Lions Swim Academy

Lions Swim Academy is run by the Aquatics Department and is part of the wider Athletic program at Stamford American International School. Located at the Woodleigh Campus, the school boasts two, 8-lane, 25m pools equipped with full electronic timing. Run by 4 full-time coaching staff and numerous part-time coaches, the program continues to grow with the school. The academy has a capacity of 400 swimmers, ranging from after-school activities through to the competitive school team. Lions Swim Academy is a paid, year-round activity.

“My teachers care about me.”

Ruby Grade 3

From one to nine sessions per week, there are plenty of opportunities to train and compete, both internally and externally. With principles from the Optimal Athlete Development framework, our staff are uniquely positioned to balance cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional development of the student-swimmer alongside their academic expectations.

Underpinning our program philosophy are three guiding statements:

1. “Swimming builds great people.”
2. “Success is a feeling.”
3. “Being part of something bigger.”

We believe in starting with ‘why’. Swimming builds great people by fostering life-long, transferable skills related to; effective time management, setting and evaluating progressive and explorative goals, challenging one’s abilities, coping with the adversities of disappointment, and celebrating successes. We understand that each student-athlete progresses at a different pace and requires opportunities appropriate to their ability level. As such, our coaches individualize training plans. Our squad and competition structure offer progression in a timely manner. Success is seen as a feeling, generated from a variety of sources such as academic achievement, sporting success and character development. Not only do we recognize results, but we also recognize improvements in all three areas. We believe in Lion Pride, where our student-athletes have a sense of belonging to our swim program. We consider Lions Swim Academy to be part of the vital fabric of school life. Feeling part of something bigger is the ultimate aim.

If you are interested in finding out more, you can visit the mini-site www.lionsswim.academy

Paul has almost twenty years of swim coaching experience and worked throughout the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand. Paul’s coaching experience includes bringing swim teams to international (FINA) competitions in France, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand. He has a BSc (Hons) in Sports Coaching and a Post-Grad Diploma in Coaching Science to complement his UK ASA Level 3 Club Coach and New Zealand Silver License accreditations.