I get a sense of a personality when I watch someone swim. I don’t know if the way you are in the water translates into the way you are in life but I think it must be true to some extent.

Some of the children I teach are reckless and daredevil, throwing themselves into the water and just trusting I will be there to catch them. Some of them are cautious and fearful, refusing to do anything I ask until they are sure it is safe. Some are not very co-ordinated and struggle with moving themselves through the water, some are natural movers and are like little seals from the first moment. Some are shy and don’t say anything above a whisper, others would shout excitedly through the whole lesson if I didn’t occasionally ask them to let me get a word in.

The adults are more hidden, but still you can get a sense of a person in the water although its not always something you can put into words.