In this Daily: ConnectOcean Creating the First Lifesaving Federation in Costa Rica
Over the past few months, ConnectOcean has put into motion a plan to create SwimSafe Costa Rica, the first ever lifesaving federation in the country, and for International Youth Skills Day we’re going to take a moment to spotlight the project’s origins, the progress that’s been made in a short time, and the lifesaving federation’s long term goals.
Creating Youth Lifesavers and Building the First Lifesaving Federation in Costa Rica
ConnectOcean targeted this issue as a result of some concerning statistics regarding drownings in Costa Rica. Drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death in the country, and despite a relatively small shoreline and population, Costa Rica ranks above countries like Australia in terms of drownings each year.
It’s for this reason that ConnectOcean is working alongside several small lifeguarding organizations around the country, as well as the Costa Rican coastguard, to develop SwimSafe Costa Rica, a lifesaving federation with universal standards, procedures, and curriculum.
This new federation will help lifesavers around the country share resources and information, will make it easy for new associations to be created, and will also create the infrastructure for lifesaving competitions, a sport that ConnectOcean believes will help drive lifesaving around the country.
“It’s the only sport that saves lives,” Sio Guie, the Program Director for ConnectOcean at Las Catalinas explained. “This federation puts the structure in place for people to form lifesaving clubs, like any football club, and it also builds a formal way for them to compete in the country.”
By turning lifesaving into a fun competition accessible from a very young age -- a model that has seen success in other countries like South Africa, the U.S., Canada, and Australia -- ConnectOcean hopes to help create a culture of lifesaving.
“Everyone has fun, you have kids that can then turn lifesaving into a career and become professionals, and then no matter what you have a whole wave of kids that are comfortable in the water and can help their friends if they need to.”
Town hosted the debut event for this lifesaving federation with the Pitahayas Challenge a little over a month ago, and since then the federation has made quick progress towards formal recognition by the Costa Rican government. Keep an eye out over the next few months as the federation is finalized, as more interesting lifesaving events will be sure to follow.
You can find more information about this quickly growing lifesaving federation by visiting their Facebook page. Click here to learn more.