A joyous shriek rang out and echoed from the corrugated steel roof of the public pool facility. It was Olivia’s mother, ecstatic at the progress her daughter had made. Progress that, to a casual observer, would look like just another kid timidly approaching the water.
Of all the kids she had worked with, Olivia’s story struck a chord. When they met, Olivia wouldn’t even dip a toe into the pool. She tried everything she’d learned about positive experiences in sports, to help her young student overcome her fear. Nothing seemed to work, but our coach persevered, guided by her HIGH FIVE training.
“I tried everything I could to help her overcome her fear of the water. Nothing seemed to be working, but I persisted with Olivia through my HIGH FIVE training.”
Finally, during an emotional conversation, Olivia’s mother explained: her little brother had drowned during a trip to the beach–a revelation that led to a breakthrough. With supportive coaching, Olivia walked to the pool’s edge, squeezed her mother’s hand and jumped in. The HIGH FIVE training had all been worth it. Way to go Olivia!