My name is Jennifer Butcher. I am a two time Paralympic athlete. I competed in the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games and 2004 Athens Paralympic Games.

I can not even imagine what my life would have been like without the sport of swimming. I started swimming at the age of 12 at my local USA swim club. I was very drawn to swimming. It was an environment where I could excel and not worry about trying to catch a flying ball or distinguish a teammate across the field. There was something wrong with my vision, but no one new what. I went on to compete for my high school and participated in the state championships all four years. I went on to compete in college where II earned All American status 25 times and competed at the NAIA National level. My vision continued to take a turn for the worse and was finally diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease. I figured my life as a swimmer was over. I continued to casually compete at the Masters level. I began to coach swimming as I continued graduate school. It was not until I started my career as a teacher of the visually impaired that I first heard of “Disabled Swimming” and the Paralympic Games. In response to a bet from a colleague, I got back in the water and began to compete in a world I did not even know existed. I made the Paralympic team and had the opportunity to compete in Australia, Argentina, Greece, and all over the United States. If only I knew about Disabled Swimming when I started swimming at a young age. I just think of all the places I could have gone and experiences I could have had. 

Being introduced to the Paralympics at age 26 was too late in life for me.That is why I am here to spread the word to young athletes.Living with a visual impairment is very difficult.If it were not for my career in swimming, I am not sure I would have made it.Swimming teaches self esteem, discipline, motivation, time management and perseverance. All the trait’s an individual living with a disability needs.  Don’t take for granted the opportunities that are there for you. If swimming is your dream, here are steps to get you started towards success. Good Luck.

1.  Enroll in a good swim lesson program. Learn and be proficient in all four competitive strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. Learn turns and starts.

2.  Join your local USA Swimming or YMCA swim club. USA Swimming's website at www.usa-swimming.org has a great 'Find a Club' search tool that allows you to search for programs in your local area. Contact your Local Swim Committee's (LSC) Disability Swimming Chair for more information on programs and opportunities within your LSC. (Links to all LSCs are available on USA Swimming's website.)

3.  Become a USABA member and attend one of USABA’s sport camps to learn more about swimming with a visual impairment.

4.  Start swimming able-bodied and disabled swim meets with your club. Send in your times to USABA.

5. Start swimming in IPC Approved meets around the USA. For a list of regional and national competitions visit U.S. Paralympics website at www.usparalympics.org.

6 .  When you meet specific time standards, you will know your on your way! USABA and U.S. Paralympics have time standards for specific swimming levels and events.

Swimming

December 6-8, 2007
US Paralympics Open Swimming Championshpis (2007 Can-Am Open)
University of Maryland
College Park, MD
Contact: US Paralympics

July 22-24, 2008
USABA Emerging Athlete Training Camp
Colorado Springs, CO
Contact: John Potts

July 24-27, 2008
State Games of the West
Colorado Springs, CO
Contact: John Potts

September 6-17, 2008
Beijing Paralympic Games
Beijing, China
Contact: Mark Lucas (719) 630-0422 ext. 13

2010 (Specific dates TBD)
IPC Swimming World Championships
Eindhoven, Netherlands
Information: International Paralympic Committee

August 29 -September-09, 2012
London Paralympic Games
London, England
Contact: Mark Lucas (719) 630-0422 ext. 13

The United States Association of Blind Athletes, a member organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is a non-profit organization that provides training for blind and visually impaired athletes for competition in nine sports. USABA members range from blind children developing sports skills to elite athletes who train for competitions such as the Paralympic Games, which continually draws more than 4,000 disabled athletes.