Twin brothers with Down syndrome are South Bay swim stars

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Matthew and John Jarvis are changing perceptions in their South Bay community.The twins, born with Down syndrome, have garnered a lot of attention for their enthusiasm and speed in the water.

Matthew and John recently wrapped up their senior year on the swim team at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara. The teens prefer to swim freestyle and the breaststroke. The two each medaled twice at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) meet, a state competition for para swimmers, in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle.

"I got two medals... a green and a blue, and I beat John," Matthew said.

"My mom was so happy and then my dad was so happy too," John said. "Everybody loved me."

The boys said they get hyped when people cheer them on. It helps them to swim faster. There’s no shortage of hype. Many students, even some from other schools, will stop what their doing to cheer the boys on at their competitions.

"The energy of that meet, of the CIF meet, was very high energy," said Wendy Jarvis, the boys’ mom. "And like John was saying, he got really hyped up, and he dropped 10 full seconds in that 100. Getting to this point was never something that we strived for. We just always wanted to strive to do our best. And this is what happened."

Jarvis said it all started 11 years ago when the twins would go to their younger brother’s swim lessons.

"The swim manager asked me, ‘Why are they not in there?’ And I told her I was scared because I wasn't sure if they would have a staff that could support their needs. And she said, ‘Can you trust me?’ And I said, ‘Sure.’ So she got them in the water."

Now it’s hard getting them out of the water. The teens spend about an hour and a half practicing every day with the help of their coach, Brandon Denault. Denault is an English teacher and football coach. He took over the swim team last year without any experience.

"I just I wanted to make sure that I gave them everything that they needed," Denault said. "I was not worried because I just wanted to give them what I give my football players and since I don't have that knowledge, I was like, ‘Oh no, what am I going to do?’ And just this school just stepped up and did the Wilcox way. I mean, it's helping kids when they need it."

Denault said working with Matthew and John changed his perspective.

"Like at first, I almost felt guilty because I hadn't seen this first and once I got over that awkward feeling, the pride came in and the excitement and I just went, Oh man, this is why I teach. This is why I coach," he said. "Once they jump in the pool, you know, there's no difference. You can't tell. These guys jump in and what they're doing, it's no different from a non-para swimmer and a para swimmer."

John was especially excited after seeing the athletic director wished them luck on social media before a state competition.

"John came up to me and he was kind of choked up, and he was like, Mom, the school's proud of me," she said. "At that moment, I knew that all these years of hard work, this is what it was for. Through the years, going to football games and basketball games and always sitting on the sideline. Now, they were the star."

She is grateful the sport changed their life. She said swimming is a life skill and a way for them to be included.

"Having these para events with swimming in high school has allowed it's allowed for them to compete alongside their peers, but at a level that they can be successful at. That gives them self-confidence and self-worth and a lot of pride."

And John’s advice to other swimmers: get hyped to get speed.

 "If you start fast then you'll go fast the whole time," he said.

"I want to say thank you to them because without them they wouldn't have taught me what the value of sports and community and what that does," Denault said. "It brings people together."