CHRIS CANADAY

 

Thanks to my parents, a host of supportive coaches, and a bit of perseverance, swimming has been a source of pride, friendships, physical fitness, and adventure for most of my life. Among my most cherished memories are those of bus trips with my teams to far-away meets, time spent on the pool deck teaching and coaching hundreds of wide-eyed children, and swimming in the sea at dusk with a pod of spotted dolphins. In so many ways, swimming has made me who I am.

 

The transformations I've witnessed while teaching swimming are also among my most cherished memories. Right in front of my eyes, people from around the world have learned to trust the water and then engage with it in ways they never knew were possible. Together, we've laughed and cried and bonded over this newfound freedom. 

 

Interestingly, the transformations I've witnessed have not been limited to the pool. Simply put, for many of my students,  overcoming fear in water served as a catalyst for examining the nature and quality of their lives overall.