DOLPHIN AQUATICS
95 WHITE BRIDGE PIKE NO 209, NASHVILLE, TN 37205 www.nashvilledolphins.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: ENABLE. TO BRING THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF SWIMMING TO PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS REGARDLESS OF AGE, ABILITY, OR FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

AQUATICS PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.

THE NASHVILLE DOLPHIN SWIM TEAM PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND SWIM PRACTICES AND COMPETITION TO OVER 60 CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AT NO COST TO ANY PARTICIPANT. SWIMMERS MUST BE ABLE TO SWIM 25 YARDS INDEPENDENTLY AND TAKE DIRECTION FROM A COACH ON DECK TO PARTICIPATE ON THE SWIM TEAM. WE OFFER PRACTICES FOUR TIMES A WEEK FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING AND ONCE A WEEK DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE DOLPHIN SWIM TEAM COMPETES IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS LOCALLY, REGIONALLY, AND NATIONALLY, AND OUR SWIMMERS TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING PART OF A TEAM LIKE THEIR SIBLINGS AND PEERS. ONCE A YEAR WE TAKE OUR SWIM TEAM TO AN OUT OF STATE SWIM MEET, AND THIS WEEKEND TRIP IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE SEASON FOR OUR SWIMMERS. WE PAY ALL TRAVEL AND MEET EXPENSES. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES DIMINISH AFTER THE AGE OF 21, LEAVING MANY SEDENTARY, LONELY, AND OFTEN OVERWEIGHT AND UNHEALTHY. WE NOT ONLY MAKE AVAILABLE WEEKLY AEROBIC EXERCISE, WE ALSO PROVIDE MANY OUT OF WATER SOCIALIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS INCLUDING PARTIES, A WEEK-LONG DAY CAMP, HIKING TRIPS, YOGA, ETC. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE OUR SWIMMERS TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, WE VOLUNTEER WITH VARIOUS NONPROFITS AROUND NASHVILLE.COVID-19 UPDATE - WE SUSPENDED ALL DOLPHINS' AQUATIC PROGRAMMING IN MID-MARCH SO THAT THE WELFARE OF OUR WORKERS, VOLUNTEERS AND PARTICULARLY OUR PARTICIPANTS AND FAMILIES, WERE NOT COMPROMISED DURING THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES. HOWEVER, WE QUICKLY TRANSITIONED OUR PROGRAMMING TO FOCUS ON ONLINE OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDED ZOOM MEETINGS WITH INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP DOLPHIN MEMBERS. HERE, OUR COACHES AND INSTRUCTORS LEAD ONLINE FUN ACTIVITIES THAT CONTINUED TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, FRIENDSHIPS, AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DURING THESE TRYING TIMES. WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A "DOLPHIN BUDDY" SYSTEM WHERE VOLUNTEERS PAIRED WITH A DOLPHIN MEMBER AND HAD REGULAR ONE ON ONE VIRTUAL INTERACTIONS WITH THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND FEELING OF CONNECTEDNESS TO THE NASHVILLE DOLPHINS PROGRAM. IT HAS BEEN SUCH A POPULAR AND FUN PROGRAM THAT WE WILL MOST LIKELY CONTINUE AFTER THE PANDEMIC IS OVER.WE ALSO DEVELOPED AQUATIC VIDEOS AND STORY BOARDS OF THE TYPICAL NASHVILLE DOLPHINS SWIM LESSON EXPERIENCES. THE TOPICS INCLUDED WATER SAFETY AND WATER SKILLS THAT CAN BE PRACTICED AT HOME. IN ADDITION, OUR STAFF HAS BEEN BUSY DEVELOPING CREATIVE ADAPTATIONS OF OUR CURRENT AQUATICS PROGRAMMING CURRICULUM TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH COVID SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS. WE STRIVED TO BE FULLY PREPARED TO RELAUNCH OUR PROGRAMS WHEN OUR GOVERNING BODIES DEEM IT SAFE.IN ADDITION, DURING OUR OUT OF WATER TIME, ALL OF OUR LEAD INSTRUCTORS HAVE TAKEN THE SWIM ANGELFISH 16 HOUR ADAPTIVE SWIMMING COURSE. THIS COURSE TEACHES A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH TO TEACHING BY USING THE THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES OF THE WATER TO ACHIEVE GOALS. ALL OF OUR LEAD INSTRUCTORS ARE NOW CERTIFIED "SWIM WHISPERERS".IN AUGUST 2020, WE WERE ABLE TO USE AN OUTDOOR POOL WITH 10 LANES FOR OUR SWIM TEAM PRACTICES. COACHES WORE MASKS AND FACE SHIELDS AND SWIMMERS WERE KEPT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER. 45 MEMBERS OF OUR SWIM TEAM WERE ABLE TO PRACTICE ONCE A WEEK THROUGH ALL OF AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. WE ARE NOW LOOKING FOR APPROPRIATE INDOOR POOL SPACE SO WE CAN CONTINUE SAFE SWIM PRACTICES. ON SEPTEMBER 11, WE WERE ABLE TO START BACK SOME OF OUR JUNIOR AND FUTURE DOLPHINS (48 SWIMMERS) CLASSES USING OUR NEW SAFETY PROCEDURES AND SO FAR ALL CLASSES ARE GOING VERY WELL.

THE JUNIOR DOLPHINS PROGRAM PROVIDES SWIM INSTRUCTION TO THOSE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WHO CAN SWIM SEVERAL YARDSINDEPENDENTLY BUT NEED MORE EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY ARE ABLE TO JOIN OUR SWIM TEAM. THE JUNIOR DOLPHIN INSTRUCTORS AND VOLUNTEERS ARE IN THE WATER WITH OUR SWIMMERS TEACHING PROPER TECHNIQUE ON ALL FOUR STROKES AND PROPER BREATHING. THEY ALSO WORK TO BUILD EACH SWIMMER'S ENDURANCE. TYPICALLY, VOLUNTEERS ARE POSITIONED DOWN THE SWIM LANE, SO SWIMMERS BEGIN TO DO LAPS DURING PRACTICE WITH REST AND INSTRUCTION ALL ALONG THE WAY. WE CURRENTLY OFFER SIX JUNIOR DOLPHIN CLASSES A WEEK AND HAVE 42 CHILDREN ENROLLED IN THE JUNIOR DOLPHIN CLASSES. THIS PAST YEAR TEN SWIMMERS FROM THE JUNIOR DOLPHIN CLASSES WERE ABLE TO ADVICE TO THE SWIM TEAM.

THE FUTURE DOLPHINS' PROGRAM PROVIDES ONE ON ONE LEARN TO SWIM LESSONS AND WATER SAFETY TO 124 CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES EACH SEMESTER AT NO COST TO ANY PARTICIPANT. DROWNING IS A LEADING CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH AMONG CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND LEARNING TO SAFELY SWIM IS A SURE WAY TO PREVENT DROWNING. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES NEED INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION AND ATTENTION IN THE POOL WHICH WE PROVIDE, AND EACH LESSON IS CUSTOMIZED TO EACH SWIMMER'S NEEDS AND ABILITIES. BEFORE EACH SESSION BEGINS, PARENTS OF CHILDREN NEW TO THE PROGRAM FILL OUT A DETAILED QUESTIONNAIRE ABOUT THEIR CHILD'S NEEDS, LIKES, ABILITIES, BEHAVIOR, ETC. SO OUR INSTRUCTORS AND VOLUNTEERS CAN PLAN HOW TO WORK BEST WITH THEIR SWIMMER. SWIMMERS ARE EVALUATED AT THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE, AND END OF EACH SESSION IN ORDER TO TRACK THE PROGRESSION OF SKILLS.CHILDREN ARE PAIRED WITH THE SAME VOLUNTEERS AND INSTRUCTORS EACH WEEK. WE UTILIZE OVER 100 VOLUNTEERS EACH WEEK WITHIN OUR FUTURE DOLPHIN PROGRAM. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF LESSONS A CHILD CAN RECEIVE IN THIS PROGRAM AS ALL OF OUR SWIMMERS LEARN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND SPEEDS. WHETHER IT TAKES 6 WEEKS OR SIX YEARS, MOST PARTICIPANTS LEARN HOW TO SAFELY SWIM AND CAN THEN MOVE UP TO OUR JUNIOR DOLPHIN (INTERMEDIATE) PROGRAM. SOME PARTICIPANTS WITH MORE SEVERE PHYSICAL OR INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGES MAY NEVER BE ABLE TO SWIM INDEPENDENTLY, BUT THE ONE ON ONE ATTENTION IN THE WARM WATER BUILDS MUSCLE STRENGTH, INCREASES FLEXIBILITY, AND IMPROVES MUSCLE RELAXATION.

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