SwimSwam interviews an emotional Missy Franklin still determined and focused on Tokyo 2020!

As a 5-time Olympic gold medalist who has broken multiple world records during her swimming career, Missy Franklin has had to face the pressure and expectations that go along with being one of the sport's swimming superstars. It was also her first time swimming in a U.S. meet since 2016. She trained and swam hard but finished at a disappointing 17th and 19th place in the 100 (55.33) and 200 free (1:59.25). In an interview after her races, Missy showed she was not going to let this performance deter her from higher aspirations and displayed a warrior's spirit and an inspiring level of professionalism even through a sometimes shaky voice.

USA Swimming Foundation awards a number of grants to learn-to-swim programs around the country in efforts to bring swimming lessons and water safety to underprivileged communities. It's estimated 16,000 children will be given the chance to take swimming lessons at no cost to them. SwimLabs Highlands Ranch was the recipient of one of these grants. Here we have Brooke Mann from the Highlands Ranch location detail the experience.

The 2018 U.S. National Championships begin this Wednesday, July 25th! Whether you are rooting for Missy Franklin, Katie Ledecky, or your local hero, the best of the best are gearing up to leave one another in their wake at the biggest U.S. meet of the year! With some help from SwimSwam.com we've got you covered on where to go to tune in!

In this blog post, we’ll discuss necessary gear, practice tips, and exercises for intermediate swimmers.

Swim gear can be simple: a suit, towel, sunscreen, goggles (refer to blog “Tips for Beginners” for more information on goggles) and a swim cap for those with long hair. Remember, it’s still important to swim where a lifeguard is present or to always have another person in the water or close by.

SwimLabs Westchester (Elmsford, NY) hosted an IRONMAN + SwimLabs Event on June 16, 2018, with professional triathlete Laurel Wassner and local triathlon coach Jeff Boyer. Wassner is a survivor of Hodgkin's Lymphoma and is the first cancer survivor to become a professional triathlete. She won her first pro race in a breakthrough performance in 2010 at the Columbia Triathlon and has since finished ten IRONMAN triathlons and competed at the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, in 2015 and 2016.  

Summer is in full swing and swim lessons are in demand! Some parents begin their methodical search in March and others frantically search for any openings in June. Either way, it isn’t an easy process and it can be stressful for parents and kids when it doesn’t go well. We regularly hear the stories of parents who have spent way too much money and way too much time on lessons AND their kids still struggle to swim. So, what should parents look for in an effective swim program?

Though there are many organizations that review the steps of CPR and ECC (Emergency Cardiovascular Care), the basic steps are consistent. Training is always recommended, but it’s noteworthy that “The American Heart Association recommends that everyone — untrained bystanders and medical personnel alike — begin CPR with chest compressions.  It's far better to do something than to do nothing at all if you're fearful that your knowledge or abilities aren't 100 percent complete. Remember, the difference between your doing something and doing nothing could be someone's life.”  - MayoClinic.org 

Here is advice on how to perform CPR from the American Heart Association (as listed on the Mayo Clinic site):

In this segment, we ask Master's Swimmer, World Record Holder, and humble SwimLabs Co-Founder, Mike Mann his insights on the sport and swimming news happening around the world!

This Week's Question:

What's a day in the life of a swim school owner like?