Way of the Warrior Kid

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying.

Jake has Marc confront his fear of swimming—he is reluctant, but he also remembers being embarrassed during the field trip and doesn’t want to repeat that experience. Still, Marc has been afraid of water since he was very young, when he slipped in a koi pond and felt like he was drowning (even though he was quickly pulled out). Marc admits that he isn’t just unable to swim; he’s afraid of water, which is known as “hydrophobia.” 

Jake takes him to a slow-moving and shallow river. Jake promptly dives in, swims to the opposite shore and back, and shows how long he can hold his breath underwater. He gently guides Marc into the water, assuring him that he’ll learn to swim by the end of the summer, and then jumps off the bridge to show how fun it can be. To encourage Marc to put his head under the water, Jake starts yelling “AAAAAHWOOOOOOO!” He says that in the SEAL Teams, they “yelled ‘HOO+YAH’ when they had to do something they didn’t want to do or something they were scared to do” (77). Marc yells along, plunges his head into the water, and then does so again.