In late April, USA Swimming unveiled a strategic recovery plan for clubs which highlighted many of the programs, benefits and services implemented during the COVID-19 crisis, including removing the required 5% contribution to the USA Swimming Foundation for teams completing a Swim-a-Thon™  through 2021.

So, what does this mean? All teams who host a Swim-a-Thon through 2021 will keep all the funds raised during their event - period. Swim-a-Thon is an in-pool fundraiser where participants earn money by swimming lengths of the pool. Swimmers ask family, friends, neighbors, or businesses to pledge money per length, or make a flat donation in support of the team. These teams will also have access to all the Swim-a-Thon marketing and fundraising resources, as well as prizes offered to teams who complete a contract and submit results.

“Now more than ever we know the funds raised through Swim-a-thon are integral to clubs and membership everywhere,” Scott Usher, Director of Development for USA Swimming said. “We hope by waiving the required 5% fee and delivering a full menu of fundraising resources and prizes allows teams to have success in their efforts.”

Since 2008, more than 1,000 swim teams across the country have raised more than $72 million total. Teams have used these fundraising dollars for a multitude of things such as training equipment, pool time and coach salaries. Individual athletes participating in the event can also earn prizes from the USA Swimming Foundation. Teams are then entered into the Swim-a-Thon contest, where they have an opportunity to win prize packages including the Grand Prize: a visit from this year’s Swim-a-Thon ambassador, Olympic gold medalist Kelsi Dahlia.

Several teams had planned Swim-a-Thons before states began to shut down, with some teams getting creative with their fundraising efforts out of the water, including “sprint-a-thons” or families going on runs together to get in their “laps.”

"Pool closures due to COVID-19 struck in the middle of our Swim-a-Thon fundraising efforts,” Abby Jansen of Barracuda Aquatics Team in El Paso, Texas said; noting that many of their team members come from military families that may move to a new duty station so rescheduling their Swim-a-Thon was not feasible.

“In order to pay-it-forward for our incoming swimmers and keep our team going strong into the fall season, we adapted the Swim-a-Thon into a ‘Sprint-a-Thon,’ keeping the same principals, just on land,” she said. “Swimmers were given the option of 25/50 yard sprints or the long distance equivalent of a 5K. Due to social distancing and El Paso’s stay-at-home order, swimmers were not able to complete the event together; instead, parents took pictures and posted them to the team’s Facebook page, as well as their personal pages, thanking sponsors and donors. The Sprint-a-Thon was more than just a team effort, with many younger siblings and parents joining in on the fun to run with the swimmers. With everyone stuck at home, this event turned out to be a great way to get everyone out of the house and moving - even if it’s not in the water for now.”

For more information about the resources and prizes available, or to register your team’s Swim-a-Thon, please visit www.usaswimming.org/swimathon or email us at swimathon@usaswimming.org.