The International Swimming Hall of Fame of Fort Lauderdale, FL (ISHOF) and the Transpersonal Swimming Institute of Sarasota, FL (TSI) have teamed up to bring swimming and new safety in water to every person. Their plan should eliminate preventable drowning.

(May 16, 2007) ISHOF and TSI believe that the TSI learn-to-swim program for adults, expanded to include children, is essential to improve aquatic safety for all. According to a 1998 Gallup poll, forty-six percent of American adults are afraid in deep water in pools. Sixty-four percent are afraid in open water. Afraid swimmers are at the greatest risk in water accidents. TSI created a powerful yet gentle method to teach the fearful population and has helped thousands of adults since 1983 to overcome their fear and be safer in water.

Whereas the ability to do strokes and tread water has always been thought to equate to safety in water, it is actually the knowledge of how the water works and how to remain in control which gives the greatest level of safety possible, says TSI. "Most drowning is caused by panic and a lack of knowledge about how the water works," explains M. Ellen Dash, Founder and Director of TSI. "A person must feel safe in water before learning to swim. A large percentage of adults and children don't feel safe in deep water; therefore they haven't been able to learn." ISHOF/TSI is offering training and materials to qualified instructors to expand their learn-to-swim programs to the millions afraid in water. It includes ways to attract afraid students to the program created specifically for them. The training program is designed to get individual instructors up and running on their own. Instructors will pay to become licensees of ISHOF/TSI who will provide marketing support, continuing education opportunities, and the International Swimming Hall of Fame's brand recognition. ISHOF Director Bruce Wigo states, "The TSI instructional program makes infinite sense. It cannot fail. If all learn-to-swim programs incorporate TSI's concepts to help those who fear water and teach the unafraid as well, everyone will be safer in water. This partnership is exciting many of our Hall of Fame members. Now we need the world's instructors to teach it," he adds.

About Transpersonal Swimming Institute TSI is an adult swim school founded in 1983 in Berkeley, California to teach adults afraid in water to swim. Its system breaks new ground in understanding panic and safety. Founder M. Ellen Dash published a how-to text, Conquer Your Fear of Water: An Innovative Self-Discovery Course in Swimming in 2006. TSI is the only organization that offers trainings specifically for teaching afraid students.

To learn more, visit www.conquerfear.com or call 800-723-7946.