HOW IT ALL STARTED

Growing up, I was a swimmer. It was among the most important things in my life. I grew up going to training every day after school, and found so much more consistency and support in my swimming home than I did in my actual home. Despite the early mornings, the cold pool, the intense distance workouts, I still loved it because I had a goal. All of the hours staring at the blue line, and pushing myself to reach the wall faster than the day before, taught me so much about hard work and what we can endure.

I had at least 6 coaches in my 11 years of swimming competitive. As much as we assume that coaches only value fast swimmers, that’s just not why coaches get into the profession. It’s a passion for something bigger than a paycheck.

Its all about the journey.

Among my fondest memories during training was meetings. I used to celebrate them as a swimmer because a meeting meant more time on dryland, less time cranking up my heart rate. But many times, the words spoken by my coaches received an applause of rapid heart rates. But the passion in my coach’s eyes as he vehemently spoke on the correlation between attitude and effort or the expectation and culture associated with the swimming club logo on our caps.

I remember diving after, so eager to get better, after hearing my coaches confidence in us and his aspirations for us.

I wanted that very same journey for Water Sapien. The journey filled with success and failure. Filled with joy and sadness. Filled with moments that are easy and moments that are hard.

Water Sapien Swimming Academy embodies passion, hard work, grit and a dream.

With Water Sapien, I want the future generation swimmers to be able to

find a home away from home and a second family – to learn to celebrate the success of others, transcend pain thresholds, discover acts of courage within themselves, and begin to see life through the lens of team, service, and leadership.

Water Sapien wants young swimmers to locate their passion for swimming and focus on the love for the sport and the commitment because of the dedication of their coaches and the culture of their team. And every day, we will step onto the pool deck to help develop a swimmer to his or her potential, to build a team and a team culture, and to help shape lives.

This is what lies beneath the surface of our sport. The greatest lessons of life, of relationships, of personal growth, and athletic development.

A sport that changes lives.

Ariff Azizi

Head Coach & Founder of WSSA (2010)