Swim Team

Airing on PBS, NHK, DR and more worldwide

New Jersey has the highest rate of autism in the United States, with one in 26 boys being diagnosed on the spectrum. For one family, the community is leaving their son behind and the parents take matters into their own hands. They form a competitive swim team, recruiting diverse teens on the spectrum and training them with high expectations and zero pity. Swim Team chronicles the extraordinary rise of the Jersey Hammerheads, capturing a moving quest for inclusion, independence and a life that feels winning.

The kids often find themselves as outcasts in ordinary society. They’re teenagers on the autism spectrum, which can make learning and connecting with others difficult. Some have never been in the water before, due to sensory issues or other consequences of autism that have taken hold for each child individually. But in the pool, they’re majestic. They feel as strong and speedy as dolphins, and crucially are exploring life as part of a team which for some, is also a first – a feeling of unity and friendship that others take for granted.

Mikey is a high school senior who’s proud to show off his stuffed animal collection. He’s not ready for college or a job, and his parents worry about what will become of him once he turns 18. Mikey is aware of the potential obstacles that come with autism, too; the memory of him asking his father, “Why did God make me different?” causes Mike Sr. to tear up in one the film’s many moving moments.

By contrast, there’s Mikey’s teammate, Robbie Justino, who doesn’t know he’s autistic. A high school junior, Robbie reads at a fourth-grade level. His single mom—who dropped out of college to raise him—tells us in quiet, concerned tones that while Robbie is friendly, he has no real friends. He’s clearly a leader, though: swimming two hours a day, six days a week for two different teams, he’s the one who gets his teammates pumped up before each meet.

Then there’s Kelvin Truong, who’s been diagnosed with both autism and Tourette’s syndrome. He struggles to manage physical and vocal tics as well as the anger and frustration he feels when he can’t control himself, especially in public. His mother sweetly and matter-of-factly takes us on a tour of the family’s two-story home, where colorful posters line the walls to cover up the many places where Kelvin has punched holes in them. She maintains a smile as she talks about the daily realities of life with her 22-year-old son, until the heartbreaking moment when her façade cracks at the memory of him slamming his head into a wall.

Feature documentary producer Stolman has gained the trust of these families, resulting in an intimacy that’s warm and revealing. The result is a film that’s both eye-opening and heart-opening, with ordinary rites of passage like graduating from high school and getting a first job feeling like monumental accomplishments. The film follows the Hammerheads’ journey to make it to the state’s Special Olympics summer games — and their success on getting through is the sweetest cherry on top.

The film has screened at over 50 international film festivals, won 14 awards, was released theatrically with its debut at New York’s IFC Center, was broadcast on PBS’ acclaimed non-fiction showcase POV and streamed on Netflix.