5 Benchmarks Anchor Our Program

Fast. Fun! Results!!

A significantly different learn-to-swim program…

Since our program was written by our Founder, Jon Foss, we’ve been executing, improving, and delivering our own best work since 1993.  The hallmark of his vision was to create a method that was not only significantly different but better beyond any other learn to swim program.  When something has your name on it a higher sense of purpose and quality attaches itself to the mission.  Our swim school isn’t just a business for Jon, it’s his life!

You will find our program is structured to teach fundamental stroke skills that lead to a strong, safe, and confident independent swimmer.  It is not Red Cross.  It is different.  Our program breaks the strokes down into incremental “bite size” skills for children to learn.  Compounding progress from “bite” to “bite” leads children from level to level and onto full strokes.  From the first introductory Backfloat Baby skills to the most advance B5 competitive skills….. our goal is to have your child demonstrate a strong and confident 300yard freestyle swim as the “graduation” from our program.

Regardless of age or ability we have the right level for your child.  Each of our 21 unique levels has 3 – 4 realistic and attainable core skills.  Once your child has mastered each core skill within the level they will be ready to move on, confidently!

Progressions – We use our own skill progressions for every age. We use appropriate muscle isolation, drills and developmental milestones to guide our instruction that are appropriate for your child’s age and maturity. We set the right requirements for every level and they become sequential building blocks and bridges to the next skill. There is a right and wrong way to teach any skill. Foss Swim School has isolated every skill and each teacher is reviewed each session on their ability to communicate each skill correctly.

Correct technique – Our program produces strong swimmers with correct technique. Learning to swim isn’t easy for a kid. Learning to swim improperly is VERY easy. We’ve seen many kids that can get from point A to B but they’ve wasted valuable energy and safety along the way. Our technique is grounded in the strongest core competitive strokes. Our goal is to have your child swimming a confident 300 yard freestyle to become a graduate of our program. Your child isn’t a strong swimmer until this goal has been achieved.

Safety – We do not believe it creates a safe environment, in a swimming pool, to pair children of all ages from toddlers to school age in the same class. If you are choosing to attend swim lessons based on the ability to put all your children in the same class, we are most likely not the right program for you. Age, maturity, physical strength, and skill are all important factors in creating a safe and successful class.

Equipment – We use some flotation equipment as methods to isolate, refine motor skills and develop specific muscle groups. We don’t use them for our students to falsely rely on them to stay afloat. Our program incorporates drills using equipment in every lesson.

Swimming – We teach swimming. We do not teach treading water. Treading water is a very energy consuming act. You trust us to teach your child how to swim a strong, confident, life saving 300 yard freestyle, not wrestle in the water and hope someone helps them. Your child will be much better off learning how to calmly and safely float on their back or better yet swim to safety.

Comments on “How we get results!”...

1. 
   October 3rd, 2009
   5:45 am
   Graham R. -Facilities Manager, Foss Swim Schools
   

   I had an interesting flashback a couple of weeks ago that reminded me of why I first brought my daughter to Foss Swim School 9 years ago, and reinforced my commitment to the program, as a now 5 year veteran instructor/ manager.

   I was sitting in the pool gallery of our neighborhood Middle School, watching as the girls’ High School swim team was doing their pre-meet warm-ups. My daughter, now a freshman on the team, was standing in the shallow end of one of the lanes with about 10 other girls, shivering…just like 9 years prior when we had put her into the lessons offered through our community school (because they were affordable for young parents, and we didn’t know there was anything else out there)…only THIS TIME, she was LAUGHING, AND SMILING, AND HAVING FUN!!! Not crying, and dreading being in the water.

   Thankfully, after a few weeks of dealing with a cold, scared, SAD 5 year old, we discovered a cool new swim school, that was IN A MALL of all places, and her grandparents came up with some extra cash! She worked through the class progressions, repeating a bunch a number of times, and even ENJOYED going to swim class (most of the time…can’t ask for 100%) The warm water, the class size, and the FUN made it easy to get her to learn.

   Now all these years later, at the same old, dimly lit, cold pool, she is earning Varsity points as a freshman swimmer. Doing 500 yard swims where she couldn’t do 5 feet, thanks to her hard work, and great teaching along the way. “Building confidence through the mastery of skills” says a lot!

   Because of that experience, I am lucky enough to get to go to work every day to help our schools keep our facilities absolutely top notch and inviting to that next group of new swimmers and their parents, and am so glad to be part of it!

2. 
   January 9th, 2010
   11:42 pm
   Gina Wheaton
   

   William (5yo) has been through FOSS twice now & will be in Middle 3. Winston (3yo) swam for the first time this fall. Both have excelled in their swimming skills. Winston swims better under water than on top. This winter schedule the time slots were full for William so I was placed on the waiting list. A week later I called back to check again & spoke with someone but this time another class was put together for him. Now both boys will be swimming again around the same time. I think that is top notch customer service. I love FOSS & the boys have benefited immensely.