Whether these would-be swimmers love the water or are frightened of it, Michael Randazzo has made the pool a safe place for everyone.

Amidst a summer of lifeguard shortages and canceled swimming programs, Randazzo created a beginner swim program granting kids access not only to a pool, but also to a life skill.

“So we talked to LIU and said, ‘If you can give us the pool time. Can we run a program?’ And, to my surprise, they said yes,” Randazzo remembered.

What You Need To Know

  • Michael Randazzo saw a need for a free swim program after many pool's programs were cut due to the lifeguard shortage

  • The program became so popular that he was able to open a winter session with over 800 kids hoping to participate

  • Randazzo hopes to promote the idea that swimming is safe, fun, and something anyone can do

With the help of the Brooklyn Water Polo Club, the program lasted four weeks. Teaching over 200 kids water confidence.

“And most importantly, it’s free,” Diana Fisher said, whose daughter participates in the program. “A lot of swimming programs are so expensive.”

But as summer faded into fall, Randazzo wondered if people would be interested in a winter swim session and how he would get pool time.

“So I sent an email out to local people I knew and I thought, ‘Oh I’d get 100 maybe 200 kids.’ We have ended up with 850 kids over a two-week period,” Randazzo said.

This is far from being a one-man team. When free pool time couldn’t be found, community education council 13 stepped in.

“We noticed that a lot of our kids black and brown students did not know how to swim, so we wanted our kids to have the opportunity to learn,” Cynthia McKnight said, the current president of CEC 13.

Randazzo makes sure no swimmer is ever forced into the water. Letting timid swimmers grow into jumping in with abandon.

“We just have to reinforce the message,” Randazzo emphasized. “Swimming is safe. Swimming is fun. And swimming is something that you can do competently.”

For making quite a splash, Michael Randazzo is our New Yorker of the Week.