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Why SKWIM??
A)
SKWIM is the first
interactive team sport for both the occasional and avid
swimmer! “Lets go to the
pool and have a “pick-up game”! This
proclamation can now be made about SKWIM. U.S. and
global aquatic enthusiasts deserve an interactive and social team
sport that reaches a broader populous; for all ages and abilities.
Roughly 150 million Americans (50% of the population) can
swim. Approx. 52 million (18%) swim at least once a year
(NSGA 2007), second only to walking. But less than 1% actually swim
regularly or seasonally. Why? Because there
hasn’t been a fun, engaging, and easy to play water sport
until now. SKWIM can be played, recreationally and
occasionally, or competitively and often. SKWIM works well as
a P.E. activity, a weekend social event, or a club athletic
program. Players can choose their own tempo and intensity. At
a slower tempo SKWIM is quite easy to play. At a higher tempo
the sport can be as physically demanding as any. SKWIM
brings more people to the water and keeps them coming back.
This is the key to building water-safe, water-smart, water-strong
community.
B)
SKWIM enhances water
safety and can help save lives ! According
to the CDC (Center for Disease Control 2007) 50 people a day in the
U.S. are hospitalized due to a near drowning or drowning
incident. Of these 50, 10 do not survive the incident, and
others are left disabled physically, psychologically, or
emotionally. An "interactive, non-contact" sport
that invites the majority of the population to
participate, has long been awaited in aquatics. Now much
more of the community can play in the water and gain
confidence.
People of all
ages and abilities can play SKWIM. The secret lies in the use
of Positive Drive Fins in the game. These fins help
improve swimming skills while also increasing confidence in
the water.
The mechanics of
SKWIM most closely emulate lifesaving technique, and help
prepare youth for lifeguard training. SKWIM is easy to learn
and yet can build advanced water skills with regular play.
C)
SKWIM appeals to the
social being! Both demographics and
history support the fact that people prefer to
“interact” in a sporting
event. Of the top U.S. youth sports, the majority of
participants are involved in interactive team sports, vs.
individualized sporting events.
The top 3 youth
sports are soccer, baseball, and basketball.
These 3 sports also share similar
traits: "non-contact", "co-gender", and an "easy"
entry level. SKWIM is the only watersport that shares these
same common traits.
D)
SKWIM is more about team
skills!. It requires a composite of
many skills, and not just swimming speed, or strength. SKWIM
is more about technique and imagination. SKWIM is more like soccer
and basketball, in how the sport moves and is tempered regarding
contact and aggression.
E)
SKWIM is about playing
time! Again, SKWIM compares
best to soccer or basketball. SKWIM requires less overall
water time for practice, using more for actual
“game-time”.
Well, if you have come this far into our website,
you might be seeking the same thing thousands of
people are; building water-safety, and
water-fitness in a more fun and exciting way. SKWIM might be
the answer for you.
Do any of these
scenarios apply to you?
1)
“I have grown up around the water and love swimming but
I am not fast; is there a water-sport I can play once a week or a
few times a month, and still be part of a competitive
team?”
2)
“I want to learn to swim, but at this point of my life, I
don’t know how. Is there a way to learn that is fun and
teaches me more quickly and more engagingly?
3)
“I am over 50 and finding it harder staying in shape without
injury. I miss being active and competitive. I miss
playing on a team and the camradery it brings. Is there
a sport my body can hold up to?
4)
I’m very busy with travel and cannot keep up on my training
right now. Is there a sport I can jump in on and play a
pick-up game that is safe? I can’t afford a turned ankle
or torn cartilage. I can’t miss work!
5)
I’m a stay at home mom. You would think I would have some
time for the gym. I like team sports. Is there a team I
can join without it taking over my life?
6)
I’m a busy parent of a couple of kids and we need to spend
more time together, but I also need some exercise. Is there a
sport that I can play with my kids instead of sitting there
watching??
Recent studies,
sponsored by USA Swimming, show that only about 50% of children
ages 6-15 can swim. Other studies indicate that only 30% of
the U.S. population can swim 100 yards (300
feet).
Swimming
involves a series of complex motor skills which, when
practiced and repeated, become more efficient and effective, thus
increasing both performance and confidence. For best success,
people of all ages need to be in the water regularly, in a
structured program, in order to improve beyond “beginning
swimming”. As with most other activities and
sports, improvement comes with consistent practice while under a
teacher’s positive instruction. Among
professionals, a common recommended frequency is a
minimum of 2 or more times a week - more - in order to see
good results in fitness, and proficiency.
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