Dear Editor:

I have been so blessed by having the privilege of helping coach the Special Olympics swim team.

On Friday morning, the team will leave to compete in the statewide Special Olympics at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.

Working with this group of athletes has helped me grow and have more faith in myself than ever before. I have taught my son, nieces, nephews the appreciation of water and swimming.

Rosimanett Guadet asked me to help her with the swim team.

Nathan, Guadet’s grandson, pushed me to swim hard and fast. He is very competitive.

One day he was not swimming his fastest because Allen was not there to compete against him. While the girls rested I swam against him. Let’s just say I slept very well that night. Allen and Nathan are both very good swimmers.

Then there is Byrne. It is his first year with Special Olympics. He swims like a fish under the water but was not very comfortable on top of the water. Byrne’s mother, Guadet and I worked with him trying to figure out how to get him to understand what to do.

We were trying to get Byrne to coordinate his arms to swim on top of the water. I started calling it “Roller Coaster.” I am not a conventional teacher. With his mom’s and my help moving his arms over and over his head Byrne has learned to “Roller Coaster” swim. He is up to two laps swimming on top of the water with me beside him saying “Roller Coaster” over and over again.

The two girls, Haley and Rosekita, are already great swimmers.  Haley swims mainly with one arm.  After all these years knowing her, it still amazes me.  Rosekita is a very good, graceful swimmer.  Getting the girls to take a breath while swimming and building stamina was a great achievement.

Pam Frank,

Natchez