I noticed Conner the first day of class the summer of 2011 by his peculiar attitude towards the water. Most of the kids loved to get in, although there were always girls that thought it was too cold. Conner, with his goggles in hand, refused to get in the pool on the first day, and on the second, and on the third.

He would rather sit on the diving blocks next to me and keep to himself, despite his mother's angry commands. Although it was sometimes inconvenient, I never got frustrated. I understood. I asked him each day if he wanted to get in and join the others. He would simply reply, “No, I don’t think so.” The other coaches had passed him from level to level because they didn't know what else to do with him. But I wasn't going to do that. I was going to take on the impossible task. I was going to get him in the water.

I started thinking of ways to get him to come out of his shell and at least try to swim. I talked to his mother and we set up days where he could come to the pool when we didn't have practice. During the first afternoon, he was hesitant. But, after ten or fifteen minutes, he loosened up and started talking to me and expressing how he felt. This was exactly what I wanted.

Being alone with him, he was completely different. He acted silly and more confident. We sat on the slimy, gray pool deck tiles and talk about school and his pets, sometimes for the whole hour. He even told me about his imaginary friend Goldfish Sam. And the best part was when he got in the water. He would only go in if I did, and he still refused to go in at the actual practices, but I was getting somewhere.

During one of the last practices that summer, I gave all the kids an inner tube just for fun. I asked Conner if he wanted to get in and he whispered into my ear: “Will they think I look funny?”

“No, Conner, they won't.”

“Okay...but I’m scared. Will you go with me?”

I nodded my head and smiled, thinking, is this actually happening? Is he really going to do it? Then, hand in hand we jumped together. I have never been prouder.

That is the way I try to live my life. Although there are many things I am uncomfortable with, I try to push myself out of my comfort zone and take that big jump into uncertainty, just like Conner did.