GALLERY: Sport & Health Participates in Guinness Attempt

The official worldwide number of participants is not yet known, but 50 Ashburn swimmers at the Brambleton Sport & Health Club participated in a coordinated attempt to break a Guinness World Record for The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, or WLSL.

WLSL organizers in Overland Park, Kansas, anticipated more than 30,000 kids would splash their way to the record, while raising awareness that drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, remains the second-leading cause of accident deaths in children ages 1-5.

According to the WLSL, research shows swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent for children ages 1-4.

“Parents understand how important it is to protect kids by using car seats and requiring bike helmets,” said Rowdy Gaines, Olympic gold medalist and official spokesman for the event. “Someday, we hope the same will hold true for teaching kids to swim.”

Gaines and gold medalist Janet Evans hope WLSL can convey to the general public that lives can be saved through awareness and training. As parents, both athletes feel a strong commitment to teaching children how to be safer in and around the water.

“It is so important to draw attention to this issue, particularly at the beginning of the summer season,” said Evans. “The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is a perfect way to bring the Swimming Lessons Save Lives message to life for kids and adults.”

More than 500 aquatic facilities representing 25 different countries on five continents and 46 states in the United States registered to participate, including Sport & Health.

“We’re looking forward to integrating our community,” said Mindy Pierce, director of programming with Sport & Health. Pierce said she learned about the event online and registered.

Four instructors were on hand at the facility’s two pools: Alli Hurst, Molly Booth, Michelle DePasquale and Susan Pettit.

The event grows each year. In 2011, more than 20,000 swimmers participated in 13 countries, which was a 400 percent increase over the previous year, which established the record.

Below are some water safety tips offered by WLSL:

Learn to swim
Swimming Lessons Save Lives. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes both adults and children.

Never leave children unattended
Parents are the first line of defense in keeping kids safe in the water. Never leave children unattended near water, not even for a minute. If your child's in the water, you should be too!

Read all posted signs
Follow posted safety rules and warnings. Teach kids that being safe in and around the water is a personal responsibility—yours and theirs.

Never swim alone or in unsupervised places
Teach your children to always swim with a buddy.

Wear a life jacket
If you or a family member is a weak or non-swimmer, wear a life vest. It's nothing to be embarrassed about and many facilities provide them at no charge.

Look for lifeguards
It is always best to swim in an area supervised by lifeguards, but remember, lifeguards are the last line of defense when all other layers of protection fail.

Don't drink alcohol
Avoid alcoholic beverages before or during swimming, boating or water-skiing. Never drink alcohol while supervising children around water. Teach teenagers about the danger of drinking alcohol while swimming, boating or water-skiing.

Spit it out
Teach kids not to drink the pool water. To prevent choking, never chew gum or eat while swimming, diving or playing in water.

Avoid water wings
Do not use air-filled swimming aids (such as "water wings") in place of life jackets or life preservers with children. Using air-filled swimming aids can give parents and children a false sense of security, which may increase the risk of drowning. These air-filled aids are toys and are not designed to be personal-flotation devices. After all, air-filled plastic tubes can deflate because they can become punctured or unplugged.

Check the water depth
The American Red Cross recommends 9 feet as a minimum depth for diving or jumping.

Watch out for the dangerous "toos"
Don't get too tired, too cold, too far from safety, exposed to too much sun or experience too much strenuous activity.

Note the weather
Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first indication of bad weather.

Use sunscreen
Apply sunscreen on all exposed skin to ensure maximum skin protection. Hats, visors and shirts are recommended to prevent overexposure.

Don't take risks
Don't take chances by overestimating your swimming skills.

Keep toddlers in shallow play areas
Zero-depth entry pools have water games, sprays and fountains with no appreciable water depth.

Follow age and height instructions at waterparks
Restrictions apply to many rides in a waterpark. Size and coordination is critical to safety inside open water flumes.

Watch water depth
When you go from one waterpark attraction to another, note that the water depth may be different and the attraction should be used in a different way.

Warn kids about swallowing park water
Chlorine and water pH readings are usually posted at large waterparks.

Use plastic swim diapers
Many parks require them. Note where changing areas are located and use these designated, sanitized changing spots.