Artistic swimming with invisible disabilities (autism spectrum diagnosis, a visual disability, dyspraxia and dyscalculia).
Brandon started working with Steph to learn artistic swimming on a 1-to-1 basis in 2018. Since then he’s learned technical skills, performed display routines, as well as developing a positive relationship with the water.
“In April 2018 I came across Steph at a synchro session for beginners. I started the session convinced that, although I wanted very much to do synchro, I was definitely not able to do it. By the end I thought, solely because of Steph’s patient encouragement and kindness, that I might be able to do it. Since then, Steph’s outstanding teaching has begun to help me change my assumptions about myself as a swimmer, whether synchro, competitive or open water. Although I still have very ambivalent feelings about my capabilities as a swimmer, and negative thoughts about my physical being (although not as strong as they were) and although I find the noisy atmosphere of swimming galas difficult (because of being autistic), I think that something fundamental may have changed. I am now able to enjoy a deep sense of agency and power, and of being ‘held’ by the water, when swimming which I, as a disabled and neurodivergent person, rarely, if ever, feel in the course of everyday life. ”
Have your own swimming, artistic swimming or water based goals?