Swim IN Safety Program presented by Eli Lilly and Company

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The Swim IN Safety Program, presented by Eli Lilly and Company, was created to leverage the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming, the largest event of the Olympic cycle, to address the critical issue of water safety. The program aimed to raise awareness about swimming as a life-saving skill, emphasizing its importance not just as a sport but as an essential life skill to prevent drowning. With the goal of helping 50,000 children and adults become water-safe, the Swim IN Safety Program sets a powerful new benchmark by creating a legacy that extends beyond the competition itself. In the Olympic spirit, it established a precedent for incorporating meaningful community impact into major events like the Olympic Trials. This initiative has inspired the sports industry to think about how events can leave a lasting legacy.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

The Swim IN Safety Program sets a powerful new benchmark for fan engagement by creating a legacy that extends beyond the competition itself. In the Olympic spirit, it established a precedent for incorporating meaningful community impact into major events like the Olympic Trials. By engaging an entire state in water safety education, the program will continue to ensure that the excitement surrounding elite competition leaves a lasting, life-saving impact on families and communities.

This approach will pave the way for legacy programming to become a core component of future Olympic Trials, demonstrating how these events can deliver benefits that resonate far beyond the arena. By teaching over 52,000 participants critical water safety skills, the program has begun to break down generational barriers to swim lessons. Research shows that once one generation learns to swim, they are far more likely to ensure their children also acquire this life-saving skill.

This initiative has inspired the sports industry to think about how events can leave a lasting legacy. It showcases the potential for sports to address real societal issues, proving that fan engagement can extend beyond entertainment to create meaningful change.

Objective

The Swim IN Safety Program, presented by Eli Lilly and Company, was created to leverage the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming, the largest event of the Olympic cycle, to address the critical issue of water safety. The program aimed to raise awareness about swimming as a life-saving skill, emphasizing its importance not just as a sport but as an essential life skill to prevent drowning. This initiative was particularly significant in Indiana, where a 2023 report by the Indiana Department of Health identified drowning as the leading cause of injury-related deaths for children ages 1 to 4, with 11 people losing their lives to drowning every day in the U.S.

Aligning with the centennial celebration of the Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, originally held at Broad Ripple Park in 1924, the program honored the city’s swimming legacy while addressing a pressing societal issue. In collaboration with USA Swimming and the Local Organizing Committee, Swim IN Safety set an ambitious goal of training 50,000 Indiana residents in water safety. By providing resources and programming to rural, suburban, and urban communities, the initiative not only saved lives but demonstrated the power of sports to create lasting, positive societal impact.

Strategy & Execution

The Swim IN Safety Program was thoughtfully designed with the modern sports fan in mind, leveraging Indianapolis’s rich history of hosting major sporting events and its unique culture of passionate fan engagement. Recognizing that Indianapolis sports fans are deeply connected to the identity of their city and its events, the program harnessed their enthusiasm to rally around a cause that could save lives. By aligning the initiative with the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming, Swim IN Safety connected the excitement of elite competition with a meaningful community-driven mission.

The program strategically focused on recruiting and supporting organizations already providing water safety programming, ensuring sustainable and widespread impact. Resources were distributed to empower these organizations to teach participants critical skills to save themselves if they fell into the water. This practical and accessible approach made the program directly relevant to families and communities across Indiana, reinforcing the importance of swimming as a life-saving skill.

By integrating water safety education with the energy of the Olympic Trials, the initiative engaged fans on a personal level, transforming their passion for sports into tangible support for a cause that benefits the entire community.

Organizations

• USA Swimming
• Indiana Sports Corp
• Eli Lilly & Company

Links

•   Website

Credits

Joel Shinofield
Managing Director, Sport Development
USA Swimming

Melissa Thompson
Vice President of Bids & External Affairs
Indiana Sports Corp

Leland Brown
Program Director, DEI
USA Swimming

Hilary Perez
Manager, Member Success
USA Swimming

Ashleigh Newbold
Vice President of Engagement
Indiana Sports Corp

Dan Gliot
Senior Director, Marketing & Communications
Indiana Sports Corp

Shana Ferguson
COO and Interim CEO
USA Swimming