SAN DIEGO — The Jackie Robinson Family YMCA just received a grant to help high school kids learn how to swim.
Jack and Jill of America, the organization behind the grant, says its especially important for low income children and people of color who are at much higher risk of drowning than others.
On Wednesday, instead of learning new skills on the court today, the Lincoln High School boys basketball team trained in the pool at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA.
"For us, it's two different things. For one, some of our kids need to learn how to swim and last year a young man who I saw play, he lost his life, he drowned in the ocean," said Coach Jeff Harper-Harris.
In 2022, just days after graduating from Crawford High School, Woodlain Zachee died after drowning off Mission Beach.
The American Red Cross says over 60% of black youth can't swim, putting them at greater risk of drowning.
"There's such an emphasis on younger children learning how to swim that we kind of leave out the gap, that there were some people who never learned how to swim,” said Leslie Lake, a member of the San Diego chapter of Jack and Jill of America.
Jack and Jill of America is an organization dedicated to enhancing the growth and development of black youth.
During a news conference at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA pool, they were joined by local and state leaders to announce their inaugural "4 The Heart Swimming Program," which provides funding to give student-athletes access to swim lessons, as well as memberships to the YMCA for them and their families.
Jack and Jill of America donated $3,000.
The San Diego Fire and Rescue Foundation added an additional $10,000.
Aside from the Lincoln boys basketball team, the girls track team will also benefit from this program, with the hope of adding additional schools and students later on.
"We're hoping to continue to get funding and continue with the process of teaching African American children how to swim," said Lake.
The goal is to save lives, and ensure if participants fear the water, they'll now learn how to conquer it.
“The skills that they learn here, they can go back and teach to other members in the community, their siblings, their other teammates. Let them learn water safety. This is truly a life learning skill that they will need forever,” said 79th District Assemblywoman Dr. Akilah Weber.
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