USA Swimming to Attend Sigma Gamma Rho Regional Conferences to Encourage Participation in Swimming

USA Swimming and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc, a historically Black service organization, today announced that as part of their on-going partnership USA Swimming will have a presence in their five regional conferences in March and April.Each of the five regional conferences will include a Friday night public meeting that will incorporate a USA Swimming athlete or representative.Conference attendees will learn about the health and safety benefits of getting involved in the sport of swimming.Two of the regional conferences will also feature a Saturday water safety lesson from USA Swimming. The kick-off event in Milwaukee, Wis., March 15-17, will feature 2004 Olympic silver medalist Maritza McClendon and National Teamer Ashley Wanland. The conference in Long Beach Calif., April 19-21, will also feature a swim clinic with 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jessica Hardy and McClendon.

“We look forward to teaching Sigma Gamma Rho’s members more about USA Swimming,” said Matt Farrell, USA Swimming Chief Marketing Officer. “This overall partnership and USA Swimming’s presence at Sigma Gamma Rho’s national conferences offers us the opportunity to uniquely reach thousands of families across the nation and teach them about the benefits of swimming.”

USA Swimming’s partnership with Sigma Gamma Rho is part of the organization’s on-going recruiting effort aimed at arming parents with the information and resources they need to get their children involved in the sport for its health and safety benefits.

“Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. is very proud about our partnership with USA Swimming,” said Bonita M. Herring, Sigma Gamma Rho’s National President. “When I heard the statistics, last summer, that seventy percent of African American children and 60 percent of Hispanic children don’t know how to swim I was shocked. We know that our work with USA Swimming will focus on this issue and provide awareness to the communities that we serve. We look forward to having these amazing athletes at our event.”

The five regional conferences will run through the end of April and will stop in the following locations:

PUBLIC MEETING DATE CITY, STATE ATHLETE LOCATION

March 15/Milwaukee, WI
Ashley Wanland/ Maritza McClendon
Milwaukee Hilton

March 22/ Nashville, TN
Tyler McGill/ Cullen Jones
Franklin Marriott Cool Springs

April 5/San Antonio. TX
Maritza McClendon
Hilton San Antonio

April 19/Long Beach, CA
Jessica Hardy/ Maritza McClendon
Torrance Marriott South Bay

April 26/Boston. MA
Alex Meyer
Hyatt Regency Cambridge
By providing Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. chapters with resources and support to aid in educating its members on a local, regional and national level, USA Swimming hopes to educate the Sigma Gamma Rho community on the benefits of and opportunities available within the sport of swimming. This spring, USA Swimming and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. will also develop a sorority-specific call-to-action initiative that will focus on highlighting water safety on the grassroots level within their chapters’ communities.
For more information about Sigma Gamma Rho’s partnership with USA Swimming, visit http://www.usaswimming.org/swim1922

About USA SwimmingAs the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States, USA Swimming is a 300,000-member-service organization that promotes the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education. Our membership is comprised of swimmers from the age group level to the Olympic Team, as well as coaches and volunteers. USA Swimming is responsible for selecting and training teams for international competition including the Olympic Games, and strives to serve the sport through its core objectives: Build the base, Promote the sport, Achieve competitive success.For more information, visit http://www.usaswimming.org About Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on November 12, 1922 on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana by seven schoolteachers. The sorority’s aim is to enhance the quality of life in the community. Public service, leadership development and education of youth are the hallmark of the organization’s programs and activities.

This is an unedited press release.

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About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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