University Southern California Trojans
Lynn Swann and Trojans to Participate in "Swim with Mike"
June 21, 1999 | Football
April 16, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The 1999 USC football team, along with former Trojan and Pittsburgh Steeler great Lynn Swann, will join hundreds of participants in the water at the 19th annual "Swim With Mike" swim-a-thon fundraiser this Saturday (April 17) at the USC McDonald's Swim Stadium.
The event, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. with free admission and parking, hopes to raise more than $300,000 for the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund at USC. Since 1981, $2.2 million has been raised to provide more than 30 USC scholarships to athletes who have overcome life-challenging accidents or illnesses.
The Trojan football team will swim a position-against-position relay race at 11 a.m., then will conduct a public spring football practice--including a scrimmage--immediately afterwards on Howard Jones Field.
Swann, an All-American wide receiver at USC in 1973 and an All-Pro on all 4 of the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl champion squads, will receive the "President Gerald and Betty Ford People Helping People Award" at noon.
A barbeque, raffle and silent auction will follow, with music provided by the Trojan Marching Band. Mickey and Minnie Mouse will be in attendance. USC swimming coach Mark Schubert will conduct a swim clinic.
The "Swim" began in 1981 when friends and teammates of USC 3-time All-American swimmer Mike Nyeholt rallied to his aid to help him recover from a paralyzing motorcycle accident. What was to be a one-time event, "Swim For Mike," raised $58,000. At Nyeholt's suggestion, the excess donations were used to establish the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund.
The next year, Nyeholt joined other swimmers in the water helping raise money and the swim-a-thon became an annual event, which was renamed "Swim With Mike."
