Tuesday, May 31, 2022
2022 Make a Splash Tour Wraps After School Visits, Swim Lessons, Basketball Games and More
The Make a Splash Tour presented by Phillips 66 returned to visiting communities around the country for the first time since 2019 this year, making stops in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (May 9 and 10); Borger, Texas (May 18); and Rodeo, California (May 23) to raise awareness around the importance of learning to swim. To reinforce this message, USA Swimming enlisted the support of USA Swimming Foundation Ambassadors and Olympians Rowdy Gaines, Cullen Jones, Missy Franklin, Elizabeth Beisel and Nathan Adrian to help drive home the importance of this lifesaving skill.
Beisel, Jones and Franklin rang in the Tour by ringing the ceremonial Bell at Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat. Later, the athletes visited numerous media outlets for interviews, stopped by the Samuel Gompers school to speak with students who completed a study on the Olympic Games, then closed the stop in the water with swim lesson students at the West Philadelphia YMCA and the Salvation Army KROC Center.
During the stop at the KROC Center, state representatives, Flyers legend Bob “The Hound” Kelly and mascot Gritty also made a visit before the Olympians completed a clinic with Coach Jim Ellis and his PDR athletes.
Monetary gifts were also left with the West Philadelphia YMCA cand KROC Center with generous support from Mid-Atlantic Swimming LSC to continue to support learn to swim efforts at these facilities, as well as a gift to PDR from the USA Swimming Foundation.
The Tour then made its way to Borger, Texas where Beisel and Gaines visited three area schools throughout the Texas panhandle to speak with nearly 1,000 kids about the importance of learning to swim and water safety.
Borger is home to the first Phillips 66 refinery, so between visits, Beisel and Gaines visited the refinery to speak wit workers at a luncheon about the organizations’ joint commitment to safety and the impact Philips 66’s nearly 50 years of support to USA Swimming had on their swimming careers.
Beisel also threw out the first pitch at the minor league baseball game between Los Pointy Boots de Amarillo and the Petroleros de Tulsa where she also took her turn commentating the broadcast, sharing her love for baseball, swimming and safety in and near the water with the people of Amarillo, Texas.
Jones and Beisel were joined by Bay Area USA Swimming Ambassador and fellow Olympian Nathan Adrian to wrap the Tour in Rodeo, California. In addition to visiting the Phillips 66 refinery in Rodeo, the three athletes also provided community swim lessons and a swim clinic at the Richmond Natatorium with the local swim team, the Richmond Sailfish. The stop concluded with the athletes featured in the Community Clubhouse at the San Francisco Giants vs. New York Mets baseball game where they greeted fans, took photos and signed autographs as well as assisting with in-game promotions.
Head to www.usaswimming.org/foundation to read more about the Tour and to find out how you can help save lives and build champions.
To find youth and adult swim lessons near you (including those that offer free and reduced-cost lessons), please visit. www.usaswimming.org/makeasplash.
Beisel, Jones and Franklin rang in the Tour by ringing the ceremonial Bell at Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat. Later, the athletes visited numerous media outlets for interviews, stopped by the Samuel Gompers school to speak with students who completed a study on the Olympic Games, then closed the stop in the water with swim lesson students at the West Philadelphia YMCA and the Salvation Army KROC Center. During the stop at the KROC Center, state representatives, Flyers legend Bob “The Hound” Kelly and mascot Gritty also made a visit before the Olympians completed a clinic with Coach Jim Ellis and his PDR athletes.
Monetary gifts were also left with the West Philadelphia YMCA cand KROC Center with generous support from Mid-Atlantic Swimming LSC to continue to support learn to swim efforts at these facilities, as well as a gift to PDR from the USA Swimming Foundation.
The Tour then made its way to Borger, Texas where Beisel and Gaines visited three area schools throughout the Texas panhandle to speak with nearly 1,000 kids about the importance of learning to swim and water safety. Borger is home to the first Phillips 66 refinery, so between visits, Beisel and Gaines visited the refinery to speak wit workers at a luncheon about the organizations’ joint commitment to safety and the impact Philips 66’s nearly 50 years of support to USA Swimming had on their swimming careers.
Beisel also threw out the first pitch at the minor league baseball game between Los Pointy Boots de Amarillo and the Petroleros de Tulsa where she also took her turn commentating the broadcast, sharing her love for baseball, swimming and safety in and near the water with the people of Amarillo, Texas.
Jones and Beisel were joined by Bay Area USA Swimming Ambassador and fellow Olympian Nathan Adrian to wrap the Tour in Rodeo, California. In addition to visiting the Phillips 66 refinery in Rodeo, the three athletes also provided community swim lessons and a swim clinic at the Richmond Natatorium with the local swim team, the Richmond Sailfish. The stop concluded with the athletes featured in the Community Clubhouse at the San Francisco Giants vs. New York Mets baseball game where they greeted fans, took photos and signed autographs as well as assisting with in-game promotions.Head to www.usaswimming.org/foundation to read more about the Tour and to find out how you can help save lives and build champions.
To find youth and adult swim lessons near you (including those that offer free and reduced-cost lessons), please visit. www.usaswimming.org/makeasplash.