I've been procrastinating about writing this final project participant blog. I mean...
My good friends kept telling me about Odia, a friend of theirs that couldn't swim and HAD to be in my project. "Give her my card. Have her e-mail or call me." She never did. That's okay. To have a breakthrough in the water, you have to...
It's one of the last adjectives I would use when describing water: intimidating. But this is how Ifeanyi (Ife) felt about it and I was ready to change her perception. She told me, "I never learned how to swim at a young age because of my...
I met Nhu three years ago in my ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom at Hoover High School. She had just moved to the U.S. with her family from Vietnam. Right away, we connected when we found out we shared the same birthday. Nhu's...
Cindy e-mailed me after reading Nicole's (Project Participant #6) article in the Beach and Bay Press. She was scared all right, but so motivated...
"Sandy," I asked, "What is your experience with swimming?" "I had polio as a child. I fully recovered, but it took a couple of years. When other kids were learning to swim, I was too weak to participate. So I never learned how to do it...
I met Resa a couple years ago when she brought her son, Jack (now 12), to me for a swim lesson. I spent the better part of that half hour working on desensitizing him and just trying to get him into the pool. Jack has...
"My wife cut out an article on your swimming lessons "40 for 40". I would love to learn how to breathe properly while swimming. I am 51 and native to San Diego...
The moment I met Jana, I knew we were going to get along very well. We’re both fairly laid back and easy-going and we talked like we’ve been friends for years. It’s always interesting for me to actually meet my project participants in person, as...
I know Brenda because she married into a family that is basically a second family to me. I don't see her very often and she was so much more comfortable than the last time I saw her in a pool (about 7 years ago). I...
Richard, 45 years old, is a large man, standing over six feet tall for sure. I met him while working with Rob, who has swum with me for the past few years. Rob has cerebral palsy and Richard is one of his caregivers. He is...
My wonderful friend Robin told me about a couple she knows that's going to Hawaii for their honeymoon. Neither one of them can swim. I thought Kavitha and Param would be the perfect participants for Project: Face in Water. I really love the way the...
BIG THANK YOU to The Beacon and sdnews.com for covering Project: Face in Water!!! The response has been amazing. I am getting e-mails from so many wonderful people, telling me about their relationship with water. Overcoming the fear of water and finding a new passion; it’s never too...
Overcoming the fear of water and finding a new passion; it’s never too late to learn to swim by Nicole Sours Larson 03.27.13 - 04:30 pm Many people who swim only by keeping their faces above the water have a problematical relationship with the water, swim instructor Kim Shults...
Alice, Age 4, is sweet, timid and shy. The pool at Wave House Athletic Club is HUGE, so I could see why she was intimidated, especially since she hadn't taken lessons since she was 15 months old. She didn't say a peep and didn't even crack a...
The first time I saw Nicole, she was water-walking. With a floatation belt around her waist, she jogged through the water with a huge smile on her face. She asked me if I could give her a swim lesson, saying, "I love the water...
Hunter walked into the Wave House Athletic Club with a little apprehension and a lot of personality. Hunter is 4 and he is in charge (whether you like it or not, but you do). I asked him if he liked to swim and he said,...