Gwinnett Swim League Coach of the Year 2023: Meet Jenna De La Pena By Traci Sanders Coach Jenna De La Pena was only eight years of age when her parents signed her up for the Gwinnett Swim League. By the end of that summer, Jenna had fallen in love with the sport. However, she had no idea that she would one day not only end up coaching her own swim team, but winning an award for it! Jenna’s children became involved in swimming in high school, so she began coaching at Grayson High School in 2020 to better prepare them for the sport. The following summer, Jenna was given the opportunity to coach her own kids at Waterton Waverunners. When Jenna realized that many talented kids couldn’t afford to swim year-round, she looked into starting a fall middle school team. The following year, Jenna and her husband, Gio, started the Grayson Swim Club at Waterton Waverunners. The program is now headed into its third season of operation, with twenty-five kids enrolled for fall. Jenna was surprised and honored to be named Gwinnett Swim League Coach of the Year for 2023. She was up against several other nominees who she said are “fantastic coaches who are loved and respected by the communities they serve.” So much of her success, she believes, is due to her partner and husband, making it truly a joint effort. Their own children were super proud of their parents for this award, sending them sweet congratulatory messages. When asked about her coaching style, Jenna replied, “I just want kids to feel successful. Every kid comes in at their own level, and I want them to focus on their own growth and abilities.” She went on to say that swimming is an interesting sport because, while it does have the team aspect, it also teaches many values on a personal level. The athletes are able to set and achieve personal goals at their own pace without the peer pressure typically associated with traditional team sports. Coach Jenna and her team celebrate even the smallest of wins. “One second we’re cheering for the kid who just made a state time cut,” she said, “and the next we’re all screaming for the kid who completed a race without stopping for the first time.” For her, the most rewarding thing about coaching is watching kids make new friends and find their go-to sport. She’s proud to offer a place for these kids to all grow and
thrive together. “Youth sports is incredibly important for kids,” she added, “because they need places to go where they can be social in a safe environment while also getting exercise to keep their bodies healthy.” One thing Coach Jenna always teaches her athletes is respect for each other. “There’s always a level of banter between kids,” she said, “especially when it’s co-ed and mixed ages; but I do not tolerate disrespect for one another. There will always be someone who is better than you in sports or anything in life.” Instead of allowing the kids to boast about who is better at certain skills, the De La Penas teach mentorship by encouraging those with advanced skills to reach back and help beginners or those who might be struggling. When the team becomes discouraged, the De La Penas always remind them that they are loved no matter what. “We make sure they know,” Jenna explained, “there’s always going to be another race where they can try again. Then we get back to work and start training through the mistakes to perform better next time. It’s not the race that defines the athlete, it’s how the athlete handles failure that makes them a winner in our book.” Above anything else, Jenna measures her success as a coach by seeing if the kids return season after season. She strives to provide a safe space for families to bring their children, to make them feel like they belong. But she says it’s a partnership. “I do sometimes wish people understood how much home life affects athletes,” she said. “So much of their success comes from their home support. I can make the sets and provide the place, but I can’t monitor their sleep, diet, or overall physical and mental health.” The De La Penas would eventually like to build an indoor swim facility for the southern side of Gwinnett to service the area with a year-round swim program. “The Grayson/Loganville area has really needed a proper indoor facility for the high schools to use for some time,” Jenna said. “We’d love to be a part of creating that for the kids in this community. We could offer lessons for all ages, competitive teams, and even physical therapies.” Coach Jenna believes that swimming is a life skill, and when pools are not affordable or accessible, many kids and even some adults are at risk. “Kids can learn water safety skills at an early age that can help prevent future drowning incidents,” she shared. “It’s never too late to learn!” Congrats again to Gwinnett Swim League Coach of the Year 2023, Coach Jenna De La Pena. More information at https://www.gwinnettswimleague.com/.
quality of our experiences matters more than the quantity. So, my advice is instead of trying to attend every event or accept every invitation, focus on the activities and relationships that bring genuine joy and fulfillment always ask yourself, is this something that will make any difference ten to our lives. In addition, we must live with gratitude and contentment. We years from now? must shift our mindset from scarcity to abundance by practicing gratiSecond, we must limit social media time. Social media platforms are tude. I suggest we make a daily habit of listing the things we are thankful fantastic for sharing information but are a breeding ground for FOMO. for. This will help us remember how much we have to be thankful for and Such platforms make it easy to focus on things that don’t matter and decrease feelings of FOMO. where we can waste a lot of time. They are also a place where we can Finally, it is important to disconnect to reconnect. We should take occaget caught up in comparing our lives with other’s lives. So, I recommend sional digital detoxes to fully reconnect with the real world and the people we take control of our digital life by setting specific times to check our around us. Engage in meaningful conversations, enjoy face-to-face interaccounts. Reducing our screen time helps alleviate FOMO and improves actions, and savor the moments from which technology often distracts us. our overall mental well-being. I say that being “constantly connected” The fear of missing out is a common modern-day struggle, but it doesn’t will drain the life out of all of us. So be purposeful, deliberate, and intenhave to control our lives. By defining our priorities, limiting screen time, tional with your time. practicing mindfulness, and embracing gratitude, we can learn to appreThird, we must cultivate mindfulness in our lives. Mindfulness is the ciate the present moment and live a more fulfilling life. Remember, life practice of being fully present in the moment. So, we must engage in is happening right now, and it’s beautiful in its own unique way. Life is a activities encouraging mindfulness, such as meditation, yoga, prayer, present. Life is the present. Life is being present. or simply walking in nature. These practices can help us appreciate the Thank you as always for your support as we work to make a difference beauty of the present and reduce the anxiety associated with FOMO. in lives. And also, and as always…thank you for continuing with me on Fourth, we should focus on quality over quantity. Remember that the the journey of my town, your town, OUR TOWN! PAGE 14 Become an Advertising Partner: Info@OurTown Gwinnett.com or 678-825-2049
Ryan’s Remarks Continued from page 7
