Tuesday, July 26, 2022
ADA Day: Creating a Sport for All
On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. The day has since become known as ADA Day, and to commemorate the occasion, USA Swimming reached out to parents of swimmers with disabilities to help share their stories and input on how the sport can become more inclusive to those with disabilities.
Anita Ivory is the parent of a S2 para swimmer, while the Clark family—Brad, Holly and their daughter Mia—are members of Cardinal Aquatics in Louisville, Kentucky. Below are their stories and pieces of advice:
How has your child grown through the sport of swimming?
Ivory: "Swimming has been a phenomenal sport for us. Swimming lessons were something that I have always considered a necessary life skill. I grew up swimming from a young age. We spend so much time around water at water parks, pools, and the beach, having her take lessons early so that she could be safe around water was essential. She started swimming at age three, first with local park district preschool classes with me in the water with her, and then later on her own. She just fell in love with the sport early. She's nine now and that love for swimming has grown. She loves to swim both for fun, just splashing in a pool or at the beach, and now that she is older a bit, she loves doing it competitively. She joined a swim team last year, and has swum competitively for a little over a year. In one year of competitive swim, not only has her times improved but she has grown and matured. She sets goals for herself for each meet. She is learning about working hard for a goal and not giving up until she reaches it. I love her competitive spirit, but I also love maybe even more, how she cheers on other teammates and supports them."
Brad Clark: "Mia’s physical challenges made it difficult for her to find the sports activity she most enjoyed. In middle school, Mia swam during the summer for our neighborhood swim team. She loved the exercise and having teammates for the first time. In 2018, Mia injured her foot, which ultimately led to an infection and surgery. She endured weekly doctor visits and was required to use a knee scooter for the next three years . . . In March 2021, Mia joined Cardinal Aquatics with owner and coach Amy Albiero. While there were challenges integrating into a USA Swimming program during COVID restrictions, she loved being a part of a larger team and swimming in competitions. Many people assume because Mia has two legs that she can do everything an able-bodied swimmer can in the water. It’s not just a matter of kicking harder or swimming faster."
Mia Clark added: "When I first started swimming in the USA Swimming system, I didn’t know what to expect. Coming in at 16 when most people start around 5 felt intimidating. Then, being a para swimmer on a team that had not had one before just added to my nervousness. I quickly realized that people didn’t care if I walk differently or had a knee scooter with me, they were just accepting".
What have been some of your, or your child's, fondest memories through their time in the sport?
Ivory: "My fondest memory so far has been the first time she swam a 50-meter free in competition. She is physically a tiny little thing; so there she was so tiny, and the pool looked so long — she had never swam in a 50M pool before so I'd hoped that she would just finish. So the race begins and she took off with so much excitement on her face and in her body. She was the last one to finish, but seeing the biggest smile on her face when she got out of the water and the excitement was still there when she ran over to me. The look on her face and her excitement will always stay with me."
Brad Clark: “One of our proudest moments was in the 2022 Kentucky State swim meet in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. It brought so much joy to our hearts watching her coaches, teammates, other swimmers and spectators cheer Mia on as she swam in the 200-freestyle final." Mia added, “having my team stand on the side of the pool cheering me on means the world to me”.
How can the swimming community do a better job of including and embracing swimmers with disabilities?
Ivory: "We have been blessed in finding classes and a swim team that has been open and accepting, but this came with a lot of trial and error. Not everyone understands children with differences, whether it's a physical difference like visual impairment, limb difference or unseen disabilities. I think a lot of pressure is on the parents and guardians to seek out swimming lessons or teams by trial and error. One thing that I would like to see improvement on is having organizations running swim classes or swim teams being a lot more upfront and visual with their acceptance of children and adults with disabilities. I would love to see in try-out posting, or on websites advertising swim lessons, even something as simple as 'swimmers with disabilities welcome.' I have talked to a few parents who just don't know that a swim team and competition is an option, because it's just not very visual in the swimming community. Communication is a big part of this. There are still swim meets where there is no mention of athletes with disabilities entry procedures or ability to accommodate."
Holly Clark described a time in May 2021, where Brazilian Olympian Joao De Lucca coached Mia as she swam in her first U.S. Para swim competition in Cincinnati, Ohio, as being a great tool for Mia. Holly says, "we were so excited to meet other swimmers and families who faced similar physical challenges. She quickly developed friendships with other para swimmers. Bringing that experience back to her local USA team was invaluable. With the help of U.S. Para Swim staff, along with USA Swimming official and KYLSC DEI Chair Ruth-Anne Bode, we discovered that Mia could compete in USA Swimming meets using time standards specifically established for disabled swimmers with Mia’s swim classification."
What do you wish people knew or would understand better about athletes with disabilities?
Ivory: "I think most people know that athletes with disabilities are amazing athletes and have these wonderful opportunities to participate in events designed for athletes with disabilities. However, I hope they understand that full inclusion is always possible. Some athletes prefer to compete in events, classes and competitions with similar ability peers, but many other athletes prefer to compete in competitions not specifically geared towards athletes with disabilities. This is where a greater focus is needed. USA Swimming created para swim time standards a few years ago, but there are organizations that are still unfamiliar with these time standards and how they can be used to help athletes participate in events."
Mia Clark: "I think a big part of being inclusive starts with having a personal relationship with the athlete which then allows the athlete to feel heard along with the officials and coaches being able to help the athlete in the best way."
Do you have any tips or advice for swimmers with disabilities or coaches/parents of athletes with disabilities?
Ivory: "I would say just follow the lead of your child. If they are happy with taking swim classes and becoming proficient swimmers, that's wonderful. And if your child comes to you at seven years old and says they want to swim collegiately and then in the Olympics, believe in them and support them however you can. At times, advocating for your child may feel hard or difficult, but it is worth it. Seeing them thrive and fall in love with the sport is amazing. Swimming teaches so many wonderful life long skills and lessons that translate in and out of the pool."
Brad Clark: “Our hope is that other parents of kids with a disability will find a local team they can swim with in their community. Watching our daughter get physically and emotionally stronger through hard work and practice has been extremely rewarding. She has incredible grit and loves to cheer her teammates on. The USA Swimming and U.S. Para Swimming community have been a blessing to our family. Mia is now a high school senior and is working hard to chase her dream of swimming for a college team. Hopefully she will find a coach who sees the value that a swimmer with disabilities can bring to their swim program and athletic department. Mia also hopes to qualify for the 2024 Paralympic Trials."
Anita Ivory is the parent of a S2 para swimmer, while the Clark family—Brad, Holly and their daughter Mia—are members of Cardinal Aquatics in Louisville, Kentucky. Below are their stories and pieces of advice:
How has your child grown through the sport of swimming?
Ivory: "Swimming has been a phenomenal sport for us. Swimming lessons were something that I have always considered a necessary life skill. I grew up swimming from a young age. We spend so much time around water at water parks, pools, and the beach, having her take lessons early so that she could be safe around water was essential. She started swimming at age three, first with local park district preschool classes with me in the water with her, and then later on her own. She just fell in love with the sport early. She's nine now and that love for swimming has grown. She loves to swim both for fun, just splashing in a pool or at the beach, and now that she is older a bit, she loves doing it competitively. She joined a swim team last year, and has swum competitively for a little over a year. In one year of competitive swim, not only has her times improved but she has grown and matured. She sets goals for herself for each meet. She is learning about working hard for a goal and not giving up until she reaches it. I love her competitive spirit, but I also love maybe even more, how she cheers on other teammates and supports them."
Brad Clark: "Mia’s physical challenges made it difficult for her to find the sports activity she most enjoyed. In middle school, Mia swam during the summer for our neighborhood swim team. She loved the exercise and having teammates for the first time. In 2018, Mia injured her foot, which ultimately led to an infection and surgery. She endured weekly doctor visits and was required to use a knee scooter for the next three years . . . In March 2021, Mia joined Cardinal Aquatics with owner and coach Amy Albiero. While there were challenges integrating into a USA Swimming program during COVID restrictions, she loved being a part of a larger team and swimming in competitions. Many people assume because Mia has two legs that she can do everything an able-bodied swimmer can in the water. It’s not just a matter of kicking harder or swimming faster."
Mia Clark added: "When I first started swimming in the USA Swimming system, I didn’t know what to expect. Coming in at 16 when most people start around 5 felt intimidating. Then, being a para swimmer on a team that had not had one before just added to my nervousness. I quickly realized that people didn’t care if I walk differently or had a knee scooter with me, they were just accepting".
What have been some of your, or your child's, fondest memories through their time in the sport?
Ivory: "My fondest memory so far has been the first time she swam a 50-meter free in competition. She is physically a tiny little thing; so there she was so tiny, and the pool looked so long — she had never swam in a 50M pool before so I'd hoped that she would just finish. So the race begins and she took off with so much excitement on her face and in her body. She was the last one to finish, but seeing the biggest smile on her face when she got out of the water and the excitement was still there when she ran over to me. The look on her face and her excitement will always stay with me."
Brad Clark: “One of our proudest moments was in the 2022 Kentucky State swim meet in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. It brought so much joy to our hearts watching her coaches, teammates, other swimmers and spectators cheer Mia on as she swam in the 200-freestyle final." Mia added, “having my team stand on the side of the pool cheering me on means the world to me”.
How can the swimming community do a better job of including and embracing swimmers with disabilities?
Ivory: "We have been blessed in finding classes and a swim team that has been open and accepting, but this came with a lot of trial and error. Not everyone understands children with differences, whether it's a physical difference like visual impairment, limb difference or unseen disabilities. I think a lot of pressure is on the parents and guardians to seek out swimming lessons or teams by trial and error. One thing that I would like to see improvement on is having organizations running swim classes or swim teams being a lot more upfront and visual with their acceptance of children and adults with disabilities. I would love to see in try-out posting, or on websites advertising swim lessons, even something as simple as 'swimmers with disabilities welcome.' I have talked to a few parents who just don't know that a swim team and competition is an option, because it's just not very visual in the swimming community. Communication is a big part of this. There are still swim meets where there is no mention of athletes with disabilities entry procedures or ability to accommodate."
Holly Clark described a time in May 2021, where Brazilian Olympian Joao De Lucca coached Mia as she swam in her first U.S. Para swim competition in Cincinnati, Ohio, as being a great tool for Mia. Holly says, "we were so excited to meet other swimmers and families who faced similar physical challenges. She quickly developed friendships with other para swimmers. Bringing that experience back to her local USA team was invaluable. With the help of U.S. Para Swim staff, along with USA Swimming official and KYLSC DEI Chair Ruth-Anne Bode, we discovered that Mia could compete in USA Swimming meets using time standards specifically established for disabled swimmers with Mia’s swim classification."
What do you wish people knew or would understand better about athletes with disabilities?
Ivory: "I think most people know that athletes with disabilities are amazing athletes and have these wonderful opportunities to participate in events designed for athletes with disabilities. However, I hope they understand that full inclusion is always possible. Some athletes prefer to compete in events, classes and competitions with similar ability peers, but many other athletes prefer to compete in competitions not specifically geared towards athletes with disabilities. This is where a greater focus is needed. USA Swimming created para swim time standards a few years ago, but there are organizations that are still unfamiliar with these time standards and how they can be used to help athletes participate in events."
Mia Clark: "I think a big part of being inclusive starts with having a personal relationship with the athlete which then allows the athlete to feel heard along with the officials and coaches being able to help the athlete in the best way."
Do you have any tips or advice for swimmers with disabilities or coaches/parents of athletes with disabilities?
Ivory: "I would say just follow the lead of your child. If they are happy with taking swim classes and becoming proficient swimmers, that's wonderful. And if your child comes to you at seven years old and says they want to swim collegiately and then in the Olympics, believe in them and support them however you can. At times, advocating for your child may feel hard or difficult, but it is worth it. Seeing them thrive and fall in love with the sport is amazing. Swimming teaches so many wonderful life long skills and lessons that translate in and out of the pool."
Brad Clark: “Our hope is that other parents of kids with a disability will find a local team they can swim with in their community. Watching our daughter get physically and emotionally stronger through hard work and practice has been extremely rewarding. She has incredible grit and loves to cheer her teammates on. The USA Swimming and U.S. Para Swimming community have been a blessing to our family. Mia is now a high school senior and is working hard to chase her dream of swimming for a college team. Hopefully she will find a coach who sees the value that a swimmer with disabilities can bring to their swim program and athletic department. Mia also hopes to qualify for the 2024 Paralympic Trials."
For more information and resources, visit https://www.usaswimming.org/home/disability or https://www.teamusa.org/usparaswimming.