Maxine Parker - Rotorua, New Zealand.
We lived by water; a stream and a lake. We holidayed by water; lakes and the sea. Playing and being in the water was part of our life, but not in a competitive way.
“Water has always been with me and therefore swimming has been, and still is, significant to what I do.
“Once married with my own children, I encouraged them to join the local swim club and I was quickly involved in the parent coaching group. This led me to become a qualified swim teacher, something I have kept going since 1996. I have also spent 30 years volunteering on and off for various organisations such as Special Olympics . Helping the swimmers is my purpose and forte.
“My mother raised us to have a deep care for people in our community. She was a fierce advocate for people who were marginalised by society. She staged a “sit in” at the Polynesian Pools back in the 70’s when she was supporting a retired doctor with severe dementia, but still a swimmer, and young boy on the spectrum. They were asked to leave the pool “because we don’t want those sort of people”. Nope, they did not get her out, and yes, she continued taking them to the pool weekly.
“Due to a redundancy from an admin job, when the company I worked with was bought by another organisation, I took the opportunity to dive deep into my passion of helping people in our community. I thought; I love the water and I want to help others find their way to safely enjoy the water, I’m going to do something about it. I established my own aquatic business, Swim-Able NZ, teaching, coaching and supporting adults with their swimming needs, as well as people with special needs, looking to become involved in swimming. I wanted Swim-Able NZ to be a Charitable Trust so the service it provides can continue in perpetuity and not rely on someone wanting to be in business.
“Before becoming a Charitable Trust, I was advised to prove there was a need for the service. We worked with up to 7 adult fitness and improvement sessions a week as well as 30 people with special needs. Referrals and interest quickly grew each week. I’m still mostly a one-person band.”
Let’s go back to the start
“My parents could not swim to save themselves, but they made sure we could. I am the oldest of five (two brothers, two sisters) all close in age and we were our own playmates.
“Growing up in the slums of Glasgow my parents had not learnt to swim. Soon after immigrating to Sydney, Australia, they both had a near drowning experience on the rocks off Bondi beach. Mum and her friend were swept off the rocks. Dad jumped in to rescue them. Lifeguards got to mum and her friend, they were fine. The last thing dad remembered before waking up in hospital, is a fisherman’s line being cast and he wrapped it around his wrist as he went under. This incident drove their resolve to make sure we could swim, and safely have fun in the water.
“Although I was born in Sydney, when aged two our family migrated to New Zealand, settling into life in Rotorua, where I have lived since.
“Our family property had a stream running through it which we called ‘the river’. The river was one of our biggest playgrounds. We swam, kayaked, rode giant rubber tubes and swung from a rope tied to one of the riverbank trees. The only ones to accidentally fall into the river were mum and our dog.
“The Waingahe (our river) is a trout spawning stream so only between 1 to 2m in width, very shallow to about 1.5m at the deepest spots. As young children we could comfortably swim against the current, which was not strong, but enough to make us appreciate the moving water environment.
“A story my dad often told of my water skills is around the time I was aged about three we would visit the Awakeri thermal hot pools where I would jump in and disappear. I had developed a dolphin-like propelling motion which had me zipping and zapping confidently in the pools.
“Not long after I reappeared at the other end of the pool, 15 meters away. The onlookers were amazed that such a little child could do such a thing. Dad didn’t bat an eye and simply made a comment that I swam better than him
“Mum involved us kids in the different waterways we visited and explored. Apart from our own aquatic playground at home, most of our holidays were based at or on water.
“I can distinctly recall her have us jump off a yacht into the ocean, swim around for a while and then climb back on to the yacht independently. Mum always insisted we needed the know how to be water safe and to be able to save ourselves. In saying this we always wore life jackets when on boats.
“I cannot actually remember any formal learn to swim lessons. I did belong to Lakeview Swim Club at the Blue Baths in Rotorua. I recall a Mr Freeman and one year being involved in a swimathon where we each swam 50 lengths.
“I was not, and still do not, classify myself as an athletic person. I swam in a ‘group’ (not a squad) once per week with breaststroke being my favored stroke (and still is) but I never became involved in competitive club swimming when growing up.
“Swimming was simply playing, exploring times as a kid. Swimming was about safety and fun, not competitions.”
Swim Able NZ
“In 2018 I established Swim-Able NZ.
“New Zealand, and especially my home city of Rotorua, has numerous water and aquatic opportunities, which attract high interest and use by various sport and groups of people.
“When establishing Swim-Able, it was important to me to provide swimming opportunities for the whole community. Mum’s values of being inclusive had rubbed off on me. Swim-Able has a philosophy that everyone should have the opportunity to experience enjoyment in water.
“There are others who share this philosophy like New Zealand extreme adventurer, Jezza Williams. Jezza became a tetraplegic following an accident in Switzerland. His journey since his accident, and his highly successful business Making Trax is something which has resonated with me.
“Inspiration comes in many forms and from many people, so I will share one such encouraging story amongst many I have encountered. One of our Board members, Nikayla Wood, was afraid of water, with no skill or confidence to build from. Slowly this changed and with Swim-Able’s support she now regularly swims open water events and embraces the challenges of triathlons. Check out her story, Nikayla Wood Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.
“The swim school is set up as a charitable trust, allowing us to obtain external financial support in some circumstances, supporting the swimmers who require additional physical and emotional support to reach their goals.
“Swim-Able provides for a wide variety of people; squads of adult groups aiming to improve their health, fitness and technique many training for events, water safety sessions, 1 on 1, small groups regardless of physical or mental abilities.
“For some, it may be to help swim in deeper water, although they are very capable swimmers in shallow. For others it is to help them progress from a 100m swim to a 500m swim. For a few it has helped them complete their bucket list of an Ironman, or 3km river swim. Everyone has different goals. For some, all they require is a little more support and the right resources.”
Octopus
“I often refer to Swim-Able as being an octopus. Swimming being the main body, and the tentacles being the variations of the way swimming is experienced and used by my clients.
“Mostly I coach the adults squads at the Rotorua Aquatic centre – outdoor thermally heated 50m pool and indoor 25m, but I also teach and coach swimmers in their preferred body of water. This can have me teaching in the local river, the local lakes, local school pool, private home pools, the sea.
“I coach, teach and support others seven days a week. The weekdays are my ‘business days’ of the trust, and the weekends is when we extend our services and celebrate the achievements on a volunteer basis. With an amazing cohort of volunteers, weekends focus on supporting people in their chosen events, triathlons or open water swimming, challenging themselves on the courses.
“We recently had four clients in a triathlon. To support all four, two of us were in the water, another supporting during the cycle and another on the run leg. It’s a big team effort, and we love every minute of it.”
More than a swimming lesson
“Professional practitioners, physiotherapy and child development specialists are some of the specialists who recommend their clients to swim with Swim-Able. Apart from their swimming progress I include functional movement development into the swim session, helping to improve their day-to-day living. Someone who may struggle with jumping on land can perform such a skill in the water. Someone who struggle with sideways movement on land, can achieve this, and more, in the pool.”
Jogging the Power Poles
“I am also deeply involved in the community group Jogging the Power Poles. JTP offers the Rotorua residents free organised group sessions of walking, running, cycling and swimming.
“I lead the summer lake swimming programme in the once per week session. I have been given a loving nickname, commonly known as “Mad Max”
“Along with original JTP organiser, ‘Krazy Kerris’ (running), Aunty Doris (walking), and I organise training programs for people to join irrespective of their age, size, fitness levels or ambitions. Krazy Kerris first set up JTP when she was struggling to find someone to help her with her ‘I want to run a marathon’ ambition.
“The weekly sessions attract up to 200 people, with a strong emphasis on participation, sharing and supporting each other.
“Many people who once thought they could not participate in physical events are now embracing the many events in and around Rotorua and other parts of the country throughout the year. Rotorua is known as an event city. There is an event happening on most weekends of the year.”
Describe your 'ideal' swim
“Every swim has a reason . . . fun, relaxation, fitness, helping someone, improvement.
“My preference is to swim at the lake, but I do swim in the pool, the sea and the rivers, several times each week, depending on how busy life gets.
“I love the soothing feeling of the water on my skin, and the mental health benefits it brings.”
What have been some of your best swimming events Maxine?
“Each year I will swim events, but I do not over do my own challenges. I obtain a lot of satisfaction by supporting others in their events. My first call is for my special needs swimmers and triathletes. Or the newbies who are participating for the first time or in their first season of swimming events. Over the years I have gained as much satisfaction by being the ‘support’ as I have when participating myself.
“The three New Zealand swims which I recommend are:
Huka Xstream river swim - a 3.3km down river swim in the Waikato River, swimming past 150-foot cliff walls, through the boiling waters of Hell Gates, and then onto the Huka Falls in Taupo. Breathtaking views as you swim and navigate the river flows.
The 5 Bridge Hamilton swim - a 7.1km swim, however with the assistance of the river flow, the swim is assessed as equivalent to a 3km swim.
Around the Mount - an extremely popular 2.8km swim held off the beautiful Mt. Maunganui beach in the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand
Other events which have participated in are the SwimRun events. Most recent was the Breca Bay of Islands (12km in total – 4 runs (8.5km) and 4 swims (3.5)
The IronMaori – a 1km / 45km / 10.5km triathlon
I swim in the open water events on occasions. Previously I swam the 5km event (Taupo) and the Brown Island, Auckland, a swim of 10km.
Is there a ‘bucket list’ swim you have identified for yourself?
“A big challenge I have is to swim the length of Taupo (40.2 km) within the next 10 years. I have swum the ‘across the lake swim’ (4.2km) event, however the length swim is one which has caught my attention.
“I would also like to swim in a multi lake swim overseas one day, but we’ll see. At this stage I am totally open to suggestions.”
When a visitor comes to Rotorua, what places would you recommend they take a swim?
“The local lakes are fantastic - the Blue Lake, Lake Okareka and Lake Tarawera.
“They are all wonderful places to swim but remember they are lakes, so for most of the year, a wetsuit is required. The water temperature is often under 15 degrees Celsius, with a range of 13-18 over the year. I have recorded the water temperature as low as 10.”
PLUS
· Huka River (Taupo. New Zealand)
· Mayor Island (Bay of Plenty. New Zealand)
· Anywhere in the Bay of Islands
Maxine, what are the 3-4 key fundamentals you teach to your swimmers who are swimming in an open water event for the first time
· Know where you are going, what your course is so you know what you are sighting for and where the exit is – yes people do swim pass them.
· Relax - you float and breath better.
· Anything goes, if your freestyle (which is generally the fastest) is not happening then breaststroke or go onto your back and scull for a while.
· Know who, what and where the safety is (lifeguards, IRBs, jet skis, kayaks, boats) and how to signal for assistance. So you can focus on head down bum up.
Above all . . . HAVE FUN – CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Finally - what are the main insights you wish to share?
· Make sure you enjoy the water when you are in it or on it.
· Embrace the function of swimming and moving through water.
· Learn to enjoy the water safely and have FUN . . . not everything is a competition.
· Mind over matter. Take away the limits of having to complete something by a certain date, or in a certain time. Do it in your time. Keep your head down and keep going.
· People with disabilities are entitled to the same opportunities as anyone else. All they need is extra resources, extra support.
· Although I am a mostly a one-person business, I would to see us expand and employ more instructors. I cannot operate and follow my purpose without the support team of so many wonderful people who continually wrap around me. I consider them family and they are incredible: the people in and around Rotorua Aquatic Centre and general community are amazing. Thank you to everyone who has helped and continues to help.
Footnote
Swim-Able NZ is a finalist in the 2021 People Choice Accessible Business Awards – Social Inclusion and Leisure category. Winner will be announced in mid-June.
Connect with Maxine
(Editor: Maxine mentions Jezza Williams in her wonderful story - I encourage you to watch this 10mins video about Jezza.)
