Wrap of the Visual Impairment Winter Camp
Swimming NZ and Blind Sport NZ collaborated for another Visual Impairment camp over the weekend. The camp was held in Christchurch and was dubbed the "Winter Camp" after the delivery of the "Summer Camp" in January earlier this year.
The collaboration has been designed to enhance water confidence among individuals with a vision impairment. Additionally, both organisations seek to rekindle the involvement of visually impaired swimmers and foster connections between role models in the sport and the upcoming generation.
For this camp, London 2012 Paralympic Games Gold Medallist, Mary Fisher, joined the group of 12 swimmers who participated in the three day camp. Fisher was involved in a question and answer session, as well as in the water during the pool sessions. A highlight for many of the participants was challenging Fisher to a short race, where she proved to have not lost her speed.
The camp consisted of four pool sessions, where the swimmers continued to become more familiar with the water and develop their stroke technique. Some of the pool sessions included turns, with swimmers learning how to use a tapper and included getting the parents involved in the learning too.
Outside of the pool, the group completed a Clip and Climb rock climbing session which challenged them to face their fears where all grew their confidence. The camp had everyone staying together for the two nights, with some team bonding activities across the weekend.
Gary Heaven, father of one of the participants, felt the coaching provided at the camp was incredibly beneficial for their daughter Laura.
"In her first lesson with Ollie (Morton - one of the swim instructors), her stroke changed immediately for the better. Then on the next day when she couldn't do tumble turns, she gave it a second try and she could, so the quality of coaching was great. The ability to have someone know how Laura needed to hear it made such a big difference."
Heaven also commented how great it was to have role models at the camp.
"It was so good to hear Mary and Cam (Leslie) talk about balance when sharing to the group that it's not just about focusing on swimming and nothing else. It's been an awesome experience."
Having been involved in the full three days, Swimming NZ's Disability & Para Swimming Participation Manager, Cameron Leslie, felt the camp was a great success.
"We saw new swimmers come to this camp and grow their confidence in the water. Laura is just one example of a swimmer who improved over the weekend from intensive coaching focused on how they as a group need to hear descriptions and/or be demonstrated in an effective way."
Leslie added the benefit of having Fisher involved for the second consecutive year.
"Having Mary involved is just such a treat for all the swimmers. She is such a role model for how you can love swimming, have fun, and be good at it in whatever your chosen level of swimming is."
Blind Sport NZ's Community & Programmes Lead, Jemma Drake, was really pleased with how the camp went over the weekend.
"It was another amazing weekend of improvements, PBs, connection, confidence and fun. Seeing swimmers self advocate to coaches, to swimming their first length, to families connecting with each other, the camp was a resounding success. We are delighted that this initiative keeps growing each time in numbers and quality to those attending, and we are already looking forward to the next one."
Overall, the camp was a great success which achieved the goal of encouraging swimmers with a visual impairment to be more comfortable in the water and improve their skills, whether that be for their own health and wellbeing, enjoyment or those who may wish to try competitive swimming in the future.
Thank you to each of the swimmers and parents for making the camp a success for all involved. A special thank you also to those involved in bringing the camp to life: Blind Sport NZ, Parafed Canterbury and Mary Fisher, plus instructors Emma Smith (Aquagym), Andrea Sinden (Tauranga Swim School) and Ollie Morton (Hampden Street Swim School & Nelson South).
You can also learn more about different ways to be involved in the water from our following webpages:
If you have more questions about the camp or future opportunities to be involved, please email Cam at cameron@swimming.org.nz
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