SwimJim

SwimJim operates swim schools in New York City, with locations on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side and in Brooklyn, as well as in Houston, Texas. It provides swimming instruction and water safety programmes for children and adults, from infants as young as two months to adult learners. Its progressive curriculum was developed with US Olympian Catherine Fox at the Olympic Training Center and has been used to teach swimmers for more than four decades.

All instruction follows the Underwater Schoolhouse methodology, an internationally recognised teaching approach. Instructors complete 120 hours of training in the method and are certified through the United States Swim School Association (USSSA); all also hold CPR and First Aid certifications. Classes are run at low instructor-to-student ratios intended to give each student personalised attention.

The programmes cover skills, water safety and confidence-building, with an emphasis on drowning prevention, overcoming fears and building self-esteem. SwimJim participates in the Stop Drowning Now Foundation and promotes water safety awareness. The company describes swimming as a vital, life-saving skill accessible to everyone, and aims to foster a lifelong engagement with the sport.

The founder, Jim Spiers, began swimming at age three and was teaching, coaching and managing pools by the age of 17.