Swim America Davis, Adaptive Swim Program

By Allie Benegar

Everyone has heard the horror stories of what happens when an adult turns their back on a child that is playing too closely by the edge of a pool. We hear of the consequences that occur by not paying close enough attention to someone struggling in the water. 

When a child with IDD went missing at a family event these fears were racing through the heads of their parents as they frantically searched for them. After some time the child was found floating in a reservoir near the house. They had been there for quite some time floating on their backs, practicing the water safety skills that they had been learning at Swim America. The child had been attending the “Adaptive Swim Program” at Swim America Davis, where they learned the very swim skills that saved their life that day. Because of these swim lessons, when placed in a dangerous situation, the lost child was able to survive. This occurrence highlights the positive impact that this program has had on the children that participate in the lessons. Swim America Davis has changed the lives of so many by offering these classes for those that have intellectual or developmental disabilities. 

The “Adaptive Swim Program” at Swim America offers one on one lessons for children that learn differently than others. These lessons are individualized for the student to learn in a way that, “better suits them” [1]. The coaches adapt the lesson to fit the needs of the swimmer. They teach in accordance with the goals that the swimmer and their parents set for the lesson. The wants of the parents and student are taken very seriously as all work together to teach water safety skills to the student. The one on one lessons create a space for students that require different styles of teaching to learn in a way that is best suited for people who may have intellectual or developmental disabilities. These lessons focus on "safety and basic swim goals” [1] as they help the students grow into a better swimmer.

These lessons are of great importance to Swim America as they aim to “teach as many people to learn to swim as [they] can”; as well as “instill safety skills, social skills and confidence” [1] in the young swimmers. 

The program began pre-Covid-19 and has grown so much since. By offering these lessons the lives of so many children have been changed. Coaches for the program put in a great amount of effort and care to help these children learn and grow to be great swimmers. There is a great amount of care put into each individual adaptive swim lesson, so the child can learn to be an amazing swimmer. This program continues to grow and shift to be the best that it can be for the children that participate in the adaptive swim lessons. The positive impact that these swim lessons have on the students is significant, as these life saving skills have helped children with intellectual or developmental disabilities in so many ways. 

[1] Barnett, Macie. Swim America Davis. September 14, 2025.