For swimmers, the foundation of a good race is a great start. An excellent start combines fast reaction times and polished, practiced technique. The same could be said for designing and building a solar power plant. You need to get off the blocks quickly and cleanly, and keep the project moving forward.
That’s why the inspiration for my solar poster comes from the legendary U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time (with a total of 28 individual and relay medals!). He demonstrates both lightning-quick reaction times and perfect technique in my poster, Solar Phelps.
Swimming has been a large part of my life since I was a small fry. As a child I was a natural “fish” and eventually joined a local swim team at the age of 11. I continued to swim competitively throughout high school and have coached for various teams since then. Here in South Bend, my husband and I have the great privilege of coaching an amazing group of young people on the Michiana Stars Swimming Team.
The world of competitive swimming is huge in the U.S., especially in the Midwest. For example, just a couple hours south of us, Indianapolis-Carmel is ranked by Speedo as the 9th Top Swim City in the Country!
USA Swimming is the national governing body for the sport of swimming. We’re talking about a 400,000-member-strong service organization dedicated to promoting the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education.
That’s what the Stars team–and swimming in general–is all about. Fostering opportunities for youth of all ages, and teaching them life skills and the meaning of a sustainable life built around hard work and commitment.
Don’t get me wrong, we know how to have fun and be silly too, as you can see in our team photos. Much like the movement toward a sustainable future, it’s all about balance and dedication.
In many ways, those goals mirror what we are working toward each and every day at Inovateus Solar: Promoting a unique culture, encouraging participation, focusing on growth, and furthering education for all. And we too like to have fun and let our hair down at Inovateus!
The water has always called to me. While It’s true that my passion for renewable energy surfaced much later in life, I am confident that the skills, team spirit and culture I learned through the sport I love guided me to exactly where I am now.
Swimming has been the perfect catalyst for awakening a deep sense of purpose and determination that I strive to apply in all aspects of my life. Through the Inovateus core values of PEACE, Passion, Engagement, Ambition, Creativity and Esprit de Corps, I will continue “building a brilliant tomorrow,” one swimmer at a time.
By Heather Dixon, marketing coordinator, Inovateus Solar
