim Club has been offering year-round swim lessons through SwimAmerica for four years. Brookings Swim Club and SwimAmerica teach around 1,500 children a year on the basics of swimming and water safety.

The program was started to make sure every child has a chance to learn the potentially life-saving skill of swimming. Many of the lessons throughout the year are taught by older members of the Brookings Swim Club, lifeguards, and Division I swimmers at South Dakota State University.

The USA Swimming Foundation vetted more than 400 applications through a competitive annual review process and chose 124 youth and 38 adult programs to receive funding.

“The USA Swimming Foundation is proud to continue providing Learn-to-Swim opportunities at the local level for both adults and youth,” said USA Swimming Foundation Executive Director Elaine Calip. “With the excitement surrounding U.S. Olympic Team Trials–Swimming and the Olympic Games, we anticipate an increased interest in our sport. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with lesson providers nationwide to keep kids and adults safe in and around the water.”

Millions of individuals have received the lifesaving gift of swim lessons through the USA Swimming Foundation’s network of swim lesson providers, comprised of more than 1,500 qualified lesson providers across the nation. To learn more, visit www.usaswimming.org/foundation.

For more information on the Brookings Swim Club, visit https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/sdsbsc/page/home.