GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL SWIM FORCE

My daughter just graduated from the highest class level at Goldfish Swim School. Does that mean her time there has come to an end? Not just yet … she's joined the Goldfish Swim School Swim Force!

The Swim Force is a program for those kids who have advanced through all the swimming classes that Goldfish has to offer. It is the school's in-house swim team.  Team members train each week to participate in the Swim Force's swimming meets that take place four times per year. It is a great way to transition kids from learning to swim towards participating in swimming as a sport. Especially for those who may be athletically inclined to pursuing joining a competitive swim club or being a part of high school and college swim teams. My daughter really is into swimming so we absolutely wanted to give her the Swim Force experience to see if this is an activity she really wants to take to the next level and being participating in at a competitive level.

Instead of going to a once per week class, Swim Force swimmers participate in a once per week workout.  This workout is double the length of time and distance in the pool than the normal Goldfish Swim School swimming class.  Swim Force workouts are an hour instead of half-hour long. Plus Swim Force members swim the length of the pool during their workouts instead of across its width as is done in swim classes. Your kids is absolutely going to get some exercise during a Swim Force workout!

Swim Force session sizes are larger than the average swimming class with 10 to 15 kids normally participating in a workout compared to the maximum of four per class in swimming lessons.  This is balanced out though with their being three to four instructors helping out the swimmers during a workout so there is still approximately a 4 students to 1 teacher ratio when it comes to participating in the Gold Fish Swim School Swim Force.  These sessions are all about taking kids who have their basic swimming skills down pat and helping them to master strokes, improve their speed in the water, and introduce them to the competitive aspect of the sport.

Each Swim Force member is assessed by instructors and assigned to a specific pool lane based upon his or her skill ranking where he or she will be interacting with other swimmers of similar ability.  This helps swimmers avoid becoming overwhelmed or feeling defeated by Swim Force members who have may more advanced skills. Children 5 to 12 years old can join the Swim Force anytime throughout the year – there is no “season” like in other sports. You don't have to have taken lessons at Goldfish either, any kid can join Swim Force provided they can pass tests to determine if they’re ready.

Here are 5 great things we've discovered about joining the Swim Force:

• It is one day per week! If your family is like mine I'm sure you always seem busy so the once-a-week Swim Force workouts mean no overextending your schedule with a commitment to a team activity that has multiple practices per week. Children can be involved in swimming yet still have the flexibility to do other activities as well.

• Workouts are for one hour! The extended time of Swim Force workouts versus the normal half-hour Goldfish swimming lesson times gives kids extra time spent in the water. And while traditional swim lesson classes may be over, swimmers are still getting lots of individualized attention from coaches who are in the pool with them during the Swim Force workouts.

• Socialization! Kids build relationships and learn about working together when they are a part of Swim Force. It is the opportunity to compete against others as well as to feel what it’s like to be on a team.

• Builds Confidence! The more often kids practice at something the better they will become and swimming is no different than anything else. Being part of the Goldfish Swim School Swim Force allows children to gain confidence not only in their swimming abilities, but in themselves as they see their accomplishments over time. The quarterly swim meet, which is voluntary to participate in, allows kids to showcase their skills in a team setting meant to build confidence no matter the skill level of the swimmer.

• Improves Athletic Skills! The Swim Force program is designed to prepare kids for participating in team sports and competitive swimming. It focusses on helping swimmers becoming more proficient in both technique and stamina. Coaches will help kids perfect swim strokes for the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle – and also learn new racing skills including turns and finishes. If your child has an interest in doing swimming as a sport, Swim Force will get him or her up to speed to move up to a competitive team when he or she has outgrown their Goldfish Swim School years.

My daughter has just started Swim Force and hasn't been in it long enough to participate in a swimming meet yet.  She was initially shocked at how many of the kids on the Swim Force outpace her right now after she was always the star of all her swimming classes. I've been impressed on how she has taken that on as a challenge to improve herself to be competitive with them and it looks like she is really enjoying the Swim Force workouts. Stay tuned for more updates as she keeps swimming at Goldfish Swim School and prepares for her Swim Force swimming meets!  

For more information about Goldfish Swim School swimming lessons and its Swim Force program, head over to goldfishswimschool.com 

A Geek Daddy is a Goldfish Swim School brand ambassador. In exchange for providing publicity through this blog and its social media outlets, I receive free products and services from Goldfish Swim School. Opinions expresses are always honest and my own.

GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL WATER SAFETY DAY

Goldfish Swim School locations across the country will be celebrating Water Safety Day on Saturday, May 19, 2018 and everyone in the community is welcome to stop by their pools for a special event. While water safety is a topic the swim school takes very serious and focusses on throughout the year with its students and their families, this one day event is a great way to reinforce these important messages in a fun way. Stop by to check out a presentation about being safe in the water with Bubbles, Goldfish's mascot, as well as take in some safety demonstrations and drills in the pool led by swim school instructors and lifeguards. Plus there will be fun activities and games to participate in as well. Water Safety Day events are open to the public and FREE to attend.  Your family doesn't have to be Goldfish Swim School members to participate in this golden experience.

The Goldfish Swim School facility that my kids are enrolled at has a lot of fun festivities planned for May 20th. You have your choice of jumping in their indoor pool or some outdoor bounce houses during their Water Safety Day festivities. Complimentary beverages, hotdogs and snacks will be given out from a food truck in their parking lot as well. Plus my daughter's favorite part of last year's event will be returning again ... an incredibly talented balloon artist who will be providing kids with some wonderful souvenirs to take home with them. Plus there will be lots of other things to do that you'll have to stop by to find out about. Did I mention this is all FREE for parents and children who stop by whether or not you are taking lessons at the swim school?!

Contact your local Goldfish Swim School for specific details about what specific locations have planned for Water Safety Day as well as the hours when their activities will take place. Find a location near you by visiting goldfishswimschool.com. There are Goldfish Swim Schools across the USA in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin; as well as in Ontario Canada.

Whether or not you can make it to Water Safety Day, here are some tips from my friends at Goldfish Swim School to keep in mind to be proactive in avoiding a tragedy:

• Keep it Fresh:  When the weather warms up families start spending more time in and around water. As summer approaches make sure to go over water safety rules and practice with children what to do in an emergency. Use your own behavior in and around water as a model for kids to follow. They are more likely to pick up on how to stay safe around water by following your example. 

• Pool Rules: If you are going to be spending a lot of time around pools it is always a good idea to have some hard-and-fast rules for your family. No running. No diving in head first. Depending on the ages of your kids, you might require a lifejacket, or have a “no going in the deep end” rule. It’s also a good idea to have built-in breaks. Swimming is tiring and you can get dehydrated or fatigued without really realizing it. Taking a 15-minute break each hour to drink some water and chill is a great rule to make your own this summer! 

• Never Swim Alone:  This is a rule that should NEVER be broken, no matter where you go or how old you are. Even the strongest swimmers can cramp up or have a medical emergency. Don’t enter the water anywhere, for any reason, alone. No surfing at the ocean, kayaking on the lake or doing laps at the hotel pool by yourself. 

• Get CPR Certified:  Even families with the best laid plans can find themselves in an emergency situation. Being prepared – and trained – for an emergency is one of the best water safety tips out there. Have someone in your family become CPR certified (with rescue breathing) or maybe do it together as a group activity. It’s a relatively quick and easy class and it’s offered by community centers and other local groups. It could save a life.

• Always Pay Attention:  There could be a hundred adults around a pool party but if no one is paying attention to what is going on in the water it really doesn't matter how many people are there. Sometimes, even a few minutes of inattention can be deadly in and around water. When water is around, there should always be a few dedicated “water watchers” whose sole job is to keep an eye on the swimmers. Vigilance is key. No chatting, no checking your phone. Watch the water and those in it.

• Lessons Learned: One of the best ways to keep kids safer in and around water is to teach them to respect it. One of the best ways to do that is to enroll them in swim lessons. The confidence and skills they’ll learn are invaluable.

Being enrolled at Goldfish Swim School has been a wonderful experience for our family.  Both my son and daughter have really excelled in developing their swimming skills through the lessons they've taken there.  But in addition to mastering swimming strokes, they've also learned how to remain calm and handle problems that could endanger them while in or around the water.   In fact, last summer when my son got in an over his head situation while at a water park that could have quickly become dangerous, he used the water safety tips he had worked on during lessons at Goldfish Swim School to keep his cool.  He didn't panic, treaded water, looked for the closest point to get out of the water, and got the attention of a lifeguard to help him. You can read more about how Goldfish Swim School saved the day in this past ageekdaddy.com blog post.

We've attended Water Safety Day at our local Goldfish Swim School the last several years and always had a great time.  As a parent, I appreciate fun family activities like this that are both entertaining and educational.  This event absolutely gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval! 

FIVE REASONS MY FAMILY LOVES GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

Show some love for a child in your life by providing them with swimming lessons at Goldfish Swim School.  They have programs for children ranging from 4 month old babies to twelve year old tweens that develop swimming abilities and water safety skills in facilities that are specifically designed to be kid-friendly.  My son and daughter have been taking lessons at Goldfish Swim School and I can personally attest that we've had an exceptional experience there. 

It has been amazing watching my twins' progress in mastering swimming strokes and seeing them develop an increased self-confidence in the pool.  Numerous happy families like my own caught the attention of the DETROIT FREE PRESS  which published a feature story highlighting how Goldfish Swim School has grown over the last ten years to become one of the largest children's swimming lesson providers within the United States.  So what is it that sets this swim school apart from others?

Here are five reasons why my family loves Goldfish Swim School:

• INDOOR POOLS:  Children can swim anytime of the year no matter what the weather is like outside in Goldfish Swim School's indoor pools that are always shiver-free heated to a comfy 90 degrees. 
• EASY TO SCHEDULE CLASSES:  Many swim schools offer one specific time take it or leave it for their classes; but that isn't the case with Goldfish Swim School.  They offer a number of options for each of their class levels to choose from throughout the week providing flexibility to help parents find a day and time for their children's lessons that best fits into their family's schedule.  
• MAKE UP CLASSES:  Scheduling conflicts arise that is just a fact of life.  A child may be sick, have a grade school function to be at or a sports game scheduled for the same time as a swim lesson.  With many swim schools you just miss the class and wasted the money you spent on it.  Goldfish Swim School takes a different approach providing no fuss / no hassle make up classes.  Just inform them a child won't be at his or her normal class in advance and the staff will arrange for a make up session on another date.  This can be done twelve times per year without  losing out on lessons or incurring additional charges.
• SMALL CLASS SIZES:  Ensuring each student gets plenty of attention from their instructor and swimming time in the pool during a lesson is a priority at Goldfish Swim School.  Therefore swim lessons are limited to four students per class with the exception of parent-tot programs and the Swim Force swim team which differentiate a bit in their ratios.  
• PROGRESS REPORTS:  After EVERY class, instructors provide parents with individual poolside progress reports for their children. Personalized details for each student are conveyed informing a parent about what was worked on during the lesson, noting positive accomplishments  by the child and highlighting areas where there is need for improvement.  

These are just a few examples of why Goldfish Swim School has earned A Geek Daddy nod of approval.  Stay tuned to ageekdaddy.com as I continue to share my family's experiences at Goldfish Swim School throughout the year.  Plus if you are interested in signing a child up for some swim lessons head over to goldfishswimschool.com.  There are currently more than 60 locations in the country spread across 23 states plus one near Toronto in Canada with another 20 locations planning to open in North America by the end of the year.