Breaking Free My Life

Hello, I'm Ruben and I'm 12 years old.

I dream of being a world champion swimmer.

My friend Harley wants to ride the waves.

And Nicole wants to go out with her boyfriend James.

'This is our summer. Can we reach our goals?'

I'm the champion!

Face our fears?

-I can do this!

-Go, go, go!

Can you do any better?

And prove that we can do things on our own?

Oh, no way!

This is us breaking free!

Right, Rubes, we are going to go in

and get ready for the competition with two lengths of front crawl.

Take your marks... Go!

Today I'm training hard with my coach Gemma.

I want to be a member of Team GB!

Gemma needs me to swim two lengths in 50 seconds.

That's proper hard!

If I do that, I have a real chance of winning my race tomorrow.

If we're going to get those times down to be in the GB team,

we need to work a little bit harder.

So those legs are going to have to really work, OK?

Are we ready? Take your marks...

Go!

I have Down's syndrome. I compete against other people like me.

This is my room. Full of medals!

Silver, gold. Silver...

This is my favourite swimming medal because it's gold

and it's proper heavy.

I go swimming in a gala, to get more trophies and medals.

Good! Let's go, go, go!

My coach is called Gemma Whipley

and it's good to teach me lots of times so I can focus my mind.

He's definitely a potential Great Britain swimmer.

There's no swimmers swimming in his age bracket with Down's syndrome

so he's swimming against all the big swimmers

and he's still coming out with medals.

My body needs to get more stronger than not getting fat.

Because if you get lots of exercise and stuff like that,

then you get more muscles, that have got more power to swim in a gala.

Having Down's syndrome means I have an extra chromosome.

It makes my face a bit different,

my hands a bit different

and my feet.

My body has to work harder to make muscles and burn fat.

51, that's one second off.

If we go to the competition

and we swim like that, do you know what you'll get?

-Yeah.

-What?

-A gold medal!

And who's going to be watching you get that gold medal?

My mum up there!

I did it in 51 seconds!

I still need a little bit faster for the actual race.

And what we need to do is train harder and harder and harder.

We need to get those times at the swimming gala

-and we need to get better. Can you do that?

-Yeah!

-Are you sure?

-Yeah!

Shall we go and do one more? Come on then, let's go!

My friend Nicole is out shopping with her mum

and best friend Charlotte.

-You don't want to wear what your mum wears, do you?

-No!

They are looking for an outfit for Nicole's new drama class.

Stop! Stop, you silly sack!

You've got to wait for me. Don't go too far away, OK?

Nicole's mum always worries when she's out.

But Nicole wants her mum to give her some space.

You go and get a drink and me and Charlotte are going to shop.

-Really? I don't think so, honey.

-Yes.

It's too big. The store's too big.

Mum...

'When we go out, I'm on guard all the time.

'You just want to protect your child as much as possible.'

-Oh, no way.

-Why, what's wrong with that?

I don't like it.

'I think she just wants to turn into a mini-teen.'

Instead of having a mother hanging around her all the time.

Yeah, leave the shoes. We're ready.

Today, Harley is starting a week-long surf school.

He could win a trophy. Just like me!

Listen up, kids. I'm Mark

and this is the start of our surfing course.

So we've got a week to get you up and riding

to see who is going to get a medal or not.

Harley is the only person in the group who has Down's syndrome.

When he gets it wrong, he gets frustrated.

Jump off your board and cover your head, when I say.

We fall off, cover your head.

That's it, cover your head, Harley!

Cover your head!

Even though Harley is finding it hard,

he needs to be able to ride the board in on his belly.

-Are we ready to go in?

-Yes, baby!

Harley is determined to get it right for his teacher, Mark.

Harley's been coming to us for a long time

and I'm sure we going to be friends for many years to come.

Oh, no! He's fallen off!

Did you get a mouthful?

It doesn't take much for him to lose his confidence.

-I don't like surfing any more!

-Yes, you do, you liar!

-No, I don't!

-Yes, you do! You do!

-Liar!

Off we go!

Meanwhile, Nicole's mum is letting her

join a week-long drama club all by herself.

-Starmakers.

-Starmakers, that's right.

Ready? Let's go!

-Mum?

-Yeah?

-I'm so proud.

-You're proud of what, babe?

My new drama club.

Ah! That's really cool.

I'm so excited

to meet other people I don't know very well.

Nicole is joining a group where she will be the only person

with Down's syndrome.

What we'll do, Mummy will take you in,

and I'll introduce you to the people who are looking after you.

Are they going to introduce the children to me?

-Yeah.

-Cool!

Nicole is most looking forward to making new friends.

But that doesn't stop her feeling apprehensive.

How old are you, m'love?

-I'm 12.

-12, OK.

Or her mum!

-Morning!

-ALL: Morning!

I am actually feeling a bit nervous about it.

It's going to be a really good week.

Nicole is doing drama, dance and singing!

-Nicole!

-Lovely.

-ALL:

-Nicole!

-Splat!

-Splat!

-Splat!

At the end of the day she will perform in front of the whole class.

Nicole doesn't seem to have had any trouble making friends.

Especially with Saffron!

I think you'll enjoy dance,

because you will get to do a new different type of dance.

Because there's lots of different pieces of music in it

and you get to do all types of dance.

So you maybe have some street dance,

maybe some tap and modern... It's all really fun!

I can do tap!

-Do you do tap?

-Yeah.

-I do tap!

Nicole is about to act in front of her new friends.

I'm not her dog!

She's pretending to be a strict dog owner.

Excuse me, Nicole, is this really your dog?

Yeah!

I'm not, I'm her sister!

Help me!

Nicole's got a part in the drama group's main performance

at the end of the week.

Thank you very much!

She has impressed her new friends.

Miss Centre Of Attention, look at you!

And her mum!

Let's go, Ruben.

OK, you!

I'm hanging out with my best friend Hannah, before my big race tomorrow.

The reason he is my friend is because

since I moved to this school, he has been sticking up for me!

And I was like maybe we could be friends.

She's funny.

And sometimes a bit...cute!

Hey! I've got a boyfriend, you know!

He just makes me want to call for him every day,

he's that good of a friend.

But I can't because he's, like, swimming all the time.

I don't get to see Hannah as much as I would like

because I'm training four times a week.

He's that fast, you can't believe your eyes.

One blink of an eye, he's already at the other end of the pool!

It's time now, love.

It's nearly 7.30 and your dad is going to pick you up in a minute.

I've got to pack for my swimming competition tomorrow.

It's my last chance to impress the British team.

-Are these trunks OK?

-Yes.

-Are they your lucky trunks?

-I don't know!

We'll see, won't we!

All set.

Into bed then, Rubes.

'I am listening to this music to help me focus for my big race.'

So don't forget, I love you more than all the tea in China!

That's not the tea!

Goodnight.

-See you tomorrow, lovey.

-See ya!

Night night, love you!

I'm excited to get to the races

but my competitors are much older than me.

So what we have to do today is prove to all these big swimmers

that we're really, really fast.

-Do you think we can do that?

-Yeah!

-Are you sure?

-Yeah.

-How sure?

-Very sure!

-Very sure!

-Shall we go and get ourselves changed?

-Shall we get ready? Yeah!

And the person I have to impress today is Gordon.

I am really nervous before I swim

and today the whole Team GB squad are there.

I'm going to walk around with you

and we are going straight over to lane 1.

I'm ready for my first race. Here I go!

But things don't quite go as I want them to.

If you would like to clear the water, please, guys.

I came fourth. That's a disaster!

Out of six you came number four. It was very, very good!

Look at Gemma.

'I get frustrated when my body doesn't do what I want it to do.

'I've got to turn things around soon, or I'll never make the team.'

Harley is halfway though his surf week.

Look, straight through!

No, Mum!

And he's having a bad day too.

-Right, Harley, are we going to go surfing?

-No.

-Why are we going to go surfing?

-No, Steve!

-Shall we just go straight in the water then?

-No, Steve!

-Shall we just go in the water?

-No! I will come out!

Why do you want to come out?

He was expecting Mark,

but Steve is teaching him today instead.

Come on, you want to get in, don't you?

-You want to make your surfing really good.

-No, it's rubbish.

-You can do it really, really well, your surfing.

-No!

Harley needs to be told in advance what he's going to do

and when and how he's going to do it.

Paddle, paddle.

If he doesn't know he gets a little concerned,

a little bit worried, a little bit anxious.

-Whoo! Fall off!

-No!

-Go on!

-No!

He finds these changes hard.

If Harley doesn't settle down, he might not get a trophy.

You know when we're in the water

and I say to you, "Come on, Harley, you can catch this wave,"

-you can do it, can't you?

-No.

-Yeah, you can!

When I say, "Harley, trust me!" Do you trust me?

-No, I can't!

-Why can't you trust me?

I can't do this!

You can do this. And you can trust me. So next time...

-How much trust, show me. That much?

-No.

You move my fingers.

That much? Good, that'll do.

That much trust. OK? Cool, well done.

When Harley gets home, he thinks about why surfing is so important.

Before Harley joined this surfing group,

he used to go surfing with his nephew, Cain.

-Lie down on the board.

-They are very close.

And Cain looked out for him when they were at school together.

When Harley moved to a different school, he started to have problems.

One day Harley was so sad

he ran into the head teacher's office and rang the police.

The police told him he shouldn't ring 999 when he is unhappy.

Harley can now surf to get his confidence back.

I think this summer will be very good for him, with his surfing,

just to have something to take his mind off everything.

Harley had to leave his last school.

He's learning to trust people again.

After drama school, Nicole takes some time out for boyfriend James.

-Hello, James.

-Hi, Nicole.

-Come in.

James is 12 and they have known each other since they were 2.

And now they want to go out without Mum.

OK. Cool.

-Mum?

-Mm?

-I really, really want to have a date with my boyfriend.

-Just you and James, or with mummies too?

-Just me and James.

Mummy's going to have to think about it, Nicole.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-OK.

That didn't go as well as Nicole hoped it would.

I'm getting over my setback earlier.

I am going to give the next race my all.

And this is my last chance to impress Gordon.

When he's on the blocks, it's nerve-wracking.

Then once he's in the water and he's away,

you just have to make yourself sit back and try and enjoy it.

-Lane four, Ruben Rueter.

-This is a race I have to win.

Come on, Ruben!

Go, go, go!

Yes, I've done it!

First and fourth. And I'm pretty surprised myself.

So...so I went and got a personal best. I got a medal.

Well done.

I may have won, but is it enough to make the trial?

I go to see Gordon to get the news.

Right, Rubes. Looking at how well you've done today,

we can get you to train with the GB team.

-Is that something you want to do?

-Very! Very much!

'Yes, I've done it!'

But first, I go to Cornwall.

It's Harley's big day at Surf School

and me and my mum and dad have come to cheer him on.

But first, we chat.

A bit, a bit. A bit.

Yeah.

If you tell the teacher...

Have you found that the surfing's been good for him

-in other ways, apart from keeping fit?

-Oh, yes.

It's to get his trust in people again.

Now, it's time for Harley to compete for the trophy.

I hope he can do it.

-What have we got to go out there and do? Catch as many...

-Catch the waves!

Catch some waves, OK?

-Remember what we worked on yesterday and the day before?

-Yes.

-Right? It all works down to today, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-The big contest.

Steve and Mark take each of the kids into the water.

CHANTING: Harley! Harley!

Come on, Harley!

He doesn't look like he's going to do it.

He has!

Yay, awesome crackers!

First place was...Harley!

-CHEERING

-Well done, Harley!

Not only has he stood up, all the way in,

he has beaten all the other kids in the group.

You tried really, really hard and saved your best to last. Didn't you?

-Today you had the best...

-Thank you, Harley!

-You had the best waves ever.

Harley has put the bullies behind him.

So, how is Nicole getting on as the day of her show arrives?

It's square, like that crossbeam.

She has been practising her lines a lot.

Sit down, be quiet or I'll put you in the oven!

-That's quite nasty, isn't it?

-SHE GIGGLES

Who's coming to watch you tonight, Nicole?

-Your boyfriend is coming?

-Yeah.

-Wow.

James can't wait to see his Nicole on stage.

Are you ready?

Oh, yeah! SHE GIGGLES

Before you go and you do your fantastic show,

what is that line that we've been practising?

-Sit down, be quiet or I'll put you in the oven.

-Yes!

-Good stuff.

All right, guys? Ready for show time?

-CHEERING

-Have fun, guys. Whoo! Yeah!

APPLAUSE

Nicole is up next. Will she remember her lines?

Music, and off you go.

Sit down, be quiet. Or I'll put you in the oven.

She has!

Nicole has achieved her dreams.

-Did you have a really good time?

-Yeah.

James is so proud, he has brought her a present.

Oh my God! Thanks!

-Did you know that you made me cry?

-Yeah.

You did, did you see Mummy was crying?

I was, because I was so proud of you.

'She rocked it, and you think, she can do that

'so we need to allow her to be going on a date.'

How about it being a yes from Mummy,

because you just spent a week

being a really big, very grown-up young lady. Would that be good?

-Yes, Mum.

-What about you?

-Yes, why not?

-Yeah? Makes you happy?

-Yeah, happy.

Cool. Come on, big hug, then.

Now is my own big day. I'm in Glasgow.

-Ready?

-Ready. Go.

We've been training for two hours.

OK, Ollie, Andy, on the blocks.

It all comes down to this race.

On this next block, you've got to really get up, give it some.

-No hanging around because we want some real fast times. Yes?

-Yes!

Come on then. Let's get it up and going.

Ready?

Go!

Good job. Jump out.

We'll have to have a look at the times,

see what it says on the bit of paper and I'll let you know later.

I worked so hard.

If I swim fast enough,

I'll have made it into the Down's syndrome GB squad.

Hello, Rubes. I've spoken to the coaches,

we've looked at the times you swum in those races.

Now, how would you like to be part of the squad?

-Yes, please!

-Yeah?

-So, Ruben, Team GB.

-Yes!

'It's all been worth it. I'm going to be a champion!'

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Now Nicole gets to go out with James.

This is where you guys are going,

for your first date. I'm not scared.

At all. I'm not worried. Go and have fun.

What can I get for you?

The pasta, gluten-free. Lovely.

-Thank you!

-You're welcome. Buon appetito.

'This summer, she seems to have grown into this lovely,'

-confident young lady.

-There we go, guys, there's the bill for you.

-Thank you.

-You're welcome.

She seems to have just taken it in her stride and loved every minute.

It has been a brilliant summer.

I'm a champion.

Harley is a surfer dude.

And Nicole is out on the town.

And we can do things all on our own.

We are awesome!

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