About 1 ½ years ago when I started at Swimtastic I was given a student named Mary. She took private lessons because she was very nervous in the water. I knew right away that I needed to gain her trust. Some students start lessons with a fear of the water; Creating a bond with Mary wouldn't be simple.
We don’t just teach swimming lessons. We teach bravery.
Excitement grows as we count down to our swim lesson. Suits, caps and goggles on, it’s almost go time! Now we’re ready, moving out to the pool area, trying hard not to run, putting towels down in the dry zone and moving fast to get to our smiling teacher and the warm water.
As a 5-time Olympic gold medalist who has broken multiple world records during her swimming career, Missy Franklin has had to face the pressure and expectations that go along with being one of the sport's swimming superstars. It was also her first time swimming in a U.S. meet since 2016. She trained and swam hard but finished at a disappointing 17th and 19th place in the 100 (55.33) and 200 free (1:59.25). In an interview after her races, Missy showed she was not going to let this performance deter her from higher aspirations and displayed a warrior's spirit and an inspiring level of professionalism even through a sometimes shaky voice.
