The three Fs of swimming teaching? Fun, Fulfilling Flexible. If that’s what you want in your life, swimming teaching is mighty hard to beat. It’s one of the most rewarding roles in the world. Working with children, keeping them safe and helping them learn a lifesaving skill and grow to love swimming. Its more than just safety, swimming is a life skill that will stay with you forever. As Forbes Carlile said “to swim well is an asset for life” Swimming teaching is a role that suits almost anyone, you could be looking for a change, maybe you are a senior school student after your first real res ..read more

If there is one secret to learning to swim well, it’s consistency. Learning to swim is not a simple or natural task, like learning to walk. It could be much better compared to learning to read. It starts with you reading to your children, much like being in the water with a baby in a water confidence class. Then the children start to make sounds, recognise words, and start to read with the help of mum, dad or a teacher. Every parent knows the more often you read with your children the more likely they will learn to love reading. But it’s a slow process that takes years and pays wonderful divi ..read more

Today, International Women’s Day we celebrate some of the greatest women in the history of swimming. We are in a golden era right now, Ariarne Titmus, Emma McKeon, Mollie O’Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown are setting the world of swimming alight. But just think back for a moment of the legends Australia has produced. The first woman ever to receive a gold medal for a woman’s event at the Olympics was none other than our own Fanny Durack. Fanny and team-mate Mina Wylie fought sexism at home. So much so they were still in Australia when the boat left with the men of the team. Fanny and Mina were d ..read more

Research shows group learning is best for children’s swimming lessons. If you are considering private lessons, it could be a mistake. Much like school, having peers alongside a child can stimulate learning. Successful swimming programs should be skills based, so children learn alongside others of similar ability. Through varying learning styles amongst students, and the inclusion of encouragement, engagement and repetition, most children perform best in groups. Consider how your child learns, the most common styles are: physical social verbal Physical: This hands-on type of learning style i ..read more

Swimming lessons save lives. Tragically 40 people, 6 more than the same period last year, have already lost their lives to drowning this summer. “Every drowning is a tragedy and more times than not they are preventable,” says Carlile Swimming CEO Jon Harker. “The very first step is being able to swim well. There is no doubt swimming lessons save lives.” Forbes Carlile believed swimming well, meant being able to swim 400 metres with great technique. And he was right. “Great technique can save a life, because you can swim so much longer without tiring. It’s just so important.” And it all ..read more

In Australia, swimming is one of the most important skills a child must learn. But what do you do when your child is scared of the water? Or simply hates swimming lessons?  Sometimes young children fear water, leaving parents frustrated and anxious. You can feel helpless wondering how you can help them overcome their anxieties. The good news is children almost always overcome their fear of swimming. What can you do to help?  The first thing is to find the right swim school and that starts with the pool itself. These are some must haves: Warm water – cold water and children don’t mi ..read more

In Australia, swimming is one of the most important skills a child must learn. But what do you do when your child is scared of the water? Or simply hates swimming lessons?  Sometimes young children fear water, leaving parents frustrated and anxious. You can feel helpless wondering how you can help them overcome their anxieties. The good news is children almost always overcome their fear of swimming. What can you do to help?  The first thing is to find the right swim school and that starts with the pool itself. These are some must haves: Warm water – cold water and children don’t mix ..read more

Congratulations to Ginny Shanley who has passed 30 years working on pool deck with Carlile Swimming. It’s a remarkable achievement from our longest serving current leader who proudly continues the legacy of founders Forbes and Ursula Carlile. Ginny is the operations manager at the Cross Street pool Forbes and Ursula built in their backyard. It’s a pool with a unique and rich history. One which has started the journey of so many wonderful swimmers. “The community we work in at Ryde is rich in Carlile history. Forbes and Ursula are legendary and I’m so proud to say we continue their legacy,” Gi ..read more

Swimming pools offer endless fun and relaxation, especially during the summer months. For families with children, they are a source of joy and memorable moments. However, the overwhelming majority of drowning deaths in children aged under four are from falling into water, most in baths and pools. It’s crucial to prioritise pool safety.   With staggering statistics being released this year, pool safety has never been so important. More than 40 per cent of children leaving primary school can’t swim 50 metres or stay afloat for two minutes.  This is alarming, especially in Aus ..read more

Australian Swimming has lost a national treasure, with the peaceful passing of Ursula Carlile in Ryde today, aged 86. Ursula was a pioneer of sports science and forged a career that broke down barriers for women across the globe. “Ursula was a remarkable woman. With her late husband Forbes, she pioneered some of the most important innovations in world swimming,” said Carlile Foundation director and Australian champion Richard Cahalan. While simple stats only scratch the surface of Ursula Carlile’s life in swimming, they are remarkable. Worked with Forbes in the first specialist sports scienc ..read more