Swimming has been a through-line in my life for many years, and it feels significant to now be becoming a member of the USA Swimming Foundation Board. One of the issues that resonates most with me about this work is… | Deirdre Clute

Swimming has been a through-line in my life for many years, and it feels significant to now be becoming a member of the USA Swimming Foundation Board.

One of the issues that resonates most with me about this work is what the muse exists to do: be certain each particular person within the U.S. has the chance to study to swim, as a result of swimming isn’t only a sport, it’s a life-saving ability.

At its core, the Foundation does two issues that matter deeply: it will increase entry to studying to swim, and it helps swimmers keep within the sport when value would possibly in any other case drive them out. This helps be sure that studying to swim is each safer and extra attainable for households throughout the nation.

Swimming formed a lot of my life, from confidence to resilience to belonging, and I’m conscious that the chance to remain within the sport lengthy sufficient to expertise that isn’t common. That’s a part of why the Foundation’s work resonates with me: widening entry for underrepresented communities, whereas additionally supporting athletes on the highest ranges of the game.

I’m wanting ahead to contributing the place I can: bringing a builder’s mindset, a learner’s humility, and the angle of somebody who is aware of how a lot this sport may give. I’m additionally desirous to study from the passionate individuals already doing the exhausting work to make swimming safer and extra accessible.

To the coaches, teammates, mother and father, and communities that formed these early years on the pool deck, thanks. I carry these classes with me into this position, and I’m excited for what’s forward.