Thursday, June 1, 2023
USA Swimming, Diversity in Aquatics and TYR Host Event for Southern California Community
USA Swimming, along with its partners at Diversity in Aquatics (DIA) and TYR, hosted about 100 youth athletes and parents from eight swim teams throughout the Southern California Swimming Local Swimming Committee (LSC) on the final night of the TYR Pro Swim Series Mission Viejo (May 20).
Athletes traveled from throughout southern California to Mission Viejo to interact with USA Swimming’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion staff and Managing Director of the National Team, Lindsay Mintenko, as well as watch the final night of competition.
“This is my first year as a head coach, and I’m also a minority head coach, it’s a one-of-a-kind deal to bring people out and encourage them to want them to be a part of something bigger than what we offer locally,” said Kimberly Thompson, head coach of Frog Aquatics in Palmdale, California, a two-hour drive from Mission Viejo.
Kristeen Garcia, the 10 & Under division director for the Mission Viejo Nadadores, said many of the teams made a day out of it – not only coming to watch the event and listen to the talks, but observing what happens to the athletes before and after races, how they prepare and conduct themselves, as well as observing all of the work that goes on behind the scenes to put on a race of this magnitude.
“They see things through TV or pictures but seeing how everything works?” Garcia said, noting she hoped the younger athletes learned from watching the elite athletes and how they conduct themselves on the pool deck, with coaches and officials and their competition. “I was talking to a few athletes already and was trying to inspire them, letting them know that ‘Hey, this could be you.’ We’re trying to raise our next generation of athletes in the sport. Not only by getting their buy in to the sport, but to see how exciting it can be when they commit and dedicate themselves to this type of environment. It’s also important for the parents to understand that this is what it takes, this is how I can support my athlete, my child – teaching them that they’re the next generation. They’re sitting here watching these elite athletes and one day, hopefully, they’re in the water when we bring our next batch of young athletes and they’re inspiring them with this engagement. It comes full circle – that’s what I love about this sport.”
“I never got to swim but I’ve always watched the swimmers on television, and events like this on national TV,” said Rudy Lopez, a parent of a first-year swimmer who has also connected with several of the other teams in attendance for training opportunities. “I think it’s important for the community, and for people of color, to see that this is a wonderful community. The swimming community is fantastic.”
“I feel like this is a major opportunity for many people,” said Avery Thompson, an athlete at Frog Aquatics. “I’m far away from this (level) national-wise. Watching these athletes swim is an eye opener to where I could be in the pool. I feel like I could do it.”
All of the athletes that attended received a reusable bag from TYR with a kickboard, goggles, cap, a USA Swimming shield sticker, #Swimclusion bag tags and sunglasses. This community engagement event was the second of its kind in 2023, hosted in partnership with DIA and TYR during TYR Pro Swim Series events. The first took place at the event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March.
For USA Swimming DEI resources and information, please click here.
Athletes traveled from throughout southern California to Mission Viejo to interact with USA Swimming’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion staff and Managing Director of the National Team, Lindsay Mintenko, as well as watch the final night of competition.
“This is my first year as a head coach, and I’m also a minority head coach, it’s a one-of-a-kind deal to bring people out and encourage them to want them to be a part of something bigger than what we offer locally,” said Kimberly Thompson, head coach of Frog Aquatics in Palmdale, California, a two-hour drive from Mission Viejo.
Kristeen Garcia, the 10 & Under division director for the Mission Viejo Nadadores, said many of the teams made a day out of it – not only coming to watch the event and listen to the talks, but observing what happens to the athletes before and after races, how they prepare and conduct themselves, as well as observing all of the work that goes on behind the scenes to put on a race of this magnitude.
“They see things through TV or pictures but seeing how everything works?” Garcia said, noting she hoped the younger athletes learned from watching the elite athletes and how they conduct themselves on the pool deck, with coaches and officials and their competition. “I was talking to a few athletes already and was trying to inspire them, letting them know that ‘Hey, this could be you.’ We’re trying to raise our next generation of athletes in the sport. Not only by getting their buy in to the sport, but to see how exciting it can be when they commit and dedicate themselves to this type of environment. It’s also important for the parents to understand that this is what it takes, this is how I can support my athlete, my child – teaching them that they’re the next generation. They’re sitting here watching these elite athletes and one day, hopefully, they’re in the water when we bring our next batch of young athletes and they’re inspiring them with this engagement. It comes full circle – that’s what I love about this sport.”
“I never got to swim but I’ve always watched the swimmers on television, and events like this on national TV,” said Rudy Lopez, a parent of a first-year swimmer who has also connected with several of the other teams in attendance for training opportunities. “I think it’s important for the community, and for people of color, to see that this is a wonderful community. The swimming community is fantastic.”
“I feel like this is a major opportunity for many people,” said Avery Thompson, an athlete at Frog Aquatics. “I’m far away from this (level) national-wise. Watching these athletes swim is an eye opener to where I could be in the pool. I feel like I could do it.”
All of the athletes that attended received a reusable bag from TYR with a kickboard, goggles, cap, a USA Swimming shield sticker, #Swimclusion bag tags and sunglasses. This community engagement event was the second of its kind in 2023, hosted in partnership with DIA and TYR during TYR Pro Swim Series events. The first took place at the event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March.
For USA Swimming DEI resources and information, please click here.