Bequia United Swim Club
Donation protected
Bequia United Swim Club (BUSC) was formed in 2015 out of a vision of Louise Mitchell-Joseph's desire to have a swim team, and eventually a swimming pool, on the beautiful Caribbean island of Bequia, her childhood home. U.S. Citizen Kara Randall, a life-long visitor and lover of Bequia, was inspired by Louise's dream and collaborated to create the first-ever swim club in the history of this tiny island. Bequia is the largest of the 32 "Grenadines;" a combination of inhabited and uninhabited islands that make up the country St. Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG). In comparison to St. Vincent (the mainland) with a population of approximately 110,000 people, Bequia is only about 8 square miles, populated by approximately 5,000 people.
Surrounded by the blue waters of the Caribbean, most of the children of Bequia grow up in the sea. They are strong swimmers and highly physically fit - without any formal training in swimming or the proper way to perform competitive swim strokes. A swim coach's dream... So beginning November 2014, the first Bequia Swim Clinic was offered. 65 young people and teens turned out! Since that time, there has been a committed crew who has spent time training and learning open-water freestyle techniques, as well as competitive pool techniques. We now proudly have the Bequia United Swim Club contributing to swimming in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Above all, there is now an environment where the young people of Bequia can develop themselves physically, but more importantly academically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually by the discipline it takes to be a swimmer in the unique, caring, mentoring environment provided by the coaches. Our overall mission is that every swimmer knows that they matter and has a unique purpose to fulfill on this planet in their lifetime.
BUSC has been blessed by generous donors who have helped us get started and establish that we do indeed have a swim club. We now have an opportunity to send a few of our best swimmers to swim internationally in Antigua for a 5K Open-Water Swim this coming November 8th. In addition, an Open-Water Swim Coaches FINA Certification Training will be offered in the week following the race. We are committed to raising $10,000+ USD to send 3 swimmers and 3 coaches to be certified by the International Federation of Amateur Swimming. This certification allows our swimmers to have access to financial support in the future from FINA.
Surrounded by the blue waters of the Caribbean, most of the children of Bequia grow up in the sea. They are strong swimmers and highly physically fit - without any formal training in swimming or the proper way to perform competitive swim strokes. A swim coach's dream... So beginning November 2014, the first Bequia Swim Clinic was offered. 65 young people and teens turned out! Since that time, there has been a committed crew who has spent time training and learning open-water freestyle techniques, as well as competitive pool techniques. We now proudly have the Bequia United Swim Club contributing to swimming in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Above all, there is now an environment where the young people of Bequia can develop themselves physically, but more importantly academically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually by the discipline it takes to be a swimmer in the unique, caring, mentoring environment provided by the coaches. Our overall mission is that every swimmer knows that they matter and has a unique purpose to fulfill on this planet in their lifetime.
BUSC has been blessed by generous donors who have helped us get started and establish that we do indeed have a swim club. We now have an opportunity to send a few of our best swimmers to swim internationally in Antigua for a 5K Open-Water Swim this coming November 8th. In addition, an Open-Water Swim Coaches FINA Certification Training will be offered in the week following the race. We are committed to raising $10,000+ USD to send 3 swimmers and 3 coaches to be certified by the International Federation of Amateur Swimming. This certification allows our swimmers to have access to financial support in the future from FINA.
Organizer
Kara Randall
Organizer
City of Middleton, WI
