Wynnewood 7th Grader, Paralympic Swimming Champ, Shares Passion

By FRIENDS’ CENTRAL SCHOOL

Friends’ Central School 7th grader Amanda Sheward recently shared her enthusiasm for swimming, as well as the numerous medals she has won as a Paralympic swimmer, at a special presentation for her classmates, friends, and teachers.

Sheward said, “I have been swimming all my life. I love to swim!”

Friends’ Central Middle School Principal Alexa Quinn said, “Amanda approached me about sharing her experience at the Paralympics with her classmates and friends. This is one thing I love about our community – when our students have the confidence to share something about themselves with their peers and teachers.”

In her presentation, Sheward said that one side of her body is weaker than the other, but that doesn’t stop her from working hard and excelling in the water.

Sheward participates not only in the Paralympics but also on Friends’ Central’s Middle School co-ed swimming team, Friends’ Central Aquatics (FCA), and the Blaze Swim Team, medaling a number of times, including at the National Junior Disability Championships and the 2014 CanAm Para-Swimming Championships.

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She was excited to not only talk about these experiences with her classmates, but also to pass around the medals and awards she has won over the years, giving her friends a closer look at the world of Paralympic swimming.

Quinn said, “Amanda sharing her story is a great example of showing how something that can be perceived as a disability can be turned into a place of success, achievement, and empowerment.”

Last October, Sheward participated in the Fred Lamback Disability Meet in Augusta, Ga., also known as “The Fred,” which is an annual meet that began in 2012, is open to swimmers with a physical, visual, or intellectual impairment and hosts close to 100 swimmers each year.

FCA’s Assistant Head Age Group Coach Kerry Sherin-Porter was able to join Sheward and her family as Sheward’s guest coach at “The Fred” in October and said she was excited that Amanda was “immediately embraced by the very warm community swimmers. All the swimmers have special needs and disabilities - physical or intellectual. The level of enthusiasm, energy, and speed from every swimmer was incredible.”

Sherin-Porter added, “It’s remarkable to watch the athletes swim beyond their level of disability. One leg, one arm, blind, or three feet tall, it didn’t matter. They all swam with a huge amount of heart, and if they were disqualified, the swimmers used the experience as a learning tool and moved on. I thank the Sheward family for sharing this wonderful experience with me and for opening my eyes to an all inspiring group of athletes.”

Sheward, whose favorite strokes are the 200-meter breaststroke and the 50-meter backstroke, said what she likes most about the Paralympic swimming experience is “meeting new people, getting to see what the Paralympics are all about.”

She has enjoyed meeting some notable people in the world of swimming, including Mei Mei, Amanda Everdeen, and Courtney Jordan, but more than anything, Sheward said she loves “just experiencing everything.”

Sherin-Porter said, “Amanda has an inner light that always shines. She’s always smiling. She rarely shows defeat and embraces every word a coach may say to help her improve.”

Sherin-Porter added that Sheward at times can struggle to coordinate one side of her body, “but she drives herself to swim more efficiently. Every time I see her in the water, she inspires me to be a better coach. Amanda and the Paralympic community have that common bond to push through what life deals out to you and overcome those adversities. Amanda is always a winner!”