Indiana swimmer has transformed while excelling in the pool
ANDERSON, Ind. (BVM) — Most high school swimmers have had a different path to success than Anderson High School’s Dayton Edwards, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the best swimmers in his conference. In fact, being able to compete in the pool has changed his life forever.
At 3 months old, Dayton was left by his parents to live with his grandmother, Terri, who has raised him ever since. Growing up, the swimmer had a lot of issues that made him different from his peers. The first thing, which was noticed by Terri, was his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Dayton was kicked out of four different schools, Boy Scouts, soccer and karate as a result of his behavior and acting out. Terri also suspected he had autism, and he would soon be officially diagnosed with it as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder and oppositional defiance disorder.
The 17-year-old was placed into special education where he would meet teacher Kelly McGinnis. Although his behavior was bad, McGinnis realized Dayton’s intelligence and suggested he take up swimming.
Despite Dayton’s initial refusal, Terri made him try the sport. At first, it was a true challenge as Dayton was learning to swim with kids much younger than him and wanted to be in the pool with those his same age. He would also encounter difficulty while competing in swim meets.
“It was pretty bad. The first meet he would have to swim 100 meters and he would get out at 50 and go hide in the bathroom and cry,” Terri said.
But the swimmer persevered.
Finally putting his head in the water, Dayton began to develop and was swimming with kids his own age just weeks later. After just a few months, he became the No. 1 swimmer on his team.
Not only was Dayton excelling in the pool, but swimming was having a positive impact on his life. By eighth grade, he had worked himself out of special education classes and as he entered Anderson High School, Dayton’s swimming career was ready to take off.
Initially intrigued by diving, Dayton has continued to grow a love for swimming in part because of the individual impact that can be made through the sport. And now in high school, the swimmer has begun making a name for himself.
At Anderson, there are lists of the top 20 times for each swimming event, and Dayton already has his name on six of them. He won the North Central Conference championship in three different events during his sophomore season and came back this year with an undefeated record in individual events at regular season invitationals and dual meets. By the end of the season, he was again a conference champion in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay.
Perhaps the biggest highlight of the season for Dayton, though, was passing his coach, Jeff Eddy, on the school’s 50 freestyle list of fastest times. He also enjoyed the success his team had at their conference championship meet.
“One of my favorite memories was breaking Jeff Eddy’s record at our pool,” Dayton said. “It was also great how excited everyone was during conference when me and the whole team won events.”
Dayton’s special junior season led him to be named Boys Swimming Athlete of the Year by the Herald Bulletin, a local media publication in Indiana. It was a special honor for the swimmer, and made him realize his work in the pool had paid off.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Dayton said when finding out he had won the award. “It was really a shock and it’s a big honor because I never thought I would get that far.”
Dayton has several goals for his upcoming senior season in the pool, including getting to state after coming up just short this year. He also hopes to join more of Anderson’s top 20 lists and will look to continue to move up on the ones he is already on.
“It’s a good honor to break some of those records and be on those lists. I want to just keep adding my name and breaking records and have the best senior season I possibly can. I also have more motivation to get to state and I want to show my friends that I can still do it,” Dayton said.
But ultimately, the rising senior hopes he leaves an overall legacy on the program after his time at Anderson is finished.
“My biggest goal is to leave something behind for the people up and coming. I want to give them motivation and want them to know I worked hard but you can also have fun doing it,” Dayton added.
Dayton has had a truly incredible turnaround in his life thanks to swimming. Both he and Terri realize that if it wasn’t for the suggestion from Mrs. McGinnis years ago, none of this may have ever happened.
“She’s a good friend of mine and I always tell her she changed Dayton’s life,” Terri said. “But it did ultimately take a village to raise Dayton and everybody who’s in his life has really played a big role. It’s not just me, it’s everybody and we all stand behind him.”
Part of that village includes coach Eddy, Dayton’s teammates and the entire Anderson swimming program, who both Terri and Dayton are very appreciative of as well.
“Jeff Eddy has been a big part of my time in the pool. He’s really introduced me to high school swimming. All the kids on our team are nice as well and we all cheer each other on and support what each other does,” Dayton said.
Terri cites four of his teammates specifically that have swam with Dayton since he began with the sport at age 11. They have been through it all with the 17-year-old from going into the bathroom to cheer him up when he was crying during his first swim meets, to sharing in the joy of winning a conference championship together this past winter.
The turnaround Dayton has made puts a bright future ahead of him. Already taking college level courses, Dayton will continue his education after high school, likely swim in college, eventually live on his own and enjoy a career as an engineer or physical therapist. It’s a remarkable story, especially for Terri, who could have never imagined it years ago.
“I swear if he had not picked up swimming he would be in juvey right now. You can’t even tell he’s autistic unless he’s been out of the water for a while. I never thought he would be the man he is today and never thought this would be his future. Everyday is a blessing to me and every time he wins I sit and cry and so do the people who have been with him and seen him struggle,” Terri said.
Dayton realizes how much swimming has meant to his life as well, and is also proud of his perseverance that has led him to become who he is today.
“The biggest challenge was always the socializing, but through some of the things I have gone through, I’ve learned to put a greater focus on things. Swimming has changed my life a lot. It’s helped me to make a lot of friends, it’s given me something to do and it’s helped me improve physically and mentally,” Dayton said.
But what the Anderson swimmer hopes for most is that his story can serve as an example for others who might be in a similar situation, and he encourages them to follow his lead.
“No matter if you’re injured or have a disability, give whatever you want to do a try. You are not going to lose anything except time but if you put that time in you might become better than you think and you can end up becoming something more than you could have ever imagined to be,” Dayton concluded.