Profile:

Growing up near the beaches of the Caribbean, I developed a deep passion for swimming from an early age, starting lessons at just 5 years old. With my mother as a swimming instructor, I naturally gravitated towards the pool, observing and assisting whenever possible. Her dedication and passion for helping people achieve their swimming goals inspired me to pursue a professional swimming career for two years before transitioning to water polo, where I competed for six years.

Training almost daily to better myself, I developed a profound love for the sport, which led me to start assisting with swimming lessons at 16. Over time, I expanded my experience by teaching at various pools across my home island, Curaçao, and later became a youth water polo coach.

In the summer of 2024, I took a significant step by moving to the Netherlands for my studies. Beyond swimming and being a student, I have a strong passion for sports, an active lifestyle, music and reading to expand my knowledge.

Coaching Style:

My style of coaching is always based on creating a safe and supportive environment for my swimmers because trust in the water is key, I ensure swimmers feel comfortable and safe before introducing new skills in the water. My coaching approach/strategy also built on patience, step by step progression and personalized instructions to help build the confidence of each swimmer.

Every person/swimmer is different and learns at their own pace; therefore, I find it important to be observant and to focus on each person individually. The key to swimming is mastering the basics, so I like to pay extra attention to the basic techniques and strokes first before moving on to endurance and speed.

The way I inspire my swimmers and keep them engaged is by being myself, by being patient and open-minded, to any fears and obstacles that might come along the way. I like to give my swimmers compliments and reassuring words to keep them confident, because encouragement and celebrating every little progress helps build the confidence and motivates the swimmers to” just keep swimming”.

Certifications (year?) and/or (aqua) achievements

Diploma KNZB Trainer water polo 2 (2023)
KNZB rescue swimming (2023)
Diploma A, B, C and D (2011, 2012, 2016, 2017)
Water polo referee certification (2024)

Specialties:

I have been most successful in working with beginner swimmers, particularly children aged 4 to 14, as my primary focus during my two years as a youth water polo and swimming coach was on this age group. However, I am always open to helping anyone eager to learn how to swim.

While every stroke is equally important, I have extensive experience in teaching all four strokes. Seeing as a professional swimmer myself its important to understand the techniques behind every stroke to improve in the sport. My approach emphasizes first explaining the purpose and technique behind each exercise before practice. I incorporate both in-water and on-land demonstrations to ensure swimmers fully understand each movement, making learning more effective and engaging.