Matt Giovanisci, owner of SwimUniversity.com and AQUA contributor, has been awarded $3,000 as the winner of the National Swimming Pool Foundation’s Step Into Swim Video Contest.
In light of national obesity rates, higher rates of inactivity and drowning rates, the Step Into Swim contest challenged participants to create a video that explains the benefits of swimming — from improved health to serving as a key measure in drowning prevention — and encourage viewers to donate to Step Into Swim.
When asked why Mr. Giovanisci took time away from his thriving business to create the Step Into Swim video, he responded, “The more people who are taught how to swim, the more people I can teach about pool and hot tub care. Years ago, my 2-year old cousin almost drowned on top of my family’s pool cover. Since then, I have made it a personal mission to promote pool safety. When I saw the opportunity to create a video for Step into Swim, I jumped at the chance to use my video skills to promote a cause I care deeply about.”
“With Matt’s creativity, and the strong message, more people will understand that swim lessons are a gift that solves several problems,” says Thomas M. Lachocki, Ph.D. and CEO of the National Swimming Pool Foundation. “If we all invest a little, we give a gift that lasts generations.”
You can view the winning video below. To learn more about Step into Swim, visit their website or Facebook page.