Changing the Course

“It was so good it interrupted me being able to nap” declared my husband, Matt, as the film ‘The Young Woman and the Sea’ concluded. This inspiring film is based on the true story of Trudy Ederle, famously called “Queen of the Waves”.

At 7:08am, August 8th, 1926, Gertrude (Trudy) Ederle entered the channel from the beach on the west coast of France. She was determined to become the first woman to swim across the English Channel. At age 19, Trudy shocked the world when she accomplished her goal with an official time of 14 hours, 39 minutes (nearly two hours faster than any man, and no woman beat her record for 24 years).

Trudy courageously changed the course of history that day!

As she prepared for this all-important moment, she was repeatedly told she would fail, and that what she was attempting couldn’t be done. That women shouldn’t even be involved in any form of competitive public swimming. Victorian attitudes towards women and swimming would sadly not surprise us. Women were discouraged from even swimming publicly because it was considered risky and sexually provocative. Even when standards relaxed and the pioneering Women’s Swimming Association – of which Trudy was a member – started holding swimming meet ups in the late teens and early 1920s, women were still getting arrested on beaches around New York if they exposed their calves.

Trudy refused to live under the expectations and rules for women in the culture of her society. Whilst most women swam in bulky and heavy wool dresses, Trudy wanted to wear something that wouldn’t slow her down and ended up wearing a bikini which many considered shocking and outrageous.

“They are rooting against you. They want the water to win”, said one of her supporters in this film.

But even though there was a great number of people against her, a growing wave of people were for her. Her sister, Meg, swam with her from time to time during the Channel swim. She also sang Trudy’s favourite songs, which helped Trudy keep her stroke slow and steady. New coaches and allies, both male and female, rose to be by her side even though it cost them and their reputation greatly.

At her second attempt to cross the channel she bravely said to her coach “Don’t let anyone take me out of the water no matter what”. The decision to quit was hers and hers alone.

The perilous near 15-hour journey, in which many had lost their lives, was something she was willing to die for. She was quoted afterwards saying, “I just knew it could be done. It had to be done, and I did it”

Thousands of people waited for Trudy’s arrival on the beaches of England.

Their bonfires guided her into shore to keep her on track.

It was 9:40 PM when she walked out of the water, achieving what many had said was impossible and improper!

So, what can we learn from this incredible woman who changed the course for many with her achievements?

Swim your own stroke

Long distance swimmers at that time usually used the breaststroke, but not Trudy. She decided to swim the front crawl which was much faster. Her trainer, Handley, recognised that women in general – and Trudy in particular – had just as much stamina as men. She was the first swimmer to use the stroke in the Channel and proved that sticking to your own stroke won the day.

Swim with others

We need each other if we are going to keep charting the course for others. We can’t, and mustn’t, swim alone.

• Who are our tribe?
• Who are our coaches?
• Who are our cheerleaders?
• Who are our companions?

Just keep swimming

Sometimes it feels like we are making no progress; getting nowhere fast. The sea of our call can feel massive and overwhelming, but with determined hearts and a resolve to focus on Jesus, we will reach our destination.

So whats your destination? What course and cause are you trying to change in and through your leadership? Be encouraged today, determination reaches destiny.

Partner with God in this, your counsellor, your advocate and take courage that as you keep on keeping on He is by your side.