As your child learns to swim, they’ll benefit from working with a swim instructor who can ensure their safety, help them develop essential skills and confidence, and monitor their progress. Swim coaches create a learning environment where everyone feels supported and comfortable. They’re necessary if you want your child to overcome their fear of water.
The right instructor offers all these benefits to mold your child into a confident and skilled swimmer. Yet, the question remains: what to look for in a swim instructor for kids? Here are some qualities a good coach must have.
Multiple Skills to Meet Your Child’s Needs
Learning looks different for every child. Thus, your child’s coach should demonstrate the best skills for their particular needs and preferences. Being trained and skilled in multiple aspects of swimming, from curriculum-based classes to lessons for children, is what makes a good swim coach.
Extensive Experience in Swimming
Along with the necessary qualifications, you should find an instructor who has taught kids of the same age and skill level as your child. This level of expertise shows they know how to address the different needs and challenges of their role.
Talking to your child’s potential swim coach lets you learn more about their experience. Here are some questions to ask instructors during your meetings:
- When did you take swimming lessons?
- Have you competed before?
- What made you pursue a career in swimming?
- How long have you been teaching children how to swim?
- Where did you train to become an instructor?
These questions can tell you how many young learners have found the coach’s instruction helpful to their swimming journey, what made them love swimming, and how they teach their students.
The Right Way to Motivate Your Child
Beyond helping your child master proper swimming techniques, their instructor should understand their reasons for learning and use the right techniques to maintain their enthusiasm.
Again, consider meeting your child’s potential instructors and understand their teaching style. Do they push students to learn and overcome their fear of water? Or do they teach like a drill sergeant? Nevertheless, you should pick a coach with a teaching style that makes your child feel comfortable, excited, and motivated to attend their lessons.
Topics Covered By Their Swimming Lessons
A swim instructor’s lessons are another important factor in choosing your child’s mentor. Look at the coach’s swim lesson curriculum for kids and the topics it covers, then ensure you’ve set your child’s focus and goals. Try discussing the latter with the instructor and devise an action plan to help your child achieve their specific goals.
Finally, ensure the prospective coach can consistently measure your child’s progress with an effective system. For example, Bear Paddle’s monthly in-water evaluations and progress reports track student progress, allowing your aspiring swimmer to move to the next level whenever they’re ready.
A Matching Personality with Your Child
With your child and their potential instructor spending plenty of time together, make sure they’re compatible. Like the people you meet and work with, each swim coach has a personality clashing with yours. This principle applies to your child and their search for the right instructor.
Now, how do you know if a coach’s personality matches your child? One good way to find out is by letting your child meet the instructor before lessons begin and observing the first few lessons for visible progress and a positive experience. Most importantly, get your child’s feedback about their classes. It’ll help everyone understand what needs to be done for a better learning environment.
Excellent Communication Skills
Teaching children how to swim requires interpersonal skills. After all, swim instructors must understand student skill levels, teach various techniques effectively, and allow everyone to be themselves.
Outstanding coaches make learning swimming skills easy for their students and give them constructive feedback to help them improve. Therefore, your child’s potential instructor must communicate with students and parents well.
Great Patience
Some kids find swimming difficult to learn. A patient instructor understands this challenge and makes time to help your child master and improve their swimming skills.
Furthermore, swim coaches may be expected to handle distracted students and tantrums during classes, making patience necessary for them.
Find the Perfect Swim Coach for Your Child
The best swim instructors effectively guide your child through the basics of swimming, ensuring they reach their full potential and become more confident in the water. So, finding a coach who completely understands proper swimming techniques, prioritizes safety, and inspires your child to learn is important.
If you plan to enroll your child in swimming lessons, learn about Bear Paddle’s swim programs on our website or get helpful tips from our blog.