CDNIS welcomed Penny Heyns to CDNIS Oct 9-10. Penny is an incredible swimmer who went to the ’92, ’96 and ’00 Olympic Games. In 1996 Penny became the first swimmer ever to win both the 100m and 200m Gold Medal in Breaststroke. She also won the Bronze medal in 2000 and held 13 World Records. Whilst this success could have been the focus of a visit, it was not. Instead, Penny spoke to all CDNIS Coaches and US TWovles athletes about resilience, goal setting and mental toughness. Everyone who attended these presentations enjoyed Penny’s story and had some great takeaways to apply to sport and to life. Some common threads were “making the most of your talents” “Make a goal, make a plan and write it down” “making a lasting difference for the greater good” and “Success is measured by achieving growth and personal best”.
The students also enjoyed interacting with Penny after the sessions. Many students – and teachers – enjoyed seeing Penny’s Olympic Medals and even trying them on!
Penny is a fantastic role model for our athletes and for all our students. She spoke of the process of moving to both the US and Canada for College, of having clearly defined goals and principles to live by and for making best decisions not based on emotions.
Penny also spent two full days with our Swim team. 24 of our best athletes and Swimmers enjoyed intense training, stroke analysis and workshops focussed on improving their PBs and Swim experience.
This incredible experience was made possible by the 2016-17 Annual Fund. Thank you to all who contributed to the successful visit.
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