Just keep Swimming
My name is Erin Wamsteeker and my vision is to enable kids with neurological or developmental disabilities to enjoy the water. My program is called Just Keep Swimming.
The mission of Just Keep Swimming is teaching kids and youth with neurological or developmental disabilities to swim confidently, play safely and exercise comfortably in the water.
I studied Kinesiology at the University of Calgary and earned a degree in Leadership, Pedagogy and Coaching. I was a competitive swimmer for nineteen years, and swam on the University of Calgary Dinos team while pursuing my degree. My passion for working with children and helping them succeed through physical activity combined with my years of competitive swimming experience inspired me to start coaching swimming. Over my eight years as a swim coach I have helped nationally-ranked and recreational level kids excel both in and out of the pool.
During my third year of university I met a physiotherapist named Michelle Kelly through an Adaptive Physical Activity course I was taking in school. Michelle Kelly Physiotherapy offers a variety of Bridge to Sport programs for children with neurological and developmental disabilities, including; gross motor, strength in sport and fitness in a sport or gym settings. I volunteered in Michelle’s gym gross motor groups as well as her therapeutic swim program. This program helped me to realize the incredible benefits swimming could offer to children with neurological and developmental delays. This catalyzed the idea for a swim program that could be designed to these needs: Just Keep Swimming.
In September 2014, I decided to run my first session of lessons for kids with disabilities. I was overwhelmed by the number of parents interested in having their child/children with a disability participate in my program. Not only did the first session fill but I also received enough registrants for a second session. Now six months later, all sessions offered up to June 2015 are over-subscribed.
In Just Keep Swimming, kids have the opportunity to swim with instructors and aides with specific training and experience in neurological and developmental disabilities. This facilitates a more structured response to behavioral outbursts or distractions. All instructors must attend a training session with both Michelle Kelly and myself. We cover possible scenarios of how a child might act or react due to their specific disability and the most appropriate way to respond to a number of situations. All instructors come from a swimming background - we have instructors with introductory competitive, national level and Olympic swimming experience.
While I do believe hiring instructors with a swim background is beneficial, the most important quality an instructor must have is the desire and passion to help kids with disabilities succeed in and out of the water.
During lessons all instructors work one on one or maximum two on one with the kids. This allows every swimmer to progress individually but also encourages socialization with peers during games or group skills. Lessons are directed towards celebrating each child’s unique abilities.
Growing up with my sister who has a cognitive auditory processing disorder taught me to respect that we all learn in different ways. It was easy to see the difference an understanding teacher or instructor or even a parent made for her to learn and enjoy what she was doing when someone took an interest in her. I admire how hard she works when learning a new task. She thrives - given the right opportunity with the right teacher.
Persons with disabilities are often left out causing them to lose confidence. Just Keep Swimming is designed to boost their level of confidence and self esteem and I have seen tremendous results through using this as my guiding principle. We are building confidence and competence and have received wonderful feedback from the parents/caregivers of these children. We are finding kids in our program look forward to their swim times with us, are enjoying the learning process and accomplishing things they are very proud of.
There are many benefits of participating in Just Keep Swimming from the small-personalized classes to the expertise of the instructors I bring on board to help teach with me. Perhaps the most beneficial aspect however is the learning and confidence that comes from a child acquiring the skills to swim and play safely in the water. My instructors love and passion for these kids can be seen at every session and I truly believe this program helps the kids I teach more than just learn to swim – it gives them a chance to have the same opportunity for participation in an activity that is as crucial to their childhood and adolescence as their peers. My program enables kids and youth with neurological or developmental disabilities the opportunity to learn to swim confidently, play safely and Just Keep Swimming.