Blog: “My goal is to make a number of qualifying times”
This weekend, the country’s best swimmers head to Southampton for the National Junior Para-Swimming Championships 2018. One swimmer hoping to beat the others off the block is Emily-Jane Surgeoner. Today, Emily-Jane tells us how having the support from her dad, former Paralympian Robin Surgeoner, means a lot to her. We also hear from Robin on what it’s like to train his daughter.
Hi, I’m Emily-Jane Surgeoner, I’m a para-swimmer and I have cerebral palsy. I’m 11 years old and I live in Sutton Coldfield with my family. You’ll probably know my dad, Robin Surgeoner – he’s a nine times gold medallist Paralympian.
I started swimming when I was a baby, my parents took me to swimming classes. When I got a bit older and could swim fairly well my dad then started to teach me to swim properly.
Then at eight years old, after great training from my dad, I joined my local swimming club, Boldmere, and took part my first club championships in September 2015. I have continued to progress and now I’m a member of The West Midlands Disability Swim Squad and the Orion Orange Squad.
Currently I train four times a week and compete as often as I can.
I love swimming, it’s a fun form of exercise as I don’t get to run around in the playground. I especially love learning new techniques that make me swim better.
Robin, who now coaches and competes occasionally, is now retired, spends his time as a self-employed musician, arts trainer and is an inclusion consultant. He explains how he supports his daughter in any way he can.
“Emily has shown a great love for swimming and myself the rest of the family support her in any way we can. I have spent a lot of time working with her to try and make her as good a swimmer I can as she progresses on her physical development and athlete pathway.
"Emotionally, we give her all the strength we can, and of course I hope that my experiences of swimming at an elite level is something that I can share to help her own psychological strength.
“We love going swimming together and when possible we still go for fun sessions. It’s also great competing together – earlier in the year we were able to compete in the same relay team at the East Midlands Regional Championships – we won gold! I love being with her and helping her deliver her best.
“I am a very proud Daddy, and feel every stroke of every race that she does. Sometimes I find myself copying her breathing pattern as she swims, and I am certainly one of the loudest voices of encouragement from the poolside. We would love to see Emily rise the ranks of Paralympic swimming but are resolute in keeping the focus of enjoyment as the main reason for doing it. I don’t use my success as any sort of a bench mark, but just encourage Emily to be the best that she wants to be.”
The support from my dad and other family members is really important to me. They take me to training every week and cheer me on in competitions. The encouragement I get from them to do my best is priceless. I’m really grateful to my dad, he teaches me new skills and it’s great to have him as one of my coaches. I am proud to follow my dad’s example and I hope to win more Paralympic medals than he did.
Overall swimming makes me feel happy with myself. It can be frustrating at times, especially if I don’t get the time I wanted or make mistakes that affect how my performance. However, I always feel proud for trying – even if it doesn’t go to plan.
I have recently been selected to join Swim England’s foundation level Para Talent Programme. I have a full year’s calendar of events to take part in which I’m really excited about.
I am currently training for the National Junior Para-swimming Championships, taking place in Southampton this weekend. I have been training hard for this. I just want to swim well and I’m looking forward to seeing if all my training is making a difference.
My goal for this event is to make a number of qualifying times so that I can swim at my first British Para International Swim Meet, taking place at the end of May. Of course, my other goal is to have improved on my overall times too.
I love being active. My advice to other disabled people thinking of taking up a sport or being more active is – don’t be afraid of trying new things, even if they might seem difficult. Just keep on looking and you will find something that is right for you.
