Emanuel comes from a life structured by swimming. With a grandfather who worked as a sponge diver in Cuba, his father ensured that all his children had a respect, understanding, and enjoyment of the water. As a youth he and his siblings all swam competitively for various teams throughout Yonkers and New York City. His drive and determination in the sport not only led to leadership roles as captain of the Yonkers Unified High School Swim Team, but eventually allowed him to lead a successful career as a Westchester County lifeguard, Riverdale YM-YWHA swim instructor, and USA Certified Swim Coach. He specializes with early youth and adolescent swimmers who seek to understand, respect, and enjoy the water, be it competitively or as a life long skill.