Since 1997, we’ve been coaching all things aquatics on Key Biscayne, and over the years we’ve had a lot to cheer about in the water.
Personal bests at swim meets. Big plays in water polo. You name it, we’ve celebrated it.
Moments of competition that challenge kids and bring out the best in them.
Those moments matter.
They build discipline. They build confidence. They give kids something to work toward.
As a community surrounded by water, there’s something else that has to matter just as much, if not more.
The ability to handle yourself when things don’t go as planned and the ability to help someone else when they can’t help themselves.
The reality is, most meaningful moments in the water don’t come after a whistle or scoring a goal. They happen when no one’s really watching.
A swimmer gets tired. A friend drifts too far. A situation takes a turn.
In those moments, it’s not about how fast a child can swim. It’s about what they do next.
Do they stay calm? Do they recognize what’s happening? Do they know how to respond without making things worse?
That’s not competition. That’s awareness. That’s composure. That’s responsibility.
On an island like ours, that should matter to all of us.
Our kids spend countless hours in pools, at the beach, on boats and in open water. It’s part of growing up here. It’s part of what makes Key Biscayne special.
With that comes a shared responsibility. Not just to teach our kids how to swim but to teach them how to think in the water. To look out for one another. To understand when to act, and when not to. To know that helping someone doesn’t always mean going in. It means doing the right thing.
That’s the mindset of a Junior Lifeguard.
It’s not something reserved for a select few. It’s something every kid on this island can benefit from.
When more kids understand how to stay calm, communicate, and support each other in the water, the entire community becomes safer.
That’s the bigger picture.
Not just stronger swimmers. Stronger decision-makers. Stronger young neighbors.
So yes, we’ll continue to celebrate race day finals, buzzer-beater goals and all the moments that make aquatic sports special.
Alongside that, we should be just as intentional about something even more important.
Preparing our kids for the moments that don’t come with a scoreboard.
Those are the ones that matter most.
See you poolside!
A Key Rat, Coach Iggy is a fixture at the Key Biscayne Community Center as the Coach, along with his brother Gaby, of Team Key Aquatics (TKA), the Village’s swimming and water sports academy. An avid surfer, Coach Iggy travels annually to El Salvador to surf.