Spotlight on Quality Swim Schools – Waterhole, Auckland

Waterhole has been teaching and coaching swimming since 1976 and have been operating in Parrs Park, West Auckland since 1985.

The Quality Swim School supports the Greater Auckland Aquatic Action Plan (GAAAP) and provides swim teaching for seven schools in the West Auckland Area.

They have recently supported seven boys from Kelston Boys School with their Swimming New Zealand Assistant Swim Teacher Award.

The Kelston Boys Gateway students underwent at least 20 hours of training in the water with the support of teachers Daniel and Philip Ryan, who have both represented New Zealand.

All boys have been offered the chance to work next year with the GAAAP schools that Waterhole Swim School provides for.

The local Marae (Hoani Waititi Marae) next door to the pool use Waterhole Swim School for lessons all year round.

Waterhole is open to supporting people who are interested in becoming swim teachers; they have even supported people through WINZ providing them with teaching hours and admin work.

Waterhole is passionate about creating a safer community with a view to having all ages and abilities learn the skills necessary to be competent and confident in and on the water.

They believe that age is no barrier and it is not uncommon to see pre-schoolers launching themselves into the pool, and being able to get safely back to the side with no assistance required from the teacher and or other teaching aids.

Waterhole also has a large number of special needs clients who work one on one with a specialized teacher. These private lessons are provided at special prices and often funded by the many disability trusts that operate within the sector.

The Swim School and club was started by Commonwealth Games representative Judith Wright and is managed by Gwen Ryan, Sarah Blackburn, Daniel Ryan and Phillip Ryan.