Review: Australian Swim School - South Coast Metro

Five months ago, my wife decided to enroll my son in swim lessons at the Australian Swim School. The school, located in South Coast Metro in central Orange County, is one of several branches located in Southern California. My son, who was almost two at the time, loved to spend time at the beach. We soon realized how important it was for him to learn about swimming and water safety. Here is a complete review of our experience with the Australian Swim School to help you determine whether it's the right place for your child to take swim lessons.

The South Coast Metro Facility

The Australian Swim School in South Coast Metro is located inside Bally's Total Fitness. The school has a small reception area for checking in before each lesson. There is also a decent sized changing area complete with closed-door changing rooms and lockers to store personal items during lessons. Classes are held in the gym's swimming pool. The pool is usually divided into three large swimming lanes. One lane is reserved specifically for the Australian Swim School. On the pool deck, there are several benches and chairs down the length of the pool where parents can sit and watch.

The Staff at the South Coast Metro Branch

The staff of the Australian Swim School are exceptional. They are very friendly, and always take the time to answer any questions that you might have. During lessons, instructors work well with the kids. They always seem have fun with the kids, and do very well at keeping their attention. They also take the time to offer suggestions to parents on how to maximize the benefit of each lesson.

What ages and skill levels are accepted?

The Australian Swim School accepts a wide range of students from babies as young as three months old to adults. The school's swim program is broken into a series of levels catered to the age and ability of the student. Starting out, small babies and toddlers begin with exercises to make them comfortable with being in water. As students learn the skills of one level, they are able to move to a level that teaches more advanced skills.

My Experience with the Parent & Me Infant Classes

The Parent and Me class is the first stage of the Australian Swim School program. During this stage, infants as young as three months old are accompanied by an adult or guardian during lessons. The primary focus during these lessons are to make the child comfortable in water and learn the basic skills to achieving simple mobility. Each lesson follows a scripted routine spit up into several exercises that focus on specific skills. During the last part of the class, the instructor takes a moment to work with each student one-on-one to highlight their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Our son started the Parent and Me class a couple months before his second birthday. He is now five months into lessons and is very comfortable going under water, can float on his back with some assistance, and swim facedown without assistance for 5-6 feet.

Overall, our experience with the Australian Swim School in South Coast Metro has been excellent. We are very pleased with our son's progress. Whether your child needs a swimming refresher course or is new to swimming altogether, Australian Swim School definitely offers the experience and resources to ensure that your child is more comfortable and safe around water.