Çelik Erimez, a 41-year-old from Türkiye's Eskişehir, has managed to pursue both his passions of working as a lawyer and a water sports coach simultaneously.
With 18 years of experience in coaching water sports and three university degrees under his belt, Erimez started his career as a lawyer last year.
Erimez's love for water sports began during his childhood, and he pursued it further by graduating from Anadolu University with a degree in business administration in 2005.
In the same year, he also completed a minor in teaching German and obtained his water sports coaching license.
Erimez taught his students outside of working hours while working in both public and private organizations.
"While I was coaching in my spare time, I felt the need to become a freelancer. So I decided to study law," Erimez said. "Studying at university was an endless quest for me."
Noting that the law itself is also a quest, Erimez said he sees law as a sacred profession.
Over the years, Erimez worked as a coach in various clubs, training around 200 athletes and winning over 100 medals.
"Having been interested in water sports since my childhood, I worked as a national referee in swimming for years," Erimez said.
"We have achieved success both individually and as a team in underwater hockey and rugby and mono pallet (swimming style in which two feet are fixed on one track), and I also held managerial duties," he added.
Six years ago, he decided to continue his education and prepared for the university exams in his spare time to enroll in law school.
He graduated from Çankaya University Faculty of Law in 2021 and opened his own law firm while continuing to coach water sports.
Erimez teaches swimming to around 50 children and young people three days a week at the Yenikent Olympic Swimming Pool, where he is the founder and chairperson of a club.
Despite his busy schedule, Erimez participates in competitions abroad at least three times a year with his team.
"I continue to coach water sports outside of work. If you have a passion, you should go all the way. It is very difficult to practice law and water sports together, but the juggling keeps me going. It makes me very happy to be tired," Erimez concluded.
