Swimming Linked to Intellectual Development

Not only will swim lessons equip your child with a life-saving skill but may also stimulate your child's intellectual development.  A new study conducted by Griffith University in Australia found that children younger than 5 years old who participate in swimming achieve certain developmental milestones before children who do not participate in swimming.

Check out the article from Education Week below:

Early Swim Lessons Help Intellectual Development

Sugar Land Swim School will be back in New Territory and Chelsea Harbour starting in mid-May. Hope to see you at the pool this summer!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from Sugar Land Swim School

Thank you for choosing Sugar Land Swim School for your swim lesson needs.  Our goal is to provide the best swim instruction in Sugar Land for both children and adults.  As a new company, we are constantly working to improve our service and are grateful for your support over the last 2 summers. 

Summer 2013 will be our third summer of operation.  Registration will open March 1, 2013 and will once again be online at our website.  If you are a returning customer, you will be able to login to the Customer Portal to register for lessons.  Lessons will take place in New Territory & Chelsea Harbour this summer.  Lessons will start in mid-May and continue through the end of September.  

Thank you again for your support and hope to see you at the pool this summer!

Picture: Top Row (L-R): Amy, Hannah, Crosby, Kyle, Chris, Connor; Bottom Row (L-R): Catherine, Valerie, Sarah, Shelby, Christy, Faye, & Lily.

SLSS Staff Recalls Learning How to Swim

During the Summer of 2012, Sugar Land Swim School's staff consisted of 25 instructors and 8 water watchers.  From mid-May to mid-September SLSS served 421 swimmers.  Learning how to swim is an unforgettable experience - read below what our staff members recall about learning how to swim!  

"I learned how to swim when I was 4 years old.  What I remember most about learning how to swim was floating in the water with empty milk jugs in my hands.  It was so much fun!  I was never afraid and always wanted to try new things in the water, which led to joining a swim team when I was 7 and my lifelong love of the sport."

-Catherine, Founder & Owner

"I learned how to swim when I was 6 years old.  What I remember most about learning how to swim was not bending my knees too much while kicking."

-Jeffrey, Water Watcher

"I learned how to swim when I was 7 years old.  What I remember most about learning how to swim was jumping off the blocks in rec league and just moving my arms and kicking.  We also used to practice our kicks laying flat out on the concrete in the hot summer sun."

-Christine, Instructor

"I learned how to swim when I was 3 years old.  What I remember most about learning how to swim was being independent for the first time. I loved being able to get in the water and just play around with no support of floaties or my parents. This love of being independent led to the love of the sport and thats why I have been swimming year around since 1999!"

-Sarah, Instructor

"I learned how to swim when I was 8 years old.  What I remember most about learning how to swim was my dad teaching me and my brother how to swim in our neighborhood pool! We always hung on to our dad in the deep end. He taught me how to dive and do flips off the diving board. Then I started swimming summer league which lead to club swimming."

-Valerie, Instructor

"I learned how to swim when I was 3 years old, but it wasn't till I was 7 that I could swim above water.  I remember when I was 5 and not a very strong swimmer I went to the club pool and asked my grandma to slide down the slide. She was waiting at the bottom of the slide and looked over at the diving board to see me jumping in the pool. Swimming is an important skill to know no matter where you go with it."

-Faye, Water Watcher

"I learned how to swim when I was 3 years old.  What I remember most about learning how to swim was always being terrified of the water when the lesson started, but as the class progressed and my instructors coaxed me out of my fears, I never wanted to get out of the pool when the class was over. Then the cycle would start again day after day until I figured out how to float on my back. My hair has basically never dried since then because after that was accomplished, I have never stopped swimming."

-Natalie, Instructor

"I learned how to swim when I was 6 years old.  I lived in Saudi Arabia when I was younger and I remember just playing in the pools with my friends because it was so hot. Whenever I moved back to the US my best friend and I loved to swim so we joined Torpedoes together, and ever since then I have just loved swimming. Learning to swim, and learning to correct techniques can be difficult at moments, but everything is worth it for that moment when you finally get it."

-Christy, Instructor

"I learned how to swim when I was 5 years old.  What I remember most about learning how to swim was that getting into the water was the most difficult obstacle that I faced as a swimmer. Everything else just came naturally! Swimming helped me to form lifelong friendships and to learn to challenge myself to do better."

-Oscar, Instructor

"I learned how to swim when I was 5 years old.  What I remember most about learning how to swim was to stay relaxed in the water.  Swimming can be the easiest sport to learn or the hardest.  For me it was hard to learn but after sticking with it, I learned to love living in the water for multiple hours each day."

-Crosby, Instructor

2012 Summer Season Finale: Stephen

Stephen worked as a manager at the Club Pool this summer.  He ensured lessons started and ended on time, helped swimmers find their instructor, and answered questions from parents.  

Sugar Land Swim School will be back next summer in mid-May.  Class schedules will be posted in February 2013.  Stay tuned to this blog and our facebook page for all of the latest updates throughout the year.  

Instructor Spotlight: Peter

Peter has been teaching children and adults all summer at SLSS.  He has an extensive swimming resume, like all instructors at SLSS.  There is 1 session left for this summer: class starts Tuesday August 28 and ends Thursday September 13.  The class will meet Tues/Wed/Thurs for 9 lessons at Ellis Creek Pool.  If interested, you can register online at our website: www.sugarlandswimschool.com.  

Who's Your Favorite Olympic Swimmer?

We asked our instructors who their favorite Olympic swimmer is, past or present, and their answers are somewhat surprising!  Nobody chose Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time!  Read below to find out who SLSS instructors claim as their favorite Olympic swimmer:

Kyle:

Ryan Lochte.  I was able to meet Ryan and swim with him in Daytona as a 10 year old right before his first Olympic Trials. Ever since then I've always been a huge fan of his as his career has taken off. He's a real nice guy and just loves to win and have fun.

Oscar:

Ryan Lochte. Despite his laid-back style, Lochte works hard both inside and outside of the pool. Although he has swam in the shadow of Michael Phelps for most of his career, he continues to train and looks to perform well this summer. His flashy clothing also adds to his overall original style as a unique swimmer.

Jason:

Ryan Lochte. He's my favorite swimmer because he is very diverse in swimming; he can swim each stroke very well.  I also like that he is laid back and at times, pretty funny.

Christy:

Ryan Lochte. Ryan Lochte is my favorite swimmer because he is an amazing swimmer. Even though most people think of Phelps when they think of Olympians, Lochte proves to everyone that he is still a force to reckon with.

Charlie:

Ryan Lochte. The reason I like Ryan Lochte is because he is a great swimmer and I like the mentality he has about swimming. Also, he was the underdog at the last Olympics and I would like to see him succeed.

Natalie:

Ryan Lochte. Lochte hasn't always been on top, but has always been a talented swimmer. After riding in Phelps’s shadow at the 2008 Olympics, he found the motivation to work even harder and will conquer at the 2012 Olympic games. Lochte is incredibly motivational because he never gives up and is incredibly humble.

April:

Amanda Beard. She's a breaststroker and she won a lot of medals at the Olympics.

Hannah:

Amanda Beard.  She is my favorite Olympic swimmer not only because I admire her ability to swim breastroke (my worst stroke!) but also because she has had to overcome a lot in life to get where she is now. An eating disorder, abusive relationship, drug abuse problem, in addition to the ups and down of swimming itself were all huge ordeals which she worked through while still striving for her Olympic dream. Not only is she a great swimmer, but a great role model, and recently a great mother and businesswoman as well!

Diana:

Rebecca Soni.  She is my favorite Olympic swimmer because not only she is an amazing swimmer, but also her strongest stroke is breaststroke, which makes me kind of biased because breaststroke is my favorite stroke ever! She swims with such agility and determination. That's what makes her stand out and strive for success.

Amy:

Aaron Peirsol. First off, he's a backstroker. Then there's the fact that he holds the world records in both the 100m and 200m back.  In 2011, Aaron retired from the profession of swimming.  He said that he "did everything (he) set out to do."  I love that Aaron had goals in the swim world, achieved those goals, and then was able to move on with the satisfaction that he accomplished what he wanted.  

Kirsten:

Natalie Coughlin.  I admire that Natalie Coughlin is a well-rounded individual in addition to her many Olympic triumphs; she is not only known for her athletic talents, but also for her class, intelligence, and engaging personality. In that, I think that she is a great role model for swimmers and women everywhere. As an 11-time Olympic medalist, she is the epitome of perseverance and displays the benefits of following one's heart.

Instructor Spotlight: Jason

It's been awhile since we posted an episode of SLSS's Instructor Spotlight Series.  
Episode #7 focuses on Jason.  Jason, like all instructors at SLSS, has an extensive swimming background which allows him to provide highly effective swim lessons.  By choosing SLSS as your swim lesson provider, you can rest assured that you are learning from the best.