Nick Streicher Carries on a Coaching Legacy in Kingston

Nick Streicher has heard many stories about people with various forms of disabilities appearing to slow down, lose interest in various challenges, and just feel excluded.

They are all things that are opposite to his way of thinking.

Making your life into a story, telling the story to yourself, and then adjusting the ending to the way you want it to be. It’s a commodity that many struggle with achieving. Not Streicher.

Streicher was born with Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT), although it wasn’t detected, and diagnosed, until he was nine years old, a year after he and his family had moved to the picturesque city of Kingston, Ontario from Australia. 

Streicher’s most prominent symptoms from his CMT include drop-foot, atrophy of the muscles in his legs, weak knees, vision loss, and hearing loss. Sensory nerves are affected, as well as those which transmit signals from the brain to muscles.

While everyone has challenges of their own, to know Streicher is to understand that he isn’t the type of individual who sits on the couch playing video games all hours of the day. In fact, it’s almost quite the opposite.

None of that has stopped him from becoming a National-level para swimmer, earning a post-secondary education in the combined program of Business Administration - Human Resources and add to that his latest addition to the resume. Streicher was chosen to coach the acclaimed Kingston Y Penguins Swim Club.

This is the largest swim club in Ontario, and one of the largest in Canada, that mentor individuals with a variety of disabilities. The goal, for those between the ages of six and up, is to have fun in the water, socialize, and spend time enjoying the benefits of competitive swimming. For some, there is also the road to elite competition and, just maybe, representing Canada in international competition.

Once a student at Jr. Henderson Public School in a city where most of its historical buildings are made of limestone, Streicher remembers the jolt of the moment – when he realized that things were a bit strange.

“Things became more challenging for me – especially when I was playing soccer,” he recalled. “There was a time when I was confused at what was happening. I needed leg braces and I needed a cane (at the age of 22) for balance. One thing was certain, I never saw myself as being incapable.”

“I wanted to achieve, like everyone else.,” said Streicher. “My intention was to reach every target. I wanted to go to college, become a Paralympic athlete, also build strong and healthy relationships. I remained focussed, and while I may have had some challenges, so does everyone else.”

Brave and prudent, Streicher, after graduating from Frontenac Secondary School and, in 2019, from St. Lawrence College, was determined to reach the many goals that he had set out to achieve.

In the competitive swimming pool, Streicher had some glory days competing in the Can-Am Para Swimming Open in Minneapolis in 2013 and a year later in Miami. Personal best times were the goal, and that’s exactly what happened. Bright and one always offering to assist, Streicher volunteered with the Jr. Penguins while in college.

“There was a time, in my second year while focussing on my studies, that something just wasn’t right,” he said. “I didn’t feel happy. I was away from the pool. My studies took up time from volunteering and I missed being part of a team.”

Realizing that being at the pool was important to his mental health and wanting to make a positive difference in the lives of younger people, Streicher had a conversation with team head coach Vicki Keith, a Canadian marathon swimmer. Keith is the owner of 16 world records and has received dozens of honours of achievement and awards.

At the same time, Keith was facing a challenge of her own. Her husband had been diagnosed with a devastating illness and she had become a fulltime caregiver. In September 2020, Keith, having known Streicher would be a bonus, approached him and the door was open for Streicher to show his knowledge, leadership, and skills.

After her husband passed away, Keith was searching for a new way to make a positive impact on her world and to create a legacy so that the Kingston Y Penguins could continue to grow and thrive.

The timing may have been right as Keith had accepted a new challenge as head coach of Toronto’s Variety Village Flames swim club. However, she will still live in the Kingston area, and has agreed to mentor Streicher.

Almost a year later, Streicher is back on the deck coaching.

“(Vicki) mentored me and she was the guiding light,” said Streicher. “My first day, 12 swimmers were at practice, and I was thrilled to be coaching them, wanting to help them learn, get better and have fun. The (Kingston Y Penguins) have been so much of my life and now I had the responsibilities of being the coach. It was an amazing feeling knowing that I could have a huge impact on others.”

Streicher had some thoughts about what swimmers would receive from him as a coach. He also knows that leadership matters.

“I’m like them in a way – with disabilities,” he said. “It connects with them, and they see that we can do many things if we put our mind to it. My goal is to get swimmers to make friends, build on their goals and to support them as far as I can. This club is a home for young people with disabilities to learn how their bodies work through sport.”

Keith said that when the discussion came up on who would replace her, Streicher’s name was at the top of the list. The club needed an individual with a positive experience and one has the potential to coach youngsters to an elite level.

“It’s a proven program, he’s been part of it and now he’s the one in charge,” said Keith, who has been instrumental in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to help children with physical disabilities. “Nick is really strong in life mentorship and goal setting. I have seen swimmers have lots of confidence being around him and I am confident that others will want to be part of it.”

An inspiring individual, Streicher is an example that, with confidence, dedication and persistence, things are achievable.

Kirsten Meyer has a daughter with cerebral palsy, the most common motor disability among children. It’s a group of disorders that affect the ability of an individual to move and maintain balance. Having her daughter in the program has been nothing short of a glow of comfort.

“Natasha has been in the (Y Penguins) program for about four years and started at age six,” said Meyer. “Nick has been very motivated, dedicated and approachable. He has the full package and my daughter likes being with him and in the water.”

David Grossman is a multi, award-winning communicator and storyteller with a distinguished career in Broadcasting, Journalism and Public Relations in Sport and Government Relations.