For those of us involved with the Sailfish Sports Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, swimming goes far beyond athletic excellence in the pool. Our swimming curriculum and programming relies on the 5C’s — core values that will equip our children to be healthier adults not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and socially as well.

These 5 C’s are:

Competence

Develop water safety priorities, sport-specific skills, improved health and fitness, healthy training habits, time management skills, “pool math”, focus, written and verbal direction, self-awareness and positive changes.

Character

Develop respect for the sport, ethical and morally responsible behavior, integrity, empathy, service to others.

Confidence

Self-awareness of progression in all these areas, ability to receive and give feedback to others, emotional regulation skills during challenging times such as swim meets or hard sets, progressing from limbic brain’s instant gratification to a cortical ability to focus on delayed gratification (goals, long-term results, consequences of present actions).

Connection

Create positive bonds and social relationships that translate to the world outside of the pool. Understand how to positively interact with others in those relationships and maintain healthy boundaries with them.

Care 

Taking good care of one’s self in all life areas. Ability to recognize and verbalize one’s physical energy level, prioritize self care through knowing one’s training limitations on any given day, proper rest, nutrition, recovery, and fun. Expand that idea of “care” to the environment around them and others while maintaining healthy boundaries.

How you can help achieve this mission

1. Let others know about our swim programs. Directly helping others gain valuable swim skills and life skills is what we’re all about!

2. Consider becoming a sponsor. We love our sponsors and promote them heavily during our two annual swim meets as well as giving shoutouts to the local community on social media. Gold-level sponsors get a logo on our banner we take to all the meets we attend.

3. Consider making a donation. There are many ways to donate. You can give money through the donation link to the right, or donate services and goods. Some of the things we can use are

• Food for coach & officials hospitality meals at our two annual swim meets
• Experiences or other prizes for fund-raising raffles
• Underwriting the cost of team-building experiences such as Movie Nights, etc.