November 11, 2019 — Comments are off for this post.
At In The Deep we want to win the hearts, minds and smiles of every child we teach. We want to tell cute jokes and be so beautifully silly it makes little kids giggle. We want to put a smile on all faces, and bring the whole school together to have fun. We want to be completely uplifting and light people up, even if they’re having a really terrible day.
And we can't help but crack a silly joke, right now... What do you call a bear with no teeth? Read more
October 8, 2019 — Comments are off for this post.
I recently ran into an old friend of mine I hadn't seen in a long time. With two young kids, we got to chatting about when to start swimming lessons. Despite being a swimmer himself, he said "I've been told it's a waste of time getting them in the water until they're 4 or 5 years old."
It sort of shocked me to hear that the thinking from twenty or thirty years ago is still very much in our collective attitudes towards swimming today... Read more
September 9, 2019 — Comments are off for this post.
Or, why we decided to kick Chloramines to the curb – the toxic by-product of chlorinated pools.
Every person who dives into a pool, no matter how clean you are – even if you've just rinsed off in the shower beforehand – leaves a lot of organic waste in the pool. If you spend a lot of time in chlorinated pools, we warn you that this next paragraph isn't pretty. Maybe move along if you easily get queasy?!
August 5, 2019 — Comments are off for this post.
So you're ready to introduce your child to our nation's favourite past-time? Y A Y ! ?
We're always excited to introduce newbies to the magic and wonder of being in the water, and learning to swim. We're honoured to be part of their swimming journey.
We thought we'd set the record straight on what you might be expecting at our learn to swim assessment.
July 9, 2019 — Comments are off for this post.
In a culture that has taught us being productive is the key to our success, we've ignored what can happen when we power down our screens, slow down and allow stillness into our day to day lives. Today, most of us are focused on squeezing out every minute of the day into the building blocks of a promised future, and we assume that doing less – or GASP! even being bored – is a sign of weakness, discomfort, or something to be fearful of. With devices that distract just an arms length away at all times, we don't have a quiet moment to ourselves. Fear lies in even entertaining the idea.
June 5, 2019 — Comments are off for this post.
As I was sitting in an auditorium in Brisbane last year, I was struck by this revelation from speaker, Karen Baildon of Superfish Swim Schools on the Gold Coast. At one half-hour lesson per week, over four terms, kids are spending just twenty hours a year learning to swim. Until this moment, I hadn't considered how little time there is. With only twenty hours spaced out over a year, it hit me. How incredible our kids are at what they accomplish with their swimming practice in this time.
December 12, 2018 — Comments are off for this post.
Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Can you picture what it is that you love about swimming? For me, it's in the magic of being weightless, in a world where I'm suspended, no feet on the ground, completely immersed and surrounded. It's like a big hug!
However, without the skill of knowing how to float, the water can easily be a dangerous place. When I was little, I absolutely LOVED the water. My aunt and uncle had a pool, and this was my favourite place in the world. I had the energy to outlast everyone.
BUT... Read more
November 23, 2018 — Comments are off for this post.
Why do we enrol our kids into swimming lessons? Is it just for safety and survival?
Sure, this is a base-level need. What about lifestyle, fun and enjoyment? I suspect this is really what we want to give our children. Going from danger to belonging! From nerves to pure joy!
The water should bring us all pleasure and adventure. And this can only come from skill. Read more
September 12, 2018 — Comments are off for this post.
When I first started teaching swimming as a casual swim teacher in the late 90's, I worked at many different schools with many differing programs. All of them had one thing in common: a focus on teaching overarms – the school of thought that swimming happened when children started bringing their 'big over arms' out of the water. Parents beamed so proudly, believing that this was it, our Johnny could now swim!
