Get Your Kids in the Pool!

[Tmuthking]

Hello everyone, I haven't been on this board for nearly a decade. My daughter, Serafina, just turned 14, and it has been a crazy 14 years with her! She has a right OBPI. She never had surgery, which we tormented over, she started OT at 3 weeks of age, and I was one vigilant mommy when it came to exercises, etc. When Serafina was 6, her therapist suggested that we get her in the pool to swim, for a number of reasons, one being that she was going to be tall, and scoliosis could be an issue, with her back and shoulder imbalances. She had taken swim lessons, but that wasn't the same as being forced out of her comfort zone to swim all four competitive strokes. Keep in mind, even at this point, she has about 10% elbow function, and 30% shoulder. But, her body has compensated in ways that most people could never detect.

So, Serafina and I fought about swim team, because she was being forced to do it. The water was cold in the winter, it was so hard to pull her arm out for years, the other kids were faster, and winning ribbons and medals at the meets. You name it. It still isn't easy dealing with her psychology about her life at times, but there is a gold lining to all of these kids.

After swimming competitively for 5 years, we heard about disabled swimming. We took her to be classified almost 2 years ago, and BPI are so borderline that most athletes with a BPI don't classify as disabled. As Serafina put it, "the one time that it's ok to be different, I'm not different enough." Until a few international rules were rewritten, Serafina was unable to classify as an S10 swimmer (highest functioning, lowest disability). Last fall Serafina classified as a national S10 swimmer, in December she classified at the International CAN-AM meet as an International Paralympic Swimmer, and in June she competed for a spot on the US Paralympic Team for London at the Paralympic Swim Trials in North Dakota.

She is an elite, world class swimmer at the age of 13, now 14. At the trials, she placed 2nd in her best event the 100 meter back, made the US Emerging Athlete Standard, and was 2 seconds off of the US Paralympic National Team time. She wasn't named to the team, but she walked away with her World Ranking of 17th in the world in that event, and US Ranking of 2nd. She was 13, the other swimmers are women.

Serafina has been granted a trajectory to the Olympics/Paralympics that is short and steep. A chance to live a dream, that so many kids/athletes can only dream about, because of her BPI. There are so many sports out there for our kids, that may offer them something few will ever achieve. The Paralympics from London are going to be streaming live on the web. Do yourselves a favor and watch some of the events, see some of the amazing athletes, get your kids excited about what they can do. As far as aI know, Serafina is the only BPI swimmer for the US when she is competing at these meets. She shouldn't be, there are far too many kids out there with BPIs and we don't see any of them at our pools, or at our able bodied meets.

At first it was Serafina's road to London, now it's her road to Rio for 2016. And I really hope that I see some of you and your children along the way! Also, Serafina loves talking about Paralympic swimming, and would be more than happy to talk to parents or kids about getting in the pool, the struggle to swim, and what it's like now.

I'm very proud of her!

[brittwitt]

Wow that's awesome! She should be so proud of herself! I did my neighborhood summer league swimteam every year growing up. I was one of the slowest (except in backstroke) but I loved being on the team with my friends. I definitely think it was great for my arm too! Although I love to swim, I'm not the biggest fan of swimming laps so I mainly stuck with soccer and cross country as my more competitive sports (haha plus I'm way better at those!). Tell her congrats on her fantastic rankings at the trials and I'll look forward to watching her compete in Rio!

-Brittney

[Tmuthking]

Thanks Brittney! I'll relay the message to Serafina. I'm glad that you spent some time in the pool too!!

[Carolyn J]

GREAT NEWS!!! My Best Wishes to Serafina! I certainly will watch the ParaOlympics Now!!
HUGGZ to both of you,
"gramma" Carolyn J
LOBPI/74