YWCA Otters Swim Team Alumn Teaches Elementary School Children about Inclusivity

An inspiring young Team USA Paralympian athlete named Natalie Sims visited Eagle Bluff Elementary school to speak to kids about her life journey.Sims has a limb-deficiency where her right hand is missing. Sims told News 19 that her missing limb did not let that stop her love for swimming and that as far back as she can remember, she couldn't stay out of the water, to the point where she said she turned into a raisin.Sims said that she hopes her presentation taught kids to love themselves unconditionally and that if they have a disability, to not let that limit what a non-disabled person can do."There are many people out there like me that are missing limbs, and they are hesitant to try different sports," Sims said. "My goal is to spread the movement to get people involved in sports, especially disabled individuals."Sims' hometown is Edina, Minnesota. When Sims was 13-years-old, she took a chance and joined her YWCA's Swim Club, The Minneapolis Otters, in less than four years, she grew from a beginner to one of the fastest youth swimmers in the organization.