Southland Swim School

Did you know ? we are a qualified and registered swim school with the Swim Coaches and Teachers association of New Zealand .

Just a wee reminder to all Tuesday Makarewa classes and squads at splash palace ….. there will be no squads or lessons on Waitangi day . We hope you enjoy your time with family.

As we get closer and closer to lessons starting on the 29 January , here is another one of our fantastic teachers .

We are delighted to introduce you to Kelly

🏊‍♀️Kelly has been teaching with our team for the last 3 years.

🏊‍♀️Prior to this Kelly has a number of years experience teaching in the ILT schools programme

🏊‍♀️Kelly is passionate about helping young people succeed in sports and is involved in rugby league and other sports in the region.

🏊‍♀️Kelly has 4 children all who have swum competitively or are still chasing their dreams in this wonderfull sport

🏊‍♀️When Kelly isn’t helping children she enjoys family time and relaxing .

Welcome to the new year , and welcome to another of our superstar teachers .

We are proud to introduce Tayla , find out a little more about her below .

🏊‍♀️ Tayla has been swimming since she was a water baby.

🏊‍♀️Tayla was previously training and racing and teaching in Dunedin before moving down to Southland.

🏊‍♀️ Tayla has swum competitively at a national level representing Otago at Divison 2.

🏊‍♀️ We love Tayla’s enthusiasm for young people , teaching them the life skill of swimming .

Starting in term 1 at Makarewa is the wonderful Lily . Here’s a little about her ,

🏊‍♀️ Lily swum with us when she was younger and was a really talented junior swimmer

🏊‍♀️ Lily went on to play waterpolo for Southland and continues to play

🏊‍♀️Lily has been coaching and teaching at a club level for the last couple of years.

🏊‍♀️ Lily has always had a love for water and enjoys diving , spear fishing and the marine environment .

🏊‍♀️ Lily is heading away to Otago in 2025 to study marine science

🏊‍♀️We are lucky to have some one with Lilys warm personality & easy going nature

Just before Santa sneaks down your chimney , out next super star coach is Erika . Here’s a little about her,

🏊‍♀️ Erika is still a competitive swimmer , competing at a South Island leave and Division 2.

🏊‍♀️Erika is also an accomplished netball player having played age grade rep netball.

🏊‍♀️Erika will be coaching the sharks in term 1 and , you would have seen her poolside in term 4 as part of her development.

🏊‍♀️We love Erika’s pleasant disposition and the effort she puts into her coaching and self improvement.

Wait … what !!!!! It’s free ??? What on earth are we talking about ???

🏊‍♀️Term 1 2024 Water babies

🏊‍♀️From 6 months old to 2.5 years old

🏊‍♀️ A 5 week introduction class

🏊‍♀️A great way to meet new parents and socialise your baby with others

🏊‍♀️And of course start to build water confidence / awareness with our passionate knowledgeable teachers

🏊‍♀️Wow ok I’m in ….. So how do I enrol ?????

☝️click on this link and enrol now https://southlandswimschool.co.nz/faqs/

Our next superstar teacher we can’t wait to introduce is Rumi. In brief here is a little about her.

🏊‍♀️ Rumi swum competitively when she was a teenager in Japan

🏊‍♀️Upon coming to New Zealand on a school exchange she fell in love with the country

🏊‍♀️ Rumi has over 15 years of industry experience from …. teaching , coaching and running swim schools and schools programmes

🏊‍♀️ Rumi’s passion is with the pre schoolers and water babies - she is the “baby whisperer”.

🏊‍♀️We are so gratefull to have some one with the experience , knowledge and passion for learning to swim in our team

Next up we have a farewell to Claire also .

🏊‍♀️ Claire has been teaching and coaching for us for the last 2.5 years.

🏊‍♀️ she too was a competitive swimmer when she was younger

🏊‍♀️we love Claire’s attention to detail when teaching the basic skills to the swimmers of all levels .

🏊‍♀️We will miss Claire’s easy going nature , can do attitude and quirky sense of humor.

🏊‍♀️Claire is off to the university of Canterbury next year to get a maths degree with the goal of becoming a maths teacher .

We bid farewell to coach Liam at the end of this year . Here’s a little about coach Liam ,
🏊‍♀️ competed at National age groups making finals for his age in breastroke 🏊‍♀️ medaled at a south island and regional level in freestyle and breastroke 🏊‍♀️ I first took him away to the makos junior festival in 2017 as an 11 year old 🏊‍♀️Liam has been coaching and teaching for us since 2021 . 🏊‍♀️Liam is away to Dunedin next year to study first year health science

We wish Liam all the best , we will miss your easy smile , kind empathetic nature and passion for helping the next generation be the best they can .

Welcome to week 10 of term , and let me introduce sharks coach …. Isaac Smith . Here’s a little about him .
🏊‍♀️Isaac has been swimming competitively since the age of 9 🏊‍♀️He competed nationally at the NZ Divison two championships swimming best times and making finals . 🏊‍♀️Isaac has won medals in 2022 at South Island champs . 🏊‍♀️ Isaac has been coaching and teaching learn to swim for the past 3 years 🏊‍♀️ This is Isaac’s last year at school and next year he is getting his automotive 🚗 engineering apprenticeship through SIT .
🏊‍♀️outside of work Isaac likes long walks in the park , knitting and playing fortnight.

Our next coach profile is Sualo Lafoga . Read a little about her here Sualo Lafoga…

🏊‍♀️At Southland girls year 11

🏊‍♀️I was a competitive swimmer for Waverley club i went to many competitions my passion for swimming is still strong .I was a breastroke swimmer who made finals at Swimming New Zealand national age groups and won medals in breastroke at a South Island level .

🏊‍♀️I love coaching the sharks as I enjoy helping the swimmers have fun and be the best they can . Its is a nice vibe coaching with southland swim school & swim academy .

🏊‍♀️I really enjoy playing sports and I now play rugby and rugby league as my number one sport, I love representing my culture and teams in my sport and making my family proud.

🏊‍♀️I have recently been selected for the Samoa barbarians 7s team that is competing at the Moana pasifca cup on the 9th .