Get to Know Iggy from Team Key Aquatics - How it all started, how it grown and the impact it has on the community
Welcome to another episode of Key Biscayne stories where neighbors meet neighbors. Today we have
Matilda:Coach Iggy. He's a co founder of TK. I think I've been with him for around ten years that I was swimming with him. How are you?
Coach Iggy:Good. How are guys doing?
Alejandro:Excited. We're excited to learn all about Team Key Aquatics.
Matilda:So how did it all start?
Coach Iggy:Oh, man. How did it all start? Well, so I was going to FSU, that's where I went to to college, Florida State, And and then one summer, I had decided to come back from Florida State. I was finishing up. I ended up finishing up in in FIU.
Coach Iggy:And I just didn't want to be at FSU anymore. I was studying criminal justice and and I was working summers, I was working at Blimpy when Blimpy used to be under, you know, RDCA there at the at the square. What is Blimpy at? Blimpy is a sandwich spot, like a subway. And and I was working there and I was working at my, at the time, my stepsister's law firm in the Gables.
Coach Iggy:And I remember I was doing that summers and that was for me like, it was tough, know, work at Blimpy's in the morning and then my sisters, my my stepsisters in the afternoon. And when I decided to come back from FSU, I was like, I don't wanna do that again. And I was talking to my brother, coach Gabby, Gabby, and he told me that he taught a swim lesson at the yacht club and that he did like a thirty minute lesson for and he got like it was fun and he and he got like $40 for a private lesson. So I was like, that's a good idea. So then I did, I did like, I came back and I'm like, alright, I'm not doing the blimpy thing.
Coach Iggy:Working at a law firm was not fun, you know, a lot of photocopying, lot of paperwork, you know, you have this idea of going into like court and like, you know, doing that and that wasn't the case. So that idea, you know, scratch that. And so I did like old school, we didn't have like, you know, social media to advertise. We had a copy machine and a flyer, so I made those flyers where you put the phone number like kind of vertical and you cut it. So a little intake.
Coach Iggy:And I would put it all around the key and I would like paste it like at Vernon's Drugs at the time, Sir Pizza because they all knew me growing up here on The Quay because I'm born and raised here on The Quay and they would let me and put it you know up there even the seven eleven would let me put it so and at the end of the week, I would see if people would tug at it for swim lessons and it was called learn to swim at the time. And people started calling and then that's kind of how like slowly it was like I had one lesson here, one lesson there and then slowly it came to a point where it was like, okay, my schedule was packed so I would get one kid and one kid that were at the same level and like put them together and we'd go to someone's house and then slowly it was like two kids and two kids, my schedule was packed, put two kids and two kids together, I had like four and then and then it was just learn to swim at the time but then once I taught someone how to swim, was like, alright, what are we gonna do next?
Coach Iggy:Let's let's do stroke development. So we did stroke development and I had some like old school swimmers of ours. One of my first was like Julian Radiss, which he was he ended up going to college to swim and he was a great swimmer. I remember going to his house teaching him. And then once I taught, for example, because he was one of my first competitors as a swimmer.
Coach Iggy:Once I taught him all the strokes, so it was like, alright, what's next? So you know, it's like, oh, well, let's go try a competition. And then we went to a competition and he did really good. He was one of the top two in the competition for all like the strokes and stuff like that. So slowly the word got out and then before you knew it, I had like a little swim group at Key Colony and then because they have a 25 yard pole there and then from there, the Yacht Club was, I used to coach at the camps that they had there and we brought the team to the Yacht Club there which had a great little pool because it's a little bit smaller, which is great for like stroke development, you know, and they had a deep end, which was great for diving and we had a little team there and we had actually a pretty solid team where we would go to competitions and we got recognized at competitions and then they built the wreck, which we didn't end up at the wreck initially.
Coach Iggy:We had to like earn our spot there and eventually we got a little window to enter at the wreck and then it was history. So we've been at the wreck ever since And I I I don't even know, you know, when that happened, like years ago, I guess. Don't know. It's been a long time. So that's how it all began.
Coach Iggy:It's awesome. Yeah.
Matilda:And like, how did you even know how to swim? Like, what brought you into that whole process?
Coach Iggy:Well, I mean, so so when you first get certified because I had to get certified, I got my lifeguard certification, my WSI instructor certification, which allows you to coach or teach, you know, if you're, if you go to like a, like if you go to the community center, you have to have your WSI and you have to have CPR certification. So you need certain requirements to coach there. That makes sense. But back in the day, you didn't need those, you know, it was just kinda like backyard. I had them anyway, just to say that I had them.
Coach Iggy:But I kinda just developed my own style and then I studied, you know, the sport of of swimming and aquatics and kind of like self taught. But I also was part of an organization, which was part of like Florida Gold Coast, a USA swimming organization where every year they have like seminars, like a weekend seminar and they used to have it in Fort Lauderdale. So I used to attend those seminars and and be surrounded by Olympic coaches that were giving off the seminars and and give tips to how to help the kids coach and, you know, how to write program for them and and what you need to do to to make national level swimmers, which was my goal at the time, to make recognized swimmers not only in Florida, but like on on a national level. So so those are the little things that I did. So self taught, I would say more than anything.
Coach Iggy:And and I wasn't a swimmer in high school. I wasn't a swimmer in college, so so because of that, like, I was very determined to create great swimmers because that would give me validation as a coach to for people to wanna be coached by me. So we kinda did that. So I was very proud of of those accomplishments. And then and the swimmers trusted me to do that.
Coach Iggy:Their families trusted me to do that. And, you know, that's that's how we kinda began on the swimming level, you know?
Alejandro:So did you reach your goal of national level swimmers?
Coach Iggy:Yeah, you know, like, I got to the level where, like, I feel like it was, like, maxed out, you know, like, in terms of we created some swimmers that were that were recognized at a young age on on a national level. They were ranked like top 20 in the country for their age groups. We had one swimmer, Baiestas, where at the age of, he was a beast, he's still a beast, but I believe at the age of 10 compared to Michael Phelps' time at the age of 10, he was like 0.01 behind Michael Phelps at the equivalent age of Michael Phelps at the time. I think like Julian Radiz that I mentioned earlier, he was ranked top like 16 in the country, had another girl called Lota Verita, she was ranked like top two in the country for her 100 yard breast at the age of 10. We had an awesome crew of 10 and unders that were ranked like third in Florida for for their group.
Coach Iggy:So we did that and we had we went to a competition in where was it? I forget where it was, but Coral Springs. It was Coral Springs.
Alejandro:Adam, so many. So many.
Coach Iggy:It was Coral Springs. It was it was really a a great day because when you go to these competitions, it's an all day competition. You compete to qualify at the beginning. So you're like there the whole weekend, parents are there the whole weekend, and your goal is to make it to the finals. Then we had two swimmers that made it to the finals.
Coach Iggy:One was Julian Baiestas and one was Carlota Verita. And there was one was for the 100 breast and one was for the 100 free. And they both competed and at the at the finals, they both broke like course records that were held at that pool, which was really big because it was like records that were held there for a long time. So I was like, that was like an interesting, you know, part of my aquatic journey as a coach because when they accomplished that, it was like, I had coaches from all the other teams. Great job, coach.
Coach Iggy:You know, really like, you know, hyping it up and the kids did great. But I remember the next day in practice, it was like, what's next? You know, like what's next? What's next? And and you know, you have that crew of swimmers that didn't qualify or didn't get their best times and and you have those moments where like those losses what I realized is like those losses stuck with the kids longer and as a coach, you're helping them overcome those losses over a longer period of time, but those wins, once you win, it's like, alright, it's over.
Coach Iggy:What's next? It's over. What's next? And as a coach, at that level, I I didn't really enjoy that process. Like, didn't celebrate the wins long enough and the losses stuck with us longer.
Coach Iggy:So as a coach, I I really didn't enjoy that. So I kinda like felt that at that one competition and I was kinda like, I don't know if this is the direction that me personal on my own personal coaching journey that I wanna go on. So at that point, started shifting a little bit my my aquatic journey as a coach, you know?
Matilda:I remember it though. I remember last time it was like, I we would love to, like, compete in year competitions. It wasn't like anything else. And then, like, when you would compete, I remember this one kid. It was like weird, like, swimming, and it was boys and girls because was co ed.
Matilda:Yeah. And I remember it so weirdly because I got first place, but the only reason was because like, one of the kids fall started, and that kid cried so hard to this day. The other day I see him, and I'm like, I got first place. He's like, that didn't count. That didn't count.
Matilda:That's what's so funny. Like, they actually still do remember. So it's like you're it's so true, like, what you were saying. But, like, I still remember my win.
Coach Iggy:Yeah. Yeah. Totally. Do you remember who that was?
Matilda:Yeah. It was Marco B Dash.
Alejandro:Oh, Marco. So I would see him in
Matilda:the next school, and I would be like I'd be like, I don't know. I won. But everybody I feel like everybody, when it starts, it's just like, I think you give the foundation and then the starting point, and then you're like, wow. Like, I I'm actually good at this. Or like, no.
Matilda:This is not gonna be me in the future. Yeah. And then I think, like, then you're just like, okay. You wanna do competitive? Yeah.
Matilda:Go competitive somewhere else. Yeah. And then, like
Coach Iggy:Well, what we did is, like, once I shifted gears, like, we kinda, like, just tried other things. So we started incorporating water polo.
Matilda:Oh my gosh. Yeah.
Coach Iggy:You know, we started later on, we started incorporating elements of surfing. So there's a lot of aquatic sports out there and like some some kids take to swimming because it's more of an individual type of sport, some kids, take to water polo because it's team based, there's a ball, you're shooting, you're you're shooting into a goal, so it's totally different. Surfing is more like a laid back style, like there's survival involved in surfing, which we do elements of survival, like building water resilience, So we add that element into there, but what we what we do now is like, I like to say we we we yeah, like foundation, we put the fun in fundamentals. Right? So we teach the fundamentals of swimming because swimming is the base.
Coach Iggy:You you need to swim to play water polo, you need to swim to surf. You need to swim to be water resilient, you know? So swimming is the base, but we incorporate water polo and then we look around and say, oh, you know, this kid doesn't really like swimming, but they have a knack for water polo, so he's finding a place in the aquatic field, you know, And then we see some kids like enjoy like maybe the elements of surfing that we provide or underwater work, which we do there at the community center. So we kinda like, and then we'll talk to a parent, we'll be like, hey, they don't like swimming, but water polo might be their thing, so let's let's keep them here because our goal is to do what we did with you Matilda, which is basically which is basically get you ready for aquatic sports in high school to give you a place to go, to give you a place to belong, a community to be a part of, which I never had that growing up. I didn't make my because I was a baseball player.
Coach Iggy:I didn't make my baseball team for Columbus, which is where I went to for high school. So, you know, once that stopped, I was like, I don't have a community or a place to belong. So I I wanted to kind of provide that for the kids once they leave our pool deck to be a part of something beyond our pool deck because once you finish with us, I don't like to say finish but like graduated from us, you went to go swim, I believe.
Matilda:Went to go swim competitive.
Coach Iggy:Yeah. I'm sure you did great. I'm sure you've provided value to your team. I'm sure that coaches loved you because we loved you on our full deck. You were awesome.
Coach Iggy:And then as a water polo player, I know, like, I saw some stats. Like, you were playing, weren't you? And shooting goals and making goals. And you came out on I think I saw a paper, like, or something in the paper or Miami
Matilda:Dade all all day.
Coach Iggy:Come on, that's like baller status. You know, I've never accomplished something like that. So that's that was that's always been our goal. And and you know, and give you the qualities to be successful on a team. Like you guys are a team here.
Coach Iggy:Like I see you working here and what you're, you know, you're being successful and you're providing value here and, you know, so that's that's always been our goal, you know? So yeah, I could go on forever guys. No. That's Is it like the story? My story is like, we've we've shifted gears with Team Q Aquatics and what we do there at the community center so much.
Coach Iggy:Like, it hasn't been the same. It's always shifting. It's always shifting, you know? Yeah. Yeah.
Matilda:I hear like 50% or like no, 80% of the people in mass right now are just from TK doing water follow and doing swimming.
Coach Iggy:Love that and we love to like, you know, luckily through social, if it wasn't for social media I wouldn't even know your story, know, but luckily I get to see what you're doing with Miami tutoring which is amazing. I see what you do with KB home. KB help. KB Help, I see what you're doing with KB Help, that's amazing like those things are great what you're doing here that's great and that's what it's all about that's why like when I see you I'm like I want to hear more that's why I came on because really I just want to hear about like your journey, through aquatics and how you experienced TKA, you know, so Yeah. So I might have a couple of questions for you if you if you don't mind, you know, this is
Alejandro:where I shift gears a little bit. Yeah, mean, when I when Matilda scheduled Iggy for the interview, then I called him to give him, you know, a little bit of how it goes, he's like, I just want to interview Matilda.
Matilda:Oh my gosh. And
Coach Iggy:I was like, go ahead, Kayla, and I? Yeah. Can I ask you a couple questions? Yeah. Because for real, like, what happens is when I hear your experience, because as a coach, I have my, like, perspective of what our our relationship when I as you came up through our program, but you have your version of what went down poolside at the rec and I have no idea what went down poolside at Mast or Miami swimming as well, so I had a few questions because it's just gonna help me to be a better coach and and our program to be a better program for like the future generation of the kids coming up.
Coach Iggy:I got a couple questions. Do it. Can I? Yes, you can. You ready?
Coach Iggy:Has anybody done this on your show though? Okay. Matilda, what was your TKA journey like?
Matilda:Oh my gosh. Okay. Well, I think my TKA journey was it first started when I don't know the lady's name, but it was right next to TKA. It was just a LA line, and that one, like, because my brothers would swim, and then I was like, I wanna be like my brothers. Because it's like every single sibling is just like, the older brother's not gonna follow you.
Matilda:Yeah. So I saw my older siblings, like, in TKA, and I would be like, I wanna swim. I wanna swim. And I was like, no, you're too little. TKA doesn't let you.
Matilda:Like and then once I think I turned I don't know what's the age. I think it was like four or like five.
Coach Iggy:Okay.
Matilda:I forgot the age. I was allowed to, like, start swimming. Yeah. So I started swimming. I I actually fell in love with it.
Matilda:It was like, I love the sport. I love, like, not sweating. That was my favorite part of it because I never liked, like, running or any of those sorts. So just, like, swimming in that was, like, super fun. And I think, like, the way that you also like made the practices, it wasn't just swimming based.
Matilda:Like we would also just go outside, do push ups, do like the the what I remember also is like the weights. So we would go down like in the bottom of the pool, grab the weights, put them up. Yeah. Like put then, like, get out of the pool. And I remember still to this day, like, people just don't know how to, like, get out of the pool.
Matilda:And I've done it so much with you guys. Like, because we'd be like, okay. Get out. And I'd like, oh, okay. And, like, put my foot out, and, like, everyone's like, okay.
Matilda:No. I can't do it in, like, masks. They're like, aim. So it was like fun. Like I still have like those like fundamentals like from that.
Matilda:Yeah. And like also like what you were saying aim. Into water polo was so fun. So it was never just swimming. You just made like the whole entire like thing better.
Matilda:And then that's why I think, like, I was so in love with swimming that I went into competitive because I was like, oh, I love it. Yeah. And then once I got competitive, I was like, oh, I don't know. Like, I don't think this is for me because I also loved water polo. And it was water polo and swimming is like, you think that it's the same or like around the same thing?
Matilda:It's not at all. Like, one of them is is fun in my opinion. Water polo and then like swimming is just like, it's just like yourself. And like personally, I don't like just being in my own thoughts for two hours of Yeah. A day.
Coach Iggy:Agree. I'm the same. I'm the same. Yeah. Alright.
Coach Iggy:I got another one for you. I got a couple for you. Okay? My answer. You did great.
Coach Iggy:That was awesome. I love the natural flow. I love it. So keep it coming. Alright.
Matilda:So quiet.
Coach Iggy:What what moments challenged you the most, like being poolside with us there at the rec?
Matilda:Oh, what challenged you the most? I would assume just like the competitions in my opinion. I loved competing against others, and I loved losing. It's like something I got so bad, like, guess, like bad to say. But I loved losing because it would be no, I I wanna win.
Matilda:Yeah. So like, know that you would like split the people as like slow, like medium, and fast lane. I would always be in the fast lane, and I would try so hard to like get up in the front because Yeah. I would wanna be like number one because that's like how I am. I'm super competitive on that story.
Matilda:So it's like losing or just not getting in the front, like as you say, it could be stupid at that time, but like it was just like my cool, like, and every single time I would come to come home and I would like get of my cap. I would always just get my cap on and I would be like in my house like with my cap on like looking bald and I was like come on I need to go to TK, I need to go to TK. Yeah. They would like run and like sometimes I remember I would bring you food and you would get like an apple or something and I was like eat an apple and you'd like what is that? What is that?
Matilda:Give it to me. And he's like bye. It was so funny, but like those like tiny moments. And yeah, just like those challenging moments of trying to like get up ahead and just kick like harder, like stop, not breathe that much. Yeah.
Matilda:Those are like probably the hardest points, but like it was my favorite part.
Coach Iggy:Alright. Alright. I used to love when you used to bring food, man. Feed coach.
Matilda:It was like it was like a
Coach Iggy:Keep coach happy.
Matilda:And he would just grab it and eat. It was like, I don't even know how I ate so much of it.
Coach Iggy:They would purposely give me the apple, and I'm like, these guys think I'm gonna take a little bite. No, I would take a monster bite and then they'd be like how'd you do?
Alejandro:Look at that she remembers. Yeah yeah.
Matilda:I remember even my friend, I told you a few days ago, she like texted me and she was she like sent me a voice and she goes I just remembered how funny it was when you're with a e and then you would like take a bite. I did something I remember one time that licked the whole entire apple and I was like here do you want?
Alejandro:Oh no yeah.
Matilda:Eight bites and that's when she was laughing like she was like it was like the one in the morning you just like send me a voice by just saying that.
Coach Iggy:Oh, that's awesome. That's so something I would do. Alright. So That's good. Alright.
Coach Iggy:So I got another one. Alright. When you graduated from TKA and moved on to high school, middle school? Yeah, because nowadays, like, you could jump onto your masked team in middle school, so now it's a little bit different. Back in the day, would stay with us like, until like about like ninth grade, but nowadays like you could jump onto your mass team as a sixth grader, so we've had some kids do that.
Coach Iggy:And Matilda was definitely one of those that could do that. So so middle school, so you left the comforts of the rec center, which is something like the kids always have to deal with initially. So what was that transition like, like going from the comforts of the community center to like a new pool deck with a new team and new teammates? Or you know, when you went to Miami swimming or you went to Mass Academy, what was that transition like? Because we don't see that firsthand because we're always at the wreck and kids, once they leave, they don't come back for years sometimes or not at all.
Coach Iggy:So here we are. I'd like to hear your take on like that transition.
Matilda:Personally, it's not so vivid in my memory since it was so long ago but I know that it was just so much more different because I would assume, like I was saying before, swimming was just so fun and like I would like go outside and do some push ups and then like maybe like the inner tube or like you would always switch around. It wouldn't just be swimming. Then it's like once I got into competitive swimming and like Miami swimming, I would it was just so different. It was so hard. Like, they would go like the sets at it, like, for swimmer's.
Matilda:They would be like it would be like ten one hundreds and one thirty, like, go. Then they would be like, okay, no, now it's gonna be on one twenty. So you'd be like, oh my gosh, I'm not even breathing. In TK, you'd be okay, yeah, it was hard, but it was fun. You'd be like, you would then go outside and then just play around in the stairs, like jump up in the stairs, or those sorts.
Matilda:And then just like just swimming for like two hours in your time and then like just like being like exhausted. And I was like, oh my gosh. Like, no. I don't think this is for a meme. Then like, that's why I was so grateful that after I was able to do like water polo, but I have to do swimming, I do water polo.
Matilda:It's a it's a must. So that's why they have the seasons like that. Yeah. But, like, going into Mass Academy, I felt, like, super prepared. Yeah.
Matilda:Like, I I was never slow. I was never, like, the slowest person. If anything, was, like, one of the fastest. It's actually for my age group. And I I remember still like to this day, like I got my best time of like thirty seconds.
Matilda:It was like ten when I was like 10, 12, something like that in in my 50 free because like and it was like, oh, I was like, wow. And it like to this day, I I think I have like the same time. I have like, well, I don't know. So twenty seven seconds, three seconds slower. But like for that age, I was like, wow, thirty seconds is good.
Matilda:Yeah. Even I don't I don't remember like where I did it, but I know I did it in in TK and I and you were like, wow, thirty seconds. And I was like, yes. So the accomplishment was so fun. You don't get that accomplishment in like mass.
Matilda:You would swim and it would be like, all right, next. Yeah. So yeah, like I think that was like my difference a lot.
Coach Iggy:Okay. I mean, we would have been proud of you no matter what time you get. So, so you know. Alright. What was what was some of the biggest challenges, like, you faced in that transition from from us to them?
Coach Iggy:Well, I mean, you might have answered that already with, like, you know, the the times. Was it boring for you? I mean It
Matilda:was so boring.
Coach Iggy:That's what that's what I heard. I heard without you saying boring directly, but
Matilda:It it was fun, in my opinion.
Coach Iggy:Yeah. Okay.
Matilda:But, like, like, that's why I was, like, compared to, like, TK, and I would be like, wow. I love swimming. And then like, you go with this competitive and you're like, never never mind. Like, a lot of people like it. I liked it for like, I think two years because it's like, I love that adrenaline adrenaline.
Matilda:Just like competing and like being slower. Like, I was like, you're not faster there. Those people are torpedoes. So definitely you're not gonna be fast there, but like getting into that position and like I did get faster in my times is the more practice, of course, the better. Yeah.
Matilda:But, yeah, like I was saying.
Coach Iggy:Yeah. Swimming's a tough sport, you know, like you put in a lot of time in the pool, a lot of yardage in the pool for an event that might take you two minutes. Yeah. You know, it's it's really one of the for me, it's the toughest sport, if you miss a day of practice, that's like going backwards like two, three days. It's like one of those sports that's unforgiving, know, and you can't make mistakes.
Coach Iggy:Water polo, you can miss a shot, you go back, you swim, you know, but swimming, you fall start on a on a on the block. Oh, done. You're DQ'd and you're done, and all that yardage and all that time putting in for that one race is over. So alright. So now okay.
Coach Iggy:How do you like my questions so far? Okay?
Alejandro:Oh, great. Are you are you okay with this? No, I jacked the show. No. It's fine.
Alejandro:I did tell you I might have done that. Yeah. You did. You you you Okay.
Coach Iggy:So was there was there a teacher or or a coach that helped guide you through, you know, challenging times, like on the pool deck outside of, you know, the wreck, you know, like at school or or someone that helped you get through the tough times?
Matilda:Uni, I think. Coach Uni. He's getting there for he's in Mass Academy. Been there for forever. I remember I would always see him too when I would go to my brother's competitions or something like that.
Matilda:And he'd be like, oh, you're gonna be here soon. And I'd been with him for, I think, now eight years. And yeah, he's got me into those hard times. I didn't wanna swim or I didn't wanna do swimming anymore. There's times that you wanna quit.
Matilda:And then he talks to you and he's like, just stay, it's okay, we're gonna have fun. And you're like, okay, fine. And then I stayed. And now I'm in my senior year, last year with him, and, yeah, like, I think he he's been great, and I'm super happy he's been with me for so long.
Coach Iggy:Oh, that's great. That's great to have those people, like, in your corner to help you out, you know? So so I ask you these questions because because what we do what we do now, you know, obviously we use like swimming, water pole and surfing to, you know, make kids like water resilient. It's because we want them to go compete for their high school teams and belong and be a part of a community. But we we also do like our challenges there on the pool deck because now we don't do it.
Coach Iggy:Remember we did our swim fit competition at the end of the year, which is where where you won to Marco, where you beat Marco. Well, that's one competition, you know? So we shifted gears even and we do more more challenges. We call it challenges. It's our swim fit, like challenger series.
Coach Iggy:And we it's a year round competition, basically. So now we like shifted gears. It's a little different, where we give like an opportunity for kids to be successful a bunch of times rather than compete the whole year for one event. And and we base it off of philosophy of Joseph Campbell. I don't know if you guys have heard of Joseph Campbell.
Coach Iggy:So he's he's a philosophist, a writer, studying mythology. And I I came across his work, I would say, like, you know, three years ago, and it it blew my mind. And he what he did is he studied mythology, and he studied stories across a bunch of different cultures. And what he found in all these stories, and he came up with a theory called the the hero's journey. And there's it's this idea that we're all heroes in our own little journey.
Coach Iggy:And what we do is we have a calling and and something happens to us where we're taken out of our comfort zone. Okay, and we have faced certain challenges, we meet certain mentors or guides or coaches along the way, you know, we have certain obstacles that we need to overcome, and then we kind of like return home, you know, smarter, wiser to tell our story. And he sees this in even movies today, when you watch movies, look at the movie and think about like those little things that I just kinda mentioned, you know, the call, the challenges, your mentor, like who's guiding you, overcoming the obstacles and then returning home like, you know, winning winning the challenge. That's kind of what we do and I feel like what you've just shared is like your journey, your aquatic journey because and this interview and this me coming here right now is is is like your return because I've never heard this part of of your your story that after you leave us and a lot of the kids don't, Like we we might see it more now on social a little bit but we don't like have people like coming around and like sharing their stories so that's why I wanted to come on board because I wanted to hear your aquatic journey through your own eyes, not through my eyes, but through your own eyes, and I wanted to see, hear how it ended because now you're a senior, you know, so your aquatic journey may or may not be ending right right now.
Coach Iggy:So yeah, that's why, and this is, this is like your return, everyone's hearing your return, like, I'll share this with the TK family even and they'll, they'll hear like, oh, this is, this is where like, my kid who's coming in at four years old, you know, who who at four year old, they they have their own fear coming onto the pool deck. You know, they leave the comforts of their like backyard pool, come onto the pool at the pool deck and what what's all this organization? What's all these kids in the pool? And they have their own fears that they have to confront. And then you have like our kids that like were you and they leave our pool deck and go on to like, you know, new situations and they're feel fearful of that because some kids are fearful to like like leave us and go into their aquatic teams and we're like, man, you gotta go.
Coach Iggy:It's it's your your turn to go, you know, go go shine somewhere else because you've shined here plenty. So this this is like your return, this this podcast, so appreciate you sharing, you know. So thank you for sharing.
Alejandro:Thank you. So I guess we have we have two concluding questions you could choose from. Is there anything else you'd like to share about or No.
Coach Iggy:And you know, like, if if there's other, like, TKA, like, swimmers out there, like, that are listening to the to the stories, come out and share. Like, come to the pool deck, share your stories. We'd love to hear about it, you know. We'd love to hear how your aquatic journey ended or, you know?
Matilda:But I feel like they do, you do end off good because in the end of it right now, like, I've been captain two years for my swimming at Waterpoole team, so it's like, you do show up and you, like, you can be like like a role model in that sense after you end TK.
Coach Iggy:Yeah. I mean and and and look, you're going on to this new journey. Like, you're gonna go to college. You know, you have this whole new start coming around and I just, like a lot of the kids, like, I've people come back and it's like, if you ever need anything, just you know, someone to like talk to about anything, come back, know, like we've known each other forever, know, and we have history. So if you need, you know, future future guidance on anything that comes up, like feel free to come back on the pool deck, share your story, jump in the pool.
Coach Iggy:You know what I mean? Like, eat your kids. Yeah, you're always you're always have a home there, you know what I mean? So some kids are like, oh we never came back and they're shy to come back and be like, I will never hold it against you for never coming, like you're always welcome home and like open arms, you know, on the pool deck after after kids come back. We love to hear everyone's like return when they come home, know, so
Matilda:And what is your favorite thing about The Key?
Coach Iggy:My favorite thing about The Key is is like the community, you know. I would say the community, the the family feeling you get being around the key, even even like I was at the yacht club this past Friday and I'm walking the docks. I hadn't been at the yacht club where we first began back in the day and I was walking around and some kid is just like, he's on that like the cannon that they have there at the yacht club and he's sitting on the cannon and he you know what he says to me? He says, hi coach Gabby's brother. So he didn't even know who I was.
Coach Iggy:He didn't know my name. He knew me as coach Gabby's brother because nowadays since I travel, I'm in and out of lot, a lot of people are like coach Gabby's brother, so I love that that family feeling, that community on the key, the golf carts, the kids jumping around, just that laid back kind of lifestyle and everyone's got each other's back and supporting each other and being there for each other. I mean, at least that's what I try to do personally. So I like providing that for the community, you know? So so, yeah, that might be my favorite part of the, you know, Ki Biscayne.
Alejandro:Awesome. Iggy, thank you so much for jumping on the show, telling us all about TKA, some of your background stories, and also switching and and interviewing Mattel a little more. We get to know her a little more. So thank you.
Coach Iggy:Hey. Thank you, guys. Thanks for allowing me to be here. Appreciate you.
