Special Olympics New York Funds AGUA Swimmers
Young Swimmers Racing into Competitive Meets
NYC Swim Team Grows with Funding from New Special Olympics New York Program
By Randy Robertson, NYC and Hudson Valley Regional Storyteller
New York, NY – There’s a beautiful indoor swimming pool on the Upper East Side of Manhattan where certified swim instructors teach young students with intellectual disabilities how to swim. The youngsters learn basic and advanced strokes, how to kick and even how to dive. Until this past spring, those swimmers didn’t have an opportunity to compete as a team and race against others.
A new Community Partnership Funding Program at Special Olympics New York opened new possibilities for the group. Now the Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics (AGUA) team is making quite a splash in the state swimming scene. At the State Summer Games at Utica University in June, an AGUA relay team took home a relay medal and several other individual honors. Enthusiasm is off the charts.
“It was a life changing experience for us,” Coach Meghan Bentley said. “It was so beautiful to see them competing and having this experience that they probably wouldn’t have had before, if it weren’t for Special Olympics. Seeing them come together as a team, the families having dinner together, and the opening ceremonies, you could just feel the energy.”
One of the medal winners was Leilani Byrd-Perez, a 13-year-old with low muscle tone who had difficulty competing in other sports. Her mother, Daliz Perez-Cabezas, said swimming offered Leilani a chance to find her athleticism and showcase her competitive spirit. But it was only possible in an adaptive swim program where the instructor-to-student ratios are low and the children are coached with special care.
“It’s really nice to see Leilani enjoy swimming and be successful,” Perez-Cabezas said. “The AGUA program gave her an opportunity to be part of a team and compete. I knew our kids were going to be supported here, the coaches were going to be patient and meet our kids where they’re at.”
The Community Partnership Funding Program was created this year to enable existing programs across the state to connect with Special Olympics New York. While Special Olympics never charges athletes any fees for competitions, uniforms, medals, etc., individual community programs have varying independent budgets they manage.
If a community program offers sports for athletes with intellectual disabilities and wants those athletes to compete, it might qualify for initial funding from Special Olympics New York to make the jump to competitions. Asphalt Green is one of the first to benefit from the new program, and leaders at both organizations couldn’t be happier with the results.
“We love to see new athletes, families and coaches have an awesome experience like Asphalt Green had at the State Games and then grow that program or grow by adding additional sports programs,” said Daniel Kuberka, who administers the program for Special Olympics New York.
Kuberka noted that Asphalt Green might grow further by adding more swimmers, and possibly by adding a competitive soccer team that would also compete in Special Olympics events. That’s exactly the kind of growth that the Asphalt Green staff hopes to see as well.
The Asphalt Green Aqua Center was built in 1993, as part of an overall five-acre complex in a program that provides recreational opportunities to youth and adults in New York City. Located at 91st Avenue and York Avenue, the Asphalt Green Aquatic Center is a growing piece of the overall mission of the organization.
“We are always looking for ways to break down barriers,” said Karen Bolsinari, the Senior Director of External Engagement at Asphalt Green. “All of our programs have a degree of adaptive, inclusive programming. And now Special Olympics New York gives us access to competitive programming. This is just the beginning.”
Bolsinari confirmed that AGUA intends to grow and to ideally double in size within a year, either by adding more juniors to the current 18-and-under swim program or by starting an adaptive competitive adult swim team.
For now, leaders and families alike are proud to see competitive swimming thriving in the community.
“My son is 9, and he’s been swimming since he was a baby,” said Ashleigh Mitchell, who enrolled her son, Alexander.. “This is his first real foray into something structured. His improvement has been so noticeable and it’s giving him a sense of purpose in the water. Now he feels like he’s doing real swimming and that’s fun to see. This has been a great experience for my son.”
In Utica last month, Jamie Schmidt watched eagerly as his daughter Remi, 11, competed in the State Games. The competition was amazing, and Remi took home 3 silver medals and a bronze. The day was special for father and daughter.
“Remi is a strong swimmer, she’s fast,” Jamie said. “And now she’s part of a team and she’s getting cheered on for swimming fast, so it’s really validating for her.”
Special Olympics New York is always looking to partner with organizations in the community that provide recreational opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Learn more here!
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