Physically Challenged Athletes who:
  • Have overcome life-challenging accidents or illnesses
  • Come from various levels of competitive athletic experience
  • Represent 20 different sports
  • Scholarships are awarded to Recipients at Universities throughout the USA
EXPANDING ACROSS THE NATION

The purpose of the Swim With Mike scholarship is to help individuals who have suffered a serious accident or an illness. Due to the increased need for the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund and given the fact the that Swim With Mike is the only scholarship program of its kind, in 1999, Swim With Mike decided to expand nationally and award scholarships to recipients attending schools other that USC. The Swim With Mike mission statement is to provide financial resources for the advanced education and to pave the way for physically challenged athletes to overcome their tragedies and realize their full potential- no matter where he or she goes to school.

On March 5, 2005 Swim With Mike held it’s first satellite swim at the University of Hawaii’s Duke Kahanamoku Aquatics Complex. It was a huge success bringing Hawaii’s sports and aquatics communities together for a great cause.

Since 2005 Hawaii has hosted Swim With Mike – Hawaii 2006, 2007 and on April 19, 2008 will do it again. The quintessential aquatics festival Swim With Mike – Hawiai features the traditional swim-a-thon as well as water polo, surf polo (water polo played on surfboards), synchronized swimming, diving and the highlight – the student-athlete relays featuring collegiate student-athletes from the University of Hawaii and the Pacific West Conference.

In 2007, Swim With Mike scholarship recipient and Stanford University Sophomore Joe Kay with the support of the Stanford Men’s and Women’s Volleyball teams organized Swim With Mike at Stanford. This effort served as a catalyst and in 2008 Swim With Mike scholarship recipients are planning mini swims on many of their campuses.