The art of swim teaching
I have always had a passion for the sport of swimming, I started teaching in London in 1972, and have not looked back. I hope you find the articles insightful and would love to hear from you, post a comment or write to me gill@meltonswimming.com.
More adults are taking to swimming than ever before. Some were swimmers in their younger days while others for one reason or another took up swimming later on in years. Either way you want to enjoy your swimming. The best way is to learn the correct technique. I have been a stroke technique coach for over 50 years. Yes, 50 years and I am as passionate as ever to want you to be the best you can be. Some health benefits are:-
Swimming gives enormous benefit for fitness and mobility. Especially true for those who have sustained injuries. It allows work against resistance without joints having to support the body’s full weight. Swimming is an activity in which men and women can take part and compete with equal proficiency. You may not be able to swim as fast as you grow older but heavier training loads can be sustained for much longer in comparison to other sports due to your body weight being partly offset by the buoyancy of the water. All muscle groups are used in swimming and with most strokes they are used equally on both sides of the body.
As well as the benefits of fitness, going for a relaxing swim is a good way to unwind, easing nervous strain and alleviating stress. The social interaction that swimming provides, also, allows for other problems to be forgotten whilst enjoying the benefits of swimming together as a family ; with friends or as part of a team or club.
I came to Brisbane, Australia in 2017 to take up a position at the SPW swimming club by invitation of their Head Coach, Michael Bohl, Australian Olympic Coach. I Coached there as Head Coach to their Junior Age Group 2 squad until December, 2025 when I relocated to the Sunshine Coast. I had great success with the Age Group swimmers and several Brisbane Championship place winners and relays Gold medals over the years. Seven of my squad were selected in the Queensland State Schools team in 2023. At the Nationals they took 3 Gold medals, 3 Silver and2 Bronze medals in all.
Previously I lived in, Auckland, New Zealand from June, 2012 until December, 2017.
In Auckland I worked as a swimming teacher and deck supervisor at the Millennium Institute of Sport and Junior coach for Northshore Swimming Club based at the Millennium Institute. I had previously worked with the Head Coach of North Shore Swimming Club, Thomas Ansorg, when I lived in South Africa. In 2014 I started my own club on the North Shore called Island Bay Swimming Club. In the first year I had 4 swimmers qualify for NZ Junior Nationals. The squads were all young age groupers with their sights on becoming NZ representatives one day.
From July, 1980 until April, 2012 I lived with my family in South Africa. I began the Melton Swimming School in1981 where I had the privilege of teaching children to swim. I started the Professional Swimming Teachers Association in 1982 and began training other Teachers in the Art of Teaching Swimming. My legacy is shown today by the thriving Learn to Swim Teaching schools now alive and well in South Africa.
I became the Head Coach of the Kempton Park Swimming Club, Johannesburg and took the club from bottom of the 4th League to 3rd in the 1st league in a matter of years. I remained in this position for 18 years. I produced numerous National and Provincial Champions and held numerous South African Age Group and Provisional swimming records. I was chosen to represent South Africa at an International meet in Darmstadt, Germany in 1994 and awarded my Springbok colours for swim coaching. The following year I was one of the team at the 1995 World Short Course Championships in Rio, Brazil as one of my swimmers, Viki van den Baarsalar, qualified for this meet. I re-located to New Zealand in April,2012 to be close to my two daughters who lived there.