We've Been Spoiled | Swim Lessons

This post is brought to you by Delightstruck Jen partner Goldfish Swim School.

We've been spoiled, and you should be too. Really, peeps.

This past week The Lou embarked on a new chapter in her swimmer girl journey. We had our first practice with a local competitive swim team. I know she's ready, the folks at Goldfish Swim School Carmel advised they think she's ready, but we were SO NOT READY for the culture shock of a bigger swim team environment.

We've been spoiled by the totally Delightstruck experience of Goldfish Swim School. It's been the perfect place to nurture baby girl's passion for swimming over the years. The continuous year-round swim lessons and a year of of their Swim Force team have built such an amazing foundation for her.

As I sat in her first competitive swim team practice this past week, I noted how many things are different from Goldfish Swim School:

• I'm not in the comfort of the air-conditioned viewing gallery for parents. I'm in the humid, strong chlorine smelling bleachers right next to the pool. I miss my tiki table for my book and cold drink from their Snack Shack. Oh and nope, not a convenient plug in sight for my always dying phone, because I forget to plug it in way too often. Plus, note to self, leave the coat/sweater in the car. It's hot up in here, peeps. I miss my topical viewing gallery. 
• The Lou noted that the pool is not the tropical 90° year-round temperature that she's used too. However, she's was so excited to progress to this new step, that she jumped right in and off she went, but she did notice.
• There were SO MANY people. We're used to the small class sizes, usually 4:1 student to teacher ratio. Swim team is serious business. More swimmers in their groove in each lane and the coaches are now outside the water continually walking the edge and coaching instead of in the water with her. 
• Where's the hair drying station and tropical themed individual dressing rooms? Nope, at this stage it's locker rooms and travel with your own hair gear. 
• No more Aloha, swimmers! I kind of loved that greeting. 

Peeps, Goldfish Swim School spoiled us with their amazing atmosphere for swim lessons. They built a water confidence in my daughter that I will forever be grateful for and never forget as we move into this next chapter and the years beyond. They set her up for success in a sport that she adores. Even her new team coach noticed. At the end of the first evening of practice, she noted how great The Lou's stroke technique is for her age. It was totally the year-round Goldfish Swim School swim lessons, peeps, and I think the environment that we did them in played a big part in that too. She was always at ease at Goldfish Swim School. It was her happy place, and she adored her teachers.

If you have a budding swimmer and you want to nurture his/her potential or just want swim lessons to work on water safety and water confidence before summer, I can't recommend Goldfish Swim School enough. There really is something to their holistic philosophy and The Science of SwimPlay® and in this mama's opinion their environment is unparalleled.

We're going to miss it, but we're not done just yet. We've got a few more practice sessions until our last quarterly Swim Force meet. Until then, I'll be soaking up all the 'Aloha, swimmers' greetings I can in my lovely air-conditioned viewing gallery spot next to my favorite tiki table.

- Jen, aka The Lou's Swim Mom

*All opinions on this blog are my own.