AMERICAN SAMOA. Bruckner Chase has started the Toa o le Tai program, an ocean swimming initiative, in American Samoa yesterday.
“The stories down here are about as pure as you can get. The oral history and legends from both the ocean and the land are fascinating.”
Despite a 3,000-year history with its surrounding ocean, the relative percentage of watermen in American Samoa has significantly decreased from its illustrious past. Similar to other island nations from the South Pacific to the Caribbean Sea, the connection with the ocean has been reduced.
For many of those people under 18 here in American Samoa, their most viable career option is the military. With an improved ability to swim, different opportunities and paths become available.
There are two early examples of what the future holds once that connection is made. “By studying about the oceans while learning to swim, Charles will work with the Fagatele Bay Sanctuary,” explains Bruckner. “Tank was another example. He was afraid of the ocean. But he swam his first mile last week and will be a paid instructor at Samoana High School for our Ocean Swimming/Ocean Science class.”
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.