Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, & Stafford Virginia | (540) 785-2222  

At Little Fish it’s just as fulfilling for our coaches to see the swimmer’s succeed as it is for them
and their parents! Getting a swimmer to pass levels through learning new techniques and
mastering skills takes hard work for everyone involved.

Every child is different, so a teaching technique that works for one may not work with another.
Some swimmers do well with simply being told how to do a drill, some may need to see a
demonstration, and others may need even need both. The structure of the class may also vary
depending on the swimmers. There may be classes that are more energetic, so they may need
a game in the middle of class to keep them engaged and blow off some steam. Once a coach
figures out their swimmer’s learning style, teaching them new skills becomes a lot easier!

Regardless of the learning type, the priority of every class is the same. Every swimmer should
make progress towards their goals. Whether their goal is be confident and comfortable in the
water , become more competitive in swimming, it is important to celebrate even the smallest
victories.

As a coach, it’s very rewarding to see a swimmer make this progress. Whether passing a whole
level or taking a small step to master a new skill, I like to celebrate even the smallest
accomplishments to help motivate my students to keep moving forward.

While coaching I take a mental note of what each swimmer’s strengths are as well as what
areas need improvement. For example, I have had some swimmers that are super comfortable
and confident swimming on their stomachs, but don’t show that same comfort on their backs. So
it’s my job, as their coach, to ensure that swimmer gets a little more practice on swimming on
their back so that they can master that skill.

Our advanced “shark” swimmers have a lot more to accomplish on each level. They may have
become very comfortable with their freestyle, but could still use work in other aspects of that
same level, backstroke for example. If this is the case, I’ll have that swimmer focus more their
backstroke if the swimmer and I feel they are already confident in their freestyle abilities. This
way it its easier for me to make the most of my time with my swimmers by really focusing on
exactly what skills they need more work on. With hard work, time, and motivation each swimmer
is growing each class!

Figuring out a swimmers learning style can be like trying to solve a puzzle. Once it is unlocked
everything begins to fit together quite nicely. This along with catering the class to what each
student needs all contribute to making progress towards their goals! It is rewarding for the kids,
parents, and even the coaches too see all of the swimmer’s hard work pay off.

Camy Delean