https://www.proquest.com/docview/3212511808

In Watsonville, California, a predominantly Hispanic/Latino community, about 80% of residents cannot swim and 84% of parents reported swimming once or less per month in non-summer months. Among children or respondents, 77% cannot swim more than one lap (25 yards), a distance that represents the most basic competency. This limited frequency and ability reveal how deeply systemic barriers affect water safety and health.

The study by Dr. Lucas Salles-Cunha found that 98% of parents said their child enjoys swimming or is neutral on the topic and 86% wanted their children to swim more often, directly challenging the narrative that Hispanic/Latino families are not interested in swimming. Families want access, but the top three barriers they face are financial constraints (90.5%), time limitations (74.6%), and competing activities (49.2%). Parents in Watsonville often work long hours in agriculture and struggle to balance multiple responsibilities, leaving little time to transport children to lessons or practices.

Despite these challenges, families view swimming as both fun and a matter of life or death. Parents voiced fears about rip currents, floods, and their inability to save a child in crisis, while also describing the joy their children feel in the water: one child said swimming made him feel like he was “flying, like he’s free.”

The community identified clear solutions. Families want longer, affordable swim lessons (not 25-minute sessions), warm, welcoming facilities, and family-centered programs where parents, grandparents, and siblings can participate together. They want swimming opportunities that fit their work schedules, and they see value in competitive swimming teams that increase frequency, develop skills, and create local role models.

From these findings, our mission is to increase swimming frequency and competency, not only to reduce drowning risk, but to create a sustainable cycle of swimming. This positive swimming cycle begins with early education for parents and infants, continues with consistent participation in lessons and teams, and leads to the development of coaches, lifeguards, and role models who will pass on their skills to the next generation.

By aligning with the expressed needs of families—affordability, access, time-sensitive programs, and cultural respect—we aim to provide every child in Watsonville and similar communities the opportunity to swim well. The vision is generational: children who swim more often grow into confident athletes, healthier community members, and future leaders in aquatics.

Understanding Water exists to build this cycle, support families, and create communities where swimming is not a barrier but a shared opportunity.

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