Transforming Lives Through Adaptive Aquatics
What a memorable few days! Our recent Virginia Beach adventure was packed with inspiring moments and transformative experiences.
From training dedicated instructors to witnessing life-changing transformations, we’re excited to share our journey of making the impossible, possible through adaptive aquatics and sports.
Private In-Water Workshop Delivers Outstanding Results
First up on our adaptive aquatics journey around Viriginia Beach was a private in-water workshop and training session for the instructors that are certified in Adaptive Swim Whisperers® from the Eliza Hope Foundation and the YMCA at JT’s Camp Grom in VA beach.
We were honored to be in the water with these passionate instructors and their swimmers to show them first-hand what is possible.
During the in-person training session, the instructors shared their challenges about where they were getting ‘stuck’ in progressing their adaptive swim lessons. We were able to address these in real-time to provide immediate feedback and ‘on-the-spot’ ideas. This enabled them to overcome obstacles and the results were astounding.
Parents were blown away by the progress in one lesson as we worked as a team with each of the students. The biggest take away was empowering parents to understand what resources are available to them in addition to the swim lessons.
As we worked with children, their parents actively engaged with the adaptive water safety toolkit on their phones. They saw first-hand how to practice these crucial safety skills with their children when they take them swimming. Equipping both parents and children with water safety knowledge is essential to truly “Transform Abilities.”
Making the Impossible, Possible
Next stop, was a hugely rewarding experience. We volunteered with the Spinal Cord Association of VA and the group @spinalpedia for their #2024AdventurousWeekend.
We met the most incredible people, heard their inspiring stories and assisted with their adaptive top golf event. The golf clubs available were either a sling shot apparatus or an actual club that fired a blank bullet to project the ball across the course. It was incredible.
We then ran a two-hour adaptive swim event and had the pleasure of teaching a remarkable woman how to achieve her swim goals in one session.
Jeneice, a T4 paraplegic for the past 10 years, was unable to float independently or go underwater and always relied on her husband to hold her. She was participating in an adaptive surfing event the following day and wanted to overcome her fear of being ‘independent’ in the water before the event.
Watch how we were able to teach Jeneice how to float independently with supportive equipment. She successfully transitioned to independent back floating and developed body control for safely submerging and doing a rollover to take the side of the pool.
Goal achieved!!!! We were so proud of Jeniece and her resilience and commitment to achieving her goals. She never thought this would be possible. It just goes to show with the right skills and training in adaptive aquatics, anything is possible.
Experiencing the Freedom of Aquatic Activities
The last day of our trip was spent volunteering with the Life Rolls On Foundation at their Virginia Beach surf event.
Cindy and Ailene helped the volunteers and surfers transfer individuals of all ages with physical disabilities from their wheelchairs into a beach wheelchair and then onto surfboards.
Watching these individuals successfully experience the freedom of surfing was unbelievable. It was life-changing for them and for us to be a part of.
The moment was a full circle for us when we saw our swimmer Jeniece not only surf, but fall off the board, and confidently go under water, and float without any fear.
We witnessed making the impossible possible and are so grateful to be a part of it all. We hope to partner with larger organizations like this in the future so we can add our adaptive swim expertise to make these events even more successful for the participants.
