Adam, a profoundly deaf swimming assistant, shares his ambition in coaching and inclusive swimming
Adam, 17, from the Isle of Man, recently completed his SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching) and SEQ Level 2 Teaching Swimming qualifications with the Institute of Swimming.
Here, Adam, who was born profoundly deaf, will explain how he plans to make coaching part of his future career, and how he is keen to provide specialist swimming lessons for those who are hard of hearing.
Adam says:
“Swimming has always been a part of my life. I learnt as a child and then continued into competitive swimming. I love to swim and still compete with Southern Swimming Club, with the ambition to represent Great Britain in the Deaflympics in Tokyo in 2025.
“Alongside my swimming training I am passionate about inspiring other deaf people to swim, as our disability doesn’t impact our ability to swim. I was inspired by a friend who was also a deaf swimmer and I want to be a similar role model to other deaf people.”
Alongside his academic college work, Adam passed his National Pool Lifeguard Qualification(NPLQ) in April 2023 and went on to gain his Level 1 and Level 2 Swimming Teacher Qualifications in the Autumn of 2023.
He says:
“I started helping the coaches at my swimming club when I was 13 so it made sense to formalise my experience with the best qualifications available. I’m always happy when I teach swimming, and I love to see a pupil’s potential and then help realise it.”
Adam’s swimming teacher qualifications were blended, meaning there was a combination of online and in-person training.
Adam says:
“I found the Institute of Swimming’s qualifications to be extremely comprehensive, and I was impressed how the tutors made adaptions for my learning, taking into consideration my disability and providing me with additional 1:2:1 lesson planning sessions.”
Adam continues:
“Teaching swimming to someone who is hard of hearing sometimes requires different approaches, as people who are deaf manage their conditions in different ways; some use sign language, some lip read, whilst others prefer physical demonstrations or visual cards. Swimming teachers should be aware of these methods and be conscious that some pupils may not necessarily be able to hear whistles or shouted instructions.
“I hope to be able to offer specialist swimming lessons for the deaf at a local leisure centre in the Isle of Man as I continue to expand my education, my experience, fine tune my own competitive swimming and forge out my own coaching career.”
Find out how to become a swimming teacher and start the SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant Course