VIDEO: The Hammerheads and swimming with autism

Last week, The New York Times published a short video documentary on the Hammerheads, a swim team composed entirely of children with autism.

The video, produced and directed by Lara Stolman, follows a 17-year-old swimmer named Robbie while giving a unique glimpse into how the sport is helping a class of kids who are often left out of team-type environments.

It’s a compelling watch, and just under 8 minutes long. You can check out the video below, or find it on The New York Times website here.

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liquidassets
8 years ago

Thank you for sharing this. I have a nephew with ASD, as well as many hundreds of pediatric patients with ASD over the years, who have all benefitted greatly from swimming lessons and recreational swimming, but this is the first team I’ve seen for kids with ASD. The story was very poignant and I hope this catches on!!

MindoMom
8 years ago

This is so wonderful! Our youngest daughter has Asperger’s and swimming has really helped her with following directions, social skills, the physicality of learning all the strokes, as well as dealing with the mentality of racing and hurting during training sessions… Bravo to the Hammerheads!

Danjohnrob
8 years ago

Powerful video! From what I could see, the experiences Robbie and the other “Hammerheads” are getting from their involvement in swimming could really improve their ability to interact outside the school and home settings, as well as improving their health and self-esteem.

Roll Tide!
8 years ago

This is so awesome!!!! I love seeing inclusion for special needs children, especially in the sport of swimming! To put it simply, this makes my heart smile! 🙂 🙂 🙂

8 years ago

Swim Angelfish loves this video. We personally know the magic that water provides children with Autism.

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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