Giving back is a concept that has long driven the sport of open water swimming forward.
Swimmers tend to pass along their knowledge, experiences, and expertise to newcomers and swimmers of the next generation (e.g., see Ned Denison above with young Irish swimmers who just completed their first lap around Sandycove Island).
Most share their know-how and passion for free as volunteer coaches, teammates, pace swimmers, escort kayakers, event staff, seconds, support crew, and mentors. Others support charitable causes or mentor swimmers either near them or virtually through Zoom, smartphones, or online communications.
Some give back commercially by writing books, appearing in documentary films, starting coaching ventures, or holding camps, clinics or swim vacations.
There are many different and many multiple ways of giving back, both with and without compensation.
Over the course of this year, we will highlight many swimmers who give back voluntarily and donate their time and talents to help the next generation of swimmers.
Michelle Evans-Chase, PhD, daughter of Lt. Colonel Stewart Evans [shown above on left], the first person to swim to the California mainland from the Farallon Islands in 1967, and her husband marathon swimmer and coach Bruckner Chase [shown above on right with Dr. Evans-Chase and their American Samoan Toa o le Tai colleagues] are mentors at Rice University.
Michele and Bruckner work with the SOAR (Student-Athlete Development & Letterwinner Engagement) Office that shape the holistic development of the Rice University student-athletes. On December 2nd, Bruckner will present the science and practical experience behind the practice of mindfulness meditation by taking care of yourself first to positively impact your team and your life. On December 3rd, Michele will discuss the science behind training your brain to respond to the expected unexpected stresses and challenges from the field of sports to the office to the world beyond sports and work.
The SOAR Office remains dedicated to preparing Rice University student-athletes for success during their time in college and beyond, offering comprehensive support in professional development, civic engagement, and mental wellness. Through collaboration with swimmers like Dr. Evans-Chase and her husband Bruckner, the SOAR program aims to provide student-athletes with the resources and opportunities to thrive both personally and professionally.
The husband-and-wife duo also give back closer to their Ocean City home in New Jersey where they started the Ocean Swimming & Prone Paddleboarding program for Athletes with Spinal Cord Injuries at the Bacharach Rehabilitation Hospital, and the City of Upper Township. They help individuals with spinal cord injuries learn how to move through the water and guide open water prone paddleboarding and swimming sessions. Their Ocean City Swim Club / Bacharach Rehabilitation Hospital Swimming and Paddling Unified Team Program has long profoundly touched and changed the lives of many disabled individuals.
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“
A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.