Thursday, December 1, 2022
Native American Heritage Month Trailblazer: Brendan Kerns
Brendan Kerns is an athlete on Bainbridge Island Swim Club in Port Orchard, Washington and a Western Zone DEI Committee member. Here are his responses as part of our Native American Heritage Month Trailblazer series:
On getting into swimming:
“The main reason I got into swimming was because of safety. I remember there was a report that 68% of Native Americans can't swim, and they make up .12% of USA Swimming swimmers. I know that info is a little outdated, but it does have a point. I also live next to a lake, so there was the additional reason to learn so I don't drown. And that was the main reason I started - for safety reasons - but then I just really took to the water well and started progressing up from swim lessons, got onto a swim team at the YMCA, and then I moved to a club team and just kept swimming!"
On why he is involved in the DEI Committee
“My culture is so based around community. Everyone just naturally helps each other and does things for other people in our community, and it's not like a spontaneous act of generosity. It is just expected that people help each other. For instance, in our native language, there is no word for 'thank you' because it is an unnecessary word. If you thank someone for helping you, it is a special thing that they helped you. In my community, it's not a special thing since it is so common place. It happens naturally as part of daily life and culture, so inclusion seemed pretty normal for me. I just got into DEI really easily and it felt natural to me. I am also part of the DIA fellows."
On growing native representation in the sport
“I've never met another Indigenous swimmer, and I've been swimming competitively for 10 years now...a lot of Indigenous people live on the reservations and there just isn't a lot of access to aquatic sports on the reservation. There isn't as much access to lifeguards or good coaches and many generations back, their parents or grandparents didn't learn how to swim either, so I think a lot of people don't see it as a possibility. Some may even have negative relationships with the water because of traumatic experiences from the past and it's kind of passed down through the generations to be afraid of the water."
On sharing his culture
"I always just try to bring people together and talk with people. It's more of an unconscious act because it just feels like a natural thing to do. Besides that, there aren't any really traditions I brought because they don't really fit in the pool...Swimmers - whatever level they are - are all just swimmers, sharing the love of swimming so it's a community right off the bat. During the pandemic, I didn't feel like I was locked away alone because there was swimming - being the sport it is - every other swimmer was also locked at home and we were all kind of in it together. There were multiple online programs throughout quarantine for swimmers to get 'together' - workouts with Katie Hoff, Swimmers for Change, Elizabeth Beisel's talks - were really inspirational too. Everyone got together online, and it was just another really good example of how community based and how much a team sport swimming really is. There is a huge yet small community of swimmers. It's hard to remember you are connected to so many people across the country."
On getting into swimming:
“The main reason I got into swimming was because of safety. I remember there was a report that 68% of Native Americans can't swim, and they make up .12% of USA Swimming swimmers. I know that info is a little outdated, but it does have a point. I also live next to a lake, so there was the additional reason to learn so I don't drown. And that was the main reason I started - for safety reasons - but then I just really took to the water well and started progressing up from swim lessons, got onto a swim team at the YMCA, and then I moved to a club team and just kept swimming!"
On why he is involved in the DEI Committee
“My culture is so based around community. Everyone just naturally helps each other and does things for other people in our community, and it's not like a spontaneous act of generosity. It is just expected that people help each other. For instance, in our native language, there is no word for 'thank you' because it is an unnecessary word. If you thank someone for helping you, it is a special thing that they helped you. In my community, it's not a special thing since it is so common place. It happens naturally as part of daily life and culture, so inclusion seemed pretty normal for me. I just got into DEI really easily and it felt natural to me. I am also part of the DIA fellows."
On growing native representation in the sport
“I've never met another Indigenous swimmer, and I've been swimming competitively for 10 years now...a lot of Indigenous people live on the reservations and there just isn't a lot of access to aquatic sports on the reservation. There isn't as much access to lifeguards or good coaches and many generations back, their parents or grandparents didn't learn how to swim either, so I think a lot of people don't see it as a possibility. Some may even have negative relationships with the water because of traumatic experiences from the past and it's kind of passed down through the generations to be afraid of the water."
On sharing his culture
"I always just try to bring people together and talk with people. It's more of an unconscious act because it just feels like a natural thing to do. Besides that, there aren't any really traditions I brought because they don't really fit in the pool...Swimmers - whatever level they are - are all just swimmers, sharing the love of swimming so it's a community right off the bat. During the pandemic, I didn't feel like I was locked away alone because there was swimming - being the sport it is - every other swimmer was also locked at home and we were all kind of in it together. There were multiple online programs throughout quarantine for swimmers to get 'together' - workouts with Katie Hoff, Swimmers for Change, Elizabeth Beisel's talks - were really inspirational too. Everyone got together online, and it was just another really good example of how community based and how much a team sport swimming really is. There is a huge yet small community of swimmers. It's hard to remember you are connected to so many people across the country."