Swimming Coach recommendation

[Volvobrick]

1 to 1 swimming lessons are too boring for kids. Group is better. 

Unless training to be an Olympian. 

[Lala81]

22 minutes ago, Chongster said:

i thought SAFRA swimming class for kids is actually not bad.  you tried that?  or are you looking for 1 to 1 lessons?  

 

 

Am already at SAFRA FINS since late last year for my girl and this year for my son. Was at another swim school before that for my girl. All fairly low ratio students to teacher. 
And usually she's willing, but somehow end product is no good. 

Sometimes she doesn't listen cos she's bit tired after a long day cos it's usually wkday late afternoon. Wkend classes are too crowded. Also so no point.
We spoke to her about it one month ago and her attitude has improved.
My fault also, cos since restarting after covid, I usually swim on my own 20 laps while she's doing her class. The coach never feedback to me until i asked him.

I'm not looking at class lessons. Probably my 2 kids together only. My son is still overcoming some fear of the water, so he's the slowest in his class. 
But think he'll be fine as he gets older. He's just naturally not "brave". 

[Lala81]

28 minutes ago, Volvobrick said:

1 to 1 swimming lessons are too boring for kids. Group is better. 

Unless training to be an Olympian. 

my 2 kids together lor.

I also wanted social group for my kids. That's why i never did the pte coaching route which was actually strongly recommended by some. 
 

[Lala81]

10 hours ago, Turboflat4 said:

You can teach yourself swimming. I did. Obviously not competitive or anything, but pool or (calm) sea, won't die one lol. 😁

So it really depends on what your aims for your child are.

I still remember swimming in our waters when I was 7 or so and getting stung badly all over by a jellyfish. Surprising that I have no phobia of the water at all.

you can. Like most motor skills.
But you be surprised how many people there are that who don't dare to go into water. 10 years ago, I taught my wife how to swim when i was dating her.
She's not good but at least now she MAY not drown immediately. Her brothers are also not comfortable in the water too. But at least they did NS. 

In open water, panic = death. So it's better to be trained in some sense. 

 

[Enye]

10 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Am already at SAFRA FINS since late last year for my girl and this year for my son. Was at another swim school before that for my girl. All fairly low ratio students to teacher. 
And usually she's willing, but somehow end product is no good. 

Sometimes she doesn't listen cos she's bit tired after a long day cos it's usually wkday late afternoon. Wkend classes are too crowded. Also so no point.
We spoke to her about it one month ago and her attitude has improved.
My fault also, cos since restarting after covid, I usually swim on my own 20 laps while she's doing her class. The coach never feedback to me until i asked him.

I'm not looking at class lessons. Probably my 2 kids together only. My son is still overcoming some fear of the water, so he's the slowest in his class. 
But think he'll be fine as he gets older. He's just naturally not "brave". 

there is a swim school operating out of singapore sports school in woodlands since you are in the north

low student to teacher ratio during the weekend classes and very empty pools as well since the sports school students do not use the pools at those times when swim lessons are conducted

free parking there too...think you can also use the pool to swim while waiting for your kids or use the track to run

i considered this but woodlands is a bit far for me

 

 

[Lala81]

7 minutes ago, Enye said:

there is a swim school operating out of singapore sports school in woodlands since you are in the north

low student to teacher ratio during the weekend classes and very empty pools as well since the sports school students do not use the pools at those times when swim lessons are conducted

free parking there too...think you can also use the pool to swim while waiting for your kids or use the track to run

i considered this but woodlands is a bit far for me

This was the previous swim school that my girl was at. It didn't work out for her, but seem like the other kids were fine.
GEMS international school pool also. Indoor pools, so not affected by weather. Only no lessons when school holding events (which is unlikely for now haha).
Not that far from u in the NorthEast. Also same concept. 
https://www.xlab.com.sg

[Karoon]

Good approach to get personal coach for your kids. Usually the current coach could do that, or they could easily recommend someone in their circle. Try it for a 4 weeks.  

First objective is water survival, so you can really relax around pools and beaches on holidays or anywhere. Then after that see if they are interested to take it further once they got the basics right. Can then rejoin bigger groups.  Some people like water, some don't. My kid got similar school swim programme, she has all the swim certs but still wants to go because all her friends go. 😖

 

[Lala81]

13 minutes ago, Karoon said:

Good approach to get personal coach for your kids. Usually the current coach could do that, or they could easily recommend someone in their circle. Try it for a 4 weeks.  

First objective is water survival, so you can really relax around pools and beaches on holidays or anywhere. Then after that see if they are interested to take it further once they got the basics right. Can then rejoin bigger groups.  Some people like water, some don't. My kid got similar school swim programme, she has all the swim certs but still wants to go because all her friends go. 😖

 

my wife did parent volunteer and went for all these swimsafer lessons in 2018 to jaga the kids.
She resoundingly condemns it as a big waste of time and it's also blazing hot cos usually it's around 2-4pm.  Everyone ends up with tan lines around their eyes 

[Karoon]

1 hour ago, Lala81 said:

my wife did parent volunteer and went for all these swimsafer lessons in 2018 to jaga the kids.
She resoundingly condemns it as a big waste of time and it's also blazing hot cos usually it's around 2-4pm.  Everyone ends up with tan lines around their eyes 

Yup. It's just a big happy waterplay group. 😁

[ToyotaShuttle]

20 hours ago, Lala81 said:

Can play/horse around in 1m pool. 

Can she not drown in a 1.8m pool and survive long enough for hypothetical lifeguard? I don't think so.

Learning to float is very different than learning to swim tho.

You don't need to know how to swim in your scenario.

[Lala81]

Whatever lah. U want to teach your kids only to float but not swim, go ahead...

12 minutes ago, ToyotaShuttle said:

Learning to float is very different than learning to swim tho.

You don't need to know how to swim in your scenario.

 

[ToyotaShuttle]

6 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Whatever lah. U want to teach your kids only to float but not swim, go ahead...

 

I am merely pointing out based on what you said you want as an end goal.

I think NS also gave up teaching people how to swim already. Just before I ORD, they changed to "water confidence" lessons. Teach them how to wear float, how to tread water. No swimming lessons 😁

[Lala81]

9 minutes ago, ToyotaShuttle said:

I am merely pointing out based on what you said you want as an end goal.

I think NS also gave up teaching people how to swim already. Just before I ORD, they changed to "water confidence" lessons. Teach them how to wear float, how to tread water. No swimming lessons 😁

That's cos they have only a few lessons available to them.
What NS is doing is highly constrained by their other objectives, which is combat readiness.

I'd rather swim the equivalent distance than to tread water. Treading water is actually very draining. If u are doing in saltwater, ok lor, the extra buoyancy helps. Go try that in freshwater. 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Lala81

[sake]

3 hours ago, Lala81 said:

Am already at SAFRA FINS since late last year for my girl and this year for my son. Was at another swim school before that for my girl. All fairly low ratio students to teacher. 
And usually she's willing, but somehow end product is no good. 

Sometimes she doesn't listen cos she's bit tired after a long day cos it's usually wkday late afternoon. Wkend classes are too crowded. Also so no point.
We spoke to her about it one month ago and her attitude has improved.
My fault also, cos since restarting after covid, I usually swim on my own 20 laps while she's doing her class. The coach never feedback to me until i asked him.

I'm not looking at class lessons. Probably my 2 kids together only. My son is still overcoming some fear of the water, so he's the slowest in his class. 
But think he'll be fine as he gets older. He's just naturally not "brave". 

once a week?

if so, not enough. at least 2-3 times a week.

[Lala81]

2 minutes ago, sake said:

once a week?

if so, not enough. at least 2-3 times a week.

I don't stay in condo so can't just go down and swim.
Yes frequency of practice is important.
But between school, outside school activities, obligatory visits to grandparents, lao peh no extra free time liao 

Maybe have to wait for school holidays to be able to do like something more frequent to improve her "muscle memory".

[sake]

19 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

I don't stay in condo so can't just go down and swim.
Yes frequency of practice is important.
But between school, outside school activities, obligatory visits to grandparents, lao peh no extra free time liao 

Maybe have to wait for school holidays to be able to do like something more frequent to improve her "muscle memory".

btw, if you want your son to do competitive swimming, he has to start now. 

P2 is kinda late for competitive swimming. the kid will be doing catch-up most of the time.

Edited September 25, 2020 by sake

[Lala81]

22 minutes ago, sake said:

btw, if you want your son to do competitive swimming, he has to start now. 

P2 is kinda late for competitive swimming. the kid will be doing catch-up most of the time.

Ah no. No such wish. Only for health and survival

Young kids waking up at pre-dawn hours to get swim training done before classes (those aspiring national swimmers). Or swimming until late evening then rushing home finish school work, then wake up exhausted next day.
It's good for body and competition, but the lack of sleep is killing their brains' potentials during their formative years  

Maybe cos we are not sporty (me and the missus), so no strong need to have our kids do any sports in particular. 
I know some of my friends' kids are doing sports in a pretty serious way like you said. And they also invariably tend to be from the same background. Whether tennis or swimming etc.

Edited September 25, 2020 by Lala81

[Fcw75]

PM u.

Edited September 25, 2020 by Fcw75