The Diving Board

Noah has been doing swimming lessons since 6 months old... 2-3 sessions per year, some summer courses and through it all we have not been able to get him to move into a confidant swimmer.  He loves the water but has been too easily distracted. 

So, we heard about a friend who tried the program at West Chester University.  Their son was deathly afraid of the water and by the end of 2 weeks was swimming happily. 

We just completed our two week program and I am very pleased!  I thought in my head it would be a sink or swim program where they throw them in and make them figure it out.  I was so pleasantly surprised... it was the complete opposite!  Each teacher only had 3 students and the entire first day was spent hugging them and swirling them in the water.  Another positive aspect was that there were absolutely no flotation devices.  At all of his Y lessons their were backpacks that kept them afloat and in my opinion hindered them.  So day by day the children gained more trust and confidence.  By the end of the first week Noah could swim on his back across the pool.  The second week they worked on jumping into deep water and safely getting to the closest wall.  They also began the transition from back to stomach swimming but did not push that aspect.  They encouraged them on their stomach but each time they got scared or tired they could easily flip to their back to gain control. 

The big goal for them was to be able to jump off of the diving board in the university pool.  Noah was THRILLED to be able to do this and was able to safely make it back to the wall and climb out.  We went to the public pool after lessons on Friday and he kept going off the diving board alone again and again. 

It made me cry tears of joy to see his confidence in the water.  I had hoped that he would be swimming on his belly across the pool but I feel like the skills he did receive were wonderful.  They run the program all summer without advertising and over 1000 kids participate with a 99% success rate for kids being able to swim across the pool unassisted. 

It was sometimes challenging for me, however, because I had to sit on cement bleachers for 50 minutes with Maeve each day.  Most days she did just fine and colored or played with stickers, but some days she wanted desperately to be in the water!  I think we'll have lots of those challenges coming up where she wants to do what he is doing.... but at least she'll have something to strive for!!!

In the meantime, great job Noah, we're proud of you!!!