Learn Swimming Skills and Water Safety in Burlington all Year Long
Goldfish Swim School promotes water safety in Burlington so kids and their parents can feel confident in and around the water.
For many people, swimming is one of the greatest joys of summer time. Especially here in New England, people who have been cooped up all summer flock to nearby pools and beaches to stretch their swimming limbs and cool off in the water.
But how do you know your kiddo is ready to go deeper, to swim independently, to respond when something unexpected happens?
That’s where Goldfish Swim School comes in, says owner Sarah Kepic.
Founded in Birmingham, Michigan, in 2005 by collegiate swimmer and Olympic Trial qualifier Jenny McCuiston and her husband, Chris, Goldfish offers kids and their families more than simply swimming lessons. “We wanted to teach safety in and around the water,” says Kepic. The Goldfish model teaches kids a progression of skills and ways to stay safe without relying on flotation devices.
Floaties “are important in open water and when you can’t be right there,” Kepic says, but learning to swim without them is essential for kids to develop the confidence and muscle memory to protect themselves from danger in the water.
Drowning is the number one cause of death among children aged 1-4 according to the CDC, and kids who don’t learn how to swim often grow into adults who don’t know how to swim or how to help their children learn. Goldfish seeks to break the generational cycle of not learning to swim and offers many ways to take advantage of lessons, from military and sibling discounts to scholarships and the ability for staff to sponsor swimmers.
Kepic opened the first Massachusetts metrowest location in Needham in 2015, and the business expanded to Burlington in 2016 and later Brookline and Danvers. As with many businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic hurt business quite a bit, but after closing for five months they were able to bring all staff back and things have been going swimmingly ever since.
The Burlington location has a loyal customer base, says Kepic, and the strong reviews help attract new clients. While there is some competition nearby, the important thing is that kids learn how to swim and be safe in the water–something Goldfish promotes with recurring lessons as well as week-long Jump Start Clinics that teach a month’s worth of swimming and safety skills in a one-week sequence.
Whether your child is an experienced swimmer or just learning how to navigate the water, both safety and skills training are essential in having a positive and safe experience in the water this summer and beyond.
Read more about Goldfish Swim School, and find an exclusive offer in our Guide to Spring and Summer in Burlington.
*Goldfish Swim School is an advertising partner of Burlington Buzz.
