International Swimming Hall of Fame Honors Champions of Water Safety

On Saturday, September 13, 2025, the Every Child a Swimmer team was honored to be part of the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s 2025 Aquatic & Specialty Awards and 2024 Masters Induction Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The evening was both inspiring and humbling — celebrating athletes and leaders whose lives were forever shaped by the water. Casey McGovern, executive director of Every Child a Swimmer (ECAS), shares, “If these honorees had never learned to swim, they would not have excelled in their specific area. That is why the work we’re doing with Every Child a Swimmer is so important.”

Two incredible champions of water safety were recognized for their impact:

• Barry Goldwater, Jr. received the Judge G. Harold Martin Every Child a Swimmer Award for his leadership in helping pass ECAS legislation in Arizona — an essential step in ensuring every child has access to life-saving swim lessons.
• Lisa Zarda, executive director of the United States Swim School Association, received the 2025 International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Aquatic Award for Water Safety for her dedication to expanding swim education nationwide.

ECAS is deeply grateful to ISHOF for shining a spotlight on water safety and to all their partners, sponsors, and advocates who make their mission possible. Together, we are creating a future where every child has the opportunity to be a swimmer.

And the momentum is growing: New York and California have now adopted the ECAS legislation—awaiting only the governors’ signatures to become law. This brings ECAS one step closer to their goal of nationwide adoption.

All questions and other inquiries can be directed to Casey McGovern at [email protected] or by calling (954) 275-9035.