British Swim School Hamilton County offers premium water survival and swimming lessons for infants, toddlers, children and adults, starting at just 3 months old. We sat down with owners, Greg and Katie Blair, to learn more about the BSS difference.
Why did you choose British Swim School?
My husband, Greg, was a swimmer in high school and a Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor through college. I grew up in California near the ocean, so swimming was always a part of my life, but my career background was in developmental psychology as a Clinical Director for children with Autism. Both of us were drawn to the safety and survival component of the swim lesson program. As parents, we know the statistic that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children under 5 years old. We also know how easy it is to turn your back for just a moment and have your child wander (or sprint) off. We liked that this business is one that teaches students how to be water safe(r).
What is different about your swim program?
We believe that swim lessons are important for everyone of every age and ability. Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield, and Fishers have many good options for swim lessons, so a lot of it is about finding the right fit. We value the investment that families make when choosing British Swim School. We are a goal-oriented program and partner with families to ensure that their children make progress. Since we rent pool space, we do not have the overhead of pool maintenance and can therefore keep our classes small and invest in hiring and training quality staff. If a student is struggling, or a scheduling conflict arises, we work with families to find the best solution possible. It is that level of individualized attention that you are not always able to get at larger swim schools. We also welcome students from 3 months old all the way through adults. It is never too early or too late to start learning how to be water safe and we provide a comfortable, fun, and encouraging environment for all students.
Your program seems to be separated into Survival and Stroke Development levels. What is the purpose of that?
Before we get into stroke development, we want to ensure that all of our students are safe and have the necessary survival skills. Even the strongest swimmers need to know how to hold a back float, as that is the safest place to be when in the water. In our Survival Levels students are not allowed to wear goggles or use swim aids since we want to ensure they know how to be safe on their own, should the worst happen. Once students graduate to our stroke development levels, we teach them how to be safe and efficient in the water. We want their breathing to be correct, their hand and body placement to be precise, and their kick to be strong. It does no one any good to work hard and splash from one side of the pool to the other. We want our graduates to be strong, precise, and confident!
With summer coming, what do you want families to know?
As pools open, swim lessons become even more beneficial. It is the perfect time for children to learn skills in class and then practice them throughout the week on their own. We give families tips they can work on with their child to make sure that progress is sustained. But, swimming lessons are important year round. Water doesn’t cease to exist after summer, and with vacations over school breaks and all the lakes and retention ponds that surround us, children should be in lessons practicing the skills needed to be safe and happy swimmers.
How do people find you?
Most of our information is on our website and we are on Facebook and Instagram. Or they can call 317-863-0300 at any time.
