Tragedy led to a couple's mission - teaching inner-city kids to swim

FIVE YEARS ago, Tara and Dwayne Cuff were rocked to their core after the tragic accidental drowning of their 11-year-old daughter, Trava. In her memory, the Abington couple co-founded Dolphin 11, a swim-advocacy organization.

Their goal: to provide inner-city children - and particularly African-American children, like their daughter - with access to water-safety and swim instructions, and encouragement to start lessons.

Through Dolphin 11, kids whose families can't afford swimming lessons can even receive a full year of free lessons at two local YMCAs. "We don't want any family to go through what we did," said Dwayne Cuff. "We have to break the cycle, especially in the African-American community."

Dolphin 11 is one local initiative that I want to bring to your attention - along with private lessons tailored to African-American families by instructor Anysha Carney, at the St. Joseph's University pool, in Overbrook - because they're helping to bridge a frightening swim gap.

A staggering 70 percent of African-American children don't know how to swim, according to a study conducted by the University of Memphis - mostly because their parents never learned how.

In turn, "African-Americans are two to three times more likely to suffer accidental drowning," said Omoiye Kenny, of South Philadelphia's Christian Street YMCA. The Christian Street facility is the second local Y to offer the Dolphin 11 program. (Call Kenny at 215-963-3710 for details.) The first is the Abington YMCA (details at 215-884-9622, ext. 1870), where the Cuffs are members.

Why, you may be asking, is there such a disparity? Along with the fact that black children's parents don't swim, the Memphis study found that fear of drowning played into it, too. Personally, I've also heard people voice concerns about the cost of lessons. And while I hate to go there, I'd be remiss not to mention the issue of black women and our hair.

Carney, a former competitive swimmer under coach Jim Ellis (celebrated in the movie "Pride"), told me that she made peace with her hair long ago and happily chooses a natural style that looks cute in and out of the water.

The 42-year-old credits her mother, the late Philadelphia jazz great Trudy Pitts, with giving her an early start in the pool. "My mom couldn't swim," Carney said, "but she enrolled me in baby swim lessons at the Germantown YMCA, where I stayed until I became an advanced swimmer. And the rest, as they say, is history."

Her first step in teaching apprehensive beginners of any race is to assure them that they will not need to hold their breath. "It gives a beginner confidence," she said. "You can get continuous air when you swim."

Her own accomplishments as a competitive swimmer - and swim instructor - are also a huge confidence builder for her African-American students, Carney said. And while children are in the water learning to swim, she includes parents in the water-safety aspects and encourages them to think about lessons for themselves. (Carney's private lessons cost $200 for four lessons. Call the St. Joe's pool at 610-660-1717 to arrange them.)

Adults who've had miserable experience with swim caps - plastic and latex models have long been notorious for yanking out African-Americans' hair - should rest assured that the new Lycra caps from all the big sporting-goods brands eliminate that problem, she said.

So, no more excuses. Swim lessons are a good idea for most children age 4 and up, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Please don't put off enrolling your child, whether it's with one of our two local innovators or a certified instructor elsewhere.

We all have an opportunity to change the course of history, transforming tragedy into triumph.