I first joined Swimsound when I was about 11, having tried other swimming clubs, competitive and non-competitive. I am now 18 and teaching for Swimsound, and I credit the club with a lot of the confidence I have gained in myself over those years.
When I first joined Swimsound, I immediately felt welcomed and this remains one of the things I value about the club. Teachers weren’t afraid of challenging and pushing us yet they were always friendly and allowed swimming lessons to be something to look forward to. This shone through clearly at galas, I remember, when there was an exciting competitive spirit that created a buzz around the event. Yet it was all completely good-natured and fun regardless of your age, unlike in some competitive clubs.
I think that this is something incredibly special about Swimsound. I think that this nurtures a genuine and lasting love for swimming in children who swim at Swimsound, without a sense of pressure (it certainly did in me). I continued to swim with Swimsound, developing strong friendships, until I was about 16, by which time I was already involved with teaching others.
I started assisting teachers as a volunteer when I was about 14, with no experience of working at all, after expressing an interest. In return, Swimsound financially supported my Level 1 swimming teaching training. Four years later, I am still working for Swimsound and feel incredibly lucky to be able to give others the opportunity to love swimming as much as I do. As an assistant, I’ve worked alongside many of Swimsound’s teachers which has really made me appreciate how talented they all are, and how many different ways children can be engaged during a swim lesson..
I will always remember the club fondly as the place that taught me to love swimming and built my confidence to teach others.
