“Ella was an amazingly approachable speaker. Given the nature of the topic (the importance of Mental Health), Ella brought a necessary level of compassion, honesty, humility, and humor that connected impressively with the athletes. Our program is seeking ways to support our athletes as we move through the pandemic year and all the challenges it has brought, and a mental health talk is foundational to our plans. The immediate feedback after the talk was that our athletes left feeling less alone, more open to seeking support, and seeing the benefits of strong mental health on both swimming performance and general overall health.”

– Emily Melina, Head Coach of Lake Oswego Swim Club

"As soon as we saw Ella coming down the escalator at the airport with her big wave and beautiful smile, we knew it was going to be a great weekend! Ella spent an hour with the swimmers and their parents Friday evening at a Meet and Greet session. She shared a brief overview of her life touching on her family, friends, years of swimming, and dedication. Swimmers of all ages were engaged the entire talk! The last 15 minutes of the Meet and Greet were spent answering questions from the kiddos. Ella was a natural in the large group setting and shined with maturity, intelligence, and passion.

Prior to Saturday's clinic, our team held a Shake and Tea Bomb fundraiser. Without prompting, Ella jumped right in helping me set up. She engaged immediately with families as they arrived making for a relaxed and friendly environment. I was so impressed!

The first session of the clinic was spent with a very intimate group of only 12 swimmers while the second session had just shy of 30 younger swimmers. Each session started with a quick recap of the Meet and Greet as well as expectations for the 2 hours together. As you can see in the pictures, Ella had their attention the entire time! She was in the pool and on the pool deck demonstrating and giving direction. Her communication skills and ability to reach a wide range of swimming abilities were outstanding. She had appropriate expectations of the swimmers and was attentive to the younger group when they were in need of a break. Overall, our time spent with Ella surpassed our expectations and we are truly grateful for the opportunity for this experience.”

– The Perry Swim Team (PAWS Swim Clinic in Des Moines, Iowa)