Dive into Water Safety & go from Bubbles to Butterfly at SafeSplash SwimLabs
- Local swim mom is bringing a new swim school to Huntsville area.
- Curriculum developed by swim professionals includes 12 levels ranging from water safety to competitive swimming.
- SafeSplash SwimLabs is the perfect place to fine tune your time and technique.
When it comes to water safety & the swimming lifestyle, Kristin Stitt, dove in with both feet when her 15 year old daughter first began swim lessons at 6 months old. With a background in healthcare leadership and a focus in wellness and injury prevention, Stitt knew that opening SafeSplash SwimLabs in Huntsville would be the perfect merger of her passions.
As a healthcare executive, a big part of Stitt’s role was gap analysis—examining unmet needs and missed goals and using evidence to design solutions to overcome the gaps. Doing the same in the community revealed a challenge faced by a lot of parents–trying to find high quality swim instruction and a need for programs with a consistent, structured, evidence-based curriculum executed by trained, certified instructors. After much research, Stitt landed on SafeSplash Swim School.
A Heart for Water Safety
Regardless of whether or not your child wants to become a competitive swimmer, swimming is a vital lifeskill. Learning to swim is one of the few childhood activities that can actually save a child’s life. Stitt says water safety is one pillar SafeSplash Swim School is centered around, and one of the reasons she settled on the organization after months of research. Beyond being safe and confident in the water, learning to swim opens opportunities to live life to the fullest, and can be a skill to enjoy for a lifetime.
Starting at 6 months of age, parents can enroll their child in swim lessons that can continue to advance and grow with them as they get older. Stitt says one of the unique things about SafeSplash Swim School is the curriculum, which was developed and vetted by professionals in the industry, including collegiate coaches, swimmers, Olympians, and USASwimming. A standardized approach to learning the basics of swimming and beyond, is implemented correctly and safely from the first lesson and on a year long basis. The school will utilize lesson plans and skill checklists to document progress. Parents have visibility into their swimmer’s progress through their online SafeSplash profile, or by using the SafeSplash app. The progressive teaching approach allows the swimmer to swim comfortably at an individual pace and with an understanding of what is expected at each skill level.
“When we put kids in the pool at a young age, what we really want to establish is a great relationship with the water. We want them to have fun but understand and develop a respect for the water. That’s what we focus on in the beginning levels–safe entry and exits, safety bobs, floats, and breath control. We’re helping develop foundational skills to be safe and learn to swim.”
The curriculum consists of 12 unique teaching levels, one of which is designed for kids with special abilities and needs. This is especially important since according to the National Autism Association, drownings accounted for 91% of the deaths reported for children with Autism.
As Stitt and her team become established in the community, she also says she’d like to team up with local organizations to speak about water safety and hopes to set up a foundation for families that are unable to afford structured swim lessons.
SafeSplash SwimLabs is perfect place to fine tune your swim time
Huntsville is a big swimming community with Huntsville area high schools routinely bringing home the State Swimming Championship. For the athletes looking to up their game, the swim lab portion of SafeSplash Swim Labs is the perfect option.
Stitt will also be offering services for competitive swimmers. Once their new state of the art facilities are built, SafeSplash SwimLabs will offer athletes the chance to fine tune their skills utilizing technology plus coaching expertise. SwimLabs incorporates high flow tanks, cameras, mirrors, and software into the lesson. Athletes are recorded while swimming, then the video is analyzed by software. The analysis is combined with the instructor or local coach’s feedback to offer tweaks and recommendations for on-the-spot performance improvement. “This capitalizes on visual learning techniques for the swimmers, when they can actually see body placement in the water and get immediate feedback on their stroke, with the goal of swimming faster”.
SafeSplash SwimLab’s Vice President Dylan Eichberg will provide expert guidance and leadership in Aquatics Operations. Dylan has been a competitive swimmer and coach for 16 years, recently completing a four-year stint at Virginia Tech as an All-American butterflier. Dylan has certifications in process improvement, water safety, lifeguarding, coaching, and is a Certified Pool Operator. Regardless of age or skill level, the goal is to bring expert advice to their customers.
Jump In at SafeSplash Swim School
Lessons at the SafeSplash Swim School start at 6 months old and go through adulthood. Each class takes a fundamental approach that’s built on as the student progresses through the curriculum. Each class also maintains a small student to instructor ratio and there’s always extra staff members available poolside to ensure safety.
To view a complete schedule and register for upcoming lessons, check out SafeSplash Swim School’s website. Classes start September 6!
- Babies & Toddlers: Babies ages 6 months – 18 months start building a fun relationship with water and learning the swimming fundamentals in ParentTot classes as well as Toddler Transition classes.
- Children’s Swim Lessons: Children learn the essential life skill of swimming during these lessons. Lesson range from introduction to water all the way up to advanced lessons for the athlete or experienced swimmer.
- Adult Lessons: It’s never too late to learn how to swim! Lessons are available to adults from beginner all the way up to advanced.
- Private Lessons: Looking to refine your skills quickly? Private lessons can be a great way to get there.
- Adaptive Aquatics: Adaptive aquatics gives children and adults with special abilities the opportunity to love the water. The program focuses on the basic goals of each swimmer to help them become comfortable in the water, teach and focus on water safety, and learn the basics of swimming.
Connect with SafeSplash Swim School
Phone: 256-257-5596
Jones Valley Location
Website | Facebook
Madison Location
Website | Facebook
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Lauren Lee is a longtime dog mom transitioning to life as a rookie human mom. She is married to her college sweetheart, Josh, and they welcomed their son, Oliver, to the world in June. Lauren is a Jacksonville State University alumni and has been a published writer since she was sixteen. In her free time, Lauren enjoys reading, writing, knitting and hiking with her two dogs.