It’s a good bet that if anyone learned to swim at the Cayman Islands government swimming school during the past 17 years, they would have done so under the tutelage of instructor Paula Swaby.
She has been a permanent fixture at the Lions Aquatic Centre and government swim school. So much so, that this month Merta Day, the women’s coordinator at the Department of Sports, has selected Swaby to be highlighted during Honouring Women’s Month.
“Paula has taught thousands of our kids to swim,” Day said. “She brings her passion to the pool each day and her spirit and courage have been inspiring to watch as she nurtures our young talent.”
Swaby, 50, keeps on because of her love of sports and the knowledge that she is contributing on a national level.
“Teaching swimming is a passion,” she said. “I feel like I am creating art when I coach these youngsters. They are a piece of canvas art in my hands and by working with them I feel God is working in me to develop their talent, or just to teach them how to learn to swim.”
Plus, in the grand scheme of things, she knows that she is giving back or passing it along, in the same way it was done for her when she first became involved in sport.
Swaby began her athletic career in Jackson Bill in Isle of Pines, Cuba, at age 16. Growing up along the south coast of Cuba, she was undoubtedly drawn to the water. Some of her favourite activities were fishing and swimming, while she competed in track and field in primary school.
Her athletic abilities were recognised at 16 when she was invited to join the National Sports Schools in Cuba.
“I studied and practiced all the many sports required – from weight lifting to gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, track and field, baseball, football, judo, boxing, karate, water polo and other subjects,” she said. “I really tried my best to make sure I passed them successfully and I did.”
She practiced for two hours every day in the mornings and afternoon.
“Sometimes the water was very cold or often dirty,” she added. “I never even had a pair of goggles, or swim cap and many times our pool had no chlorine. Other times it had too much and our eyes burned. Despite that, I can’t recall a day when I complained or didn’t want to swim or do sports. I loved it.”
She graduated in 1983 after specialising in swimming. She was selected as top student of the year.
Since then, Swaby has never stopped teaching children to swim. She said she thinks that sport is an important factor for proper development.
“Sports keep kids busy at doing something important,” she said. “It helps them to develop physically, psychologically, socially and emotionally. It also helps give them a sense of society and a circle of friends.
“Through sports, they know their strengths and can also develop many important abilities, which they can use later in life to transition into healthy adults.”
Swaby has two sons, Dulian Terry Swaby, 29, and Jorge Alarcon Swaby, 26. Both sons have represented the Cayman Islands in sports, namely basketball, boxing and volleyball.
Swaby said she feels the need to accomplish one thing as soon as possible – teaching her grandchildren. Even if that means travelling or moving from her comfort in Grand Cayman to where they live.
“In almost 30 years in my career I can say that just here in the Cayman Islands I have taught more than half the population of our young generation to swim,” she said. “I always thank God for putting me here and giving me the gift to help others to not only swim but to encourage them to live their lives and ignore peer pressure, bullying and all the many unfair things the kids today face almost on a daily basis.”
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