Bob starts swim school

After four years of coaching swimmers at home and at Woy Woy Pool, Bob Gordon has established a swim school in Mutu St, Woy Woy.

Located in the premises previously occupied by AV LP Gas Installations, the building has been totally refurbished and a two-lane 15-metre pool has been installed.

Principal Bob Gordon has current coaching and water safety qualifications and is also a qualified assessor of new swimming teachers.

He is also a Surf Life Saving Australia bronze medallion instructor.

"I swam competitively when I was young and stayed involved with the sport ever since," Bob said.

"I only started teaching after first teaching my own children at home and all the neighbours wanted lessons.

"This was followed by neighbours' friends and relatives until I eventually left my day job and built up the teaching business progressively as demand increased.

"I found that it is a big jump for many students from a 10 metre home pool to a 25 metre half Olympic size pool and have now established a transitional 15 metre length pool to fill the gap," he said.

There are six Austswim accredited teachers based at the new swim centre and a structured lesson plan has been established.

"Only students of the same ability are taught together and each student progresses to the next level only when they are able to do so.

"In this way they can progress through five learn-to-swim levels and go on to three coaching levels if they wish."

Bob's success can be measured by the fact that, at recent school swimming carnivals, at least one of his students featured as an age champion in every Peninsula public school.

At the Umina Surf Club, Bob coached at least one place-getter in every age championship event.

Cec Bucello, April 2