British Swim School’s Post

CASCAID channel swim for The Rainbow Trust Training Update (Written to provide insight to others on similar journeys….) Saturday’s Ullswater event was a training swim for me and my Channel tide is the 27th Aug. I’ve been swimming 32km a week for a few months now and have a good ‘7hr & 6hr’ weekend under my belt from Bournemouth at 14°…. Bournemouth 7&6 again this weekend, then Windermere next week…….then another Bournemouth 7&6 before tapering…. Ullswater was brutal (the picture looks lovely, doesn’t it?!) - at points it really deflated me as I couldn’t understand why it was all going so wrong, after working so hard and with only six or seven weeks to go…. Here’s the lesson….. I woke up with a headache and the runs and felt sick on the bus. I Should never have got in but my ‘channel training head’ said ‘this is a test’ and ‘never give up.’ The organisers told us it was 15° but everyone’s watches said 14° and even 13° in patches. For skins that is very cold and I was cold from the off. I didn’t want to pull - that dogged channel mentality again but persevered and finished it. I went to bed with a fever and temperature and got up 16 hours later….. My wife, Cathy, was furious with me! The lesson…. Listen to your body. No matter how much you want to stick to the training regime, our sport can be brutal and the cold is invidious. It creeps into you and catches you out. A sick swimmer is a danger to themselves and perhaps the safety crew and others. For those who finished the event, skins or neo, well done indeed. It was a tough gig! For anyone wishing to sponsor my swim and help raise much needed cash for The Rainbow Trust:- https://lnkd.in/ezkkPJq2 #CASCAID #SquareMile #AssetManagement #InvestmentManagement #FinancialAdvice #WealthManagement #TheRainbowTrust

The most recent reports from Swim England raise concerns that more than 1,000 public pools have closed since 2010 due to spiraling running costs, with a further 1,500 coming towards the end of their lives. This was also a concern for one of our estates in Surrey with it's much-loved pool facing closure until one of our Area Managers found a cost-effective solution to keep the pool open for residents to enjoy. After securing a partnership with local swim school GoggleSquad Swim School the estate opened its doors to offer lessons for local children, just a few sessions per week. This arrangement has allowed residents to continue to enjoy frequent use of the pool whilst benefitting from projected savings of 77 per cent on the associated yearly running costs. A HUGE well done to our team for working hard to find a solution for our residents that has meant they can keep their pool running. As an ethical not-for-profit, working with estates on their unique needs and doing whatever we can to support them is high up on our list of priorities. Read the full story on our website: https://lnkd.in/e3gVsE29 #ethicalbusiness #estatemanagement #leasehold #ethicalleaseholdmanagement #managingagent #property #customerservice

A great example of podcasting for business. Simple idea, lots of information for the target audience and perfectly delivered. Bríd took my Podcasting for Business course with MSLETB - Skills to Advance, published the first episode within a week of the last class and with the help of a little well targeted publicity, appeared on both Newstalk and RTE Radio One in the following days. The podcast content wasn’t heavily ‘branded’ but ‘useful content’ focused. A great result from the course. Well done Bríd Graham. If you’re making a podcast to promote a business, make sure that it’s either educational, informative, entertaining or the triple threat…all three! DMs are open if you’re interested in a course like this or finding out more about Podcasting.

In a recent conversation with my team, I called out the importance of building resilience in ourselves and simply getting back. An observation to relate to this today during swimming. Summers are here in #hyderabad and so are the learners (kids and adults) at the swimming pool. I was so impressed by the ability of these learners to put in all the required efforts while picking up a new skill. It requires a great level of fortitude  to pick up a new skill in a new environment .  A point that made me think was – are these learners left alone to pick up the skill and perform or do they have support. The answer – they have support from their coach , fellow learners, and the regular swimmers. Regular swimmers - encourage them – you are there, a little more and you will be a champ at it. Fellow learners – form a community and encourage each other, lend a helping hand too while managing their own struggles of learning the new skill. Coach – the most important person in this entire skill building journey – he not only is sharing his skill with the learners but is also motivating them and helping build their tenacity. This is a complete recipe to help build the resilience muscle in the learners/teams and a great learning for me. #resilienceatwork cannot be built alone; it needs a community of supporters to help do so and make each other successful! #myweekendlearnings #dilse

There is a ton of swim talk on my LinkedIn page, and I will not apologize for that. The similarities between competitive swimming and life are so numerous. The picture below is the Men's high school team I coach which also happens to be my Alma Mater. This picture was taken by a parent after we won our Sectional for the first time since 2011. 🏆 In the time leading up to the meet, we never really talked about winning the Sectional. Instead, we talked about the things we needed to do in each race to put us in a position to win. 🏆 Every swimmer and diver contributed. Every single one of them scored points to allow us to have more points than anyone else. 🏆 We sent the Captains down to get the Championship plaque. They earned it. We were their 3rd coaching staff in 4 seasons. That type of transition is hard. 🏆 We have set a new standard. The bar has been set to a new level. Expectations will now be increased for the next season. And, we can still enjoy this accomplishment. Think about these 4 items and see what parallels you see in your personal or professional career - do the small things correctly, everyone knows their role and does their piece, the people who endure are rewarded, and take it to the next plateau. #AMDG #RollTop #BestSportEver

Swimming against the current Ahead of my cold-water swimming adventure in Scotland this summer, I went for some coaching in an endless pool. This essentially is a water tank with mirrors and cameras where you get to swim against a current, observed and corrected by a coach. Sounds simple enough, but swimming against a current is exhausting. And while this is fine when training, continuously working against resistance, in work and life, is a serious energy drain. It also leaves you standing in the same spot, without any progress. Yet, that’s exactly what we do when we try and change things that are outside of our control. Whether it’s the temperature of the water, the presence of jellyfish or business restructures and job losses. There are things which fall outside our circles of influence and control. And focusing time and energy on these, will only leave you drained, stuck, and frustrated. A better use of resources is focussing on those areas that are within your control. Your thoughts, your actions, or the way you respond to challenges. This is also a good time to be using your natural strengths and help you move forward despite the challenges. As beautiful as they are, coming across Lion’s Mane jellyfish in Scotland was a nasty surprise. Their presence was outside my sphere of influence, but I could still choose how to behave. I could worry, tread water and stay in a safe spot or do what I do fairly well in water, and just swim. Since the visibility was fantastic, I decided to carry on swimming. Slowly. And I have to share, that up close, they truly are beautiful creatures. So long as you don't get stung that is. As we continue to face one challenge after another, many of which we cannot control, the choice is ours. We can either tread water, use up much energy and stay in the same place. Or we can choose to swim in our lane, and put our skills to good use in areas where we have more influence and control. Where are you putting your energy and resources? Interested in successful team leadership & development? Get in touch. #Controllingthecontrollables #leadershipdevelopment #resilientleadership

Establishing the swimming academy at Shooters Hill Sixth Form College has started a trend for young people to commit to exercise on a weekly basis. While one group are gathering professional qualifications like lifeguarding and swimming teacher certificates, others are setting goals to feel confident in deep water. Surprisingly, many of the young people already have a knowledge of first aid and show incredibly supportive and responsible decision making when working with others of different abilities. As the head of SHC swimming academy, I'll get to award 6 new lifeguards and 4 more swimming teachers, who are supporting their community right on their doorstep this year, with a fairly even turnout for male and female swimmers, of various ethnicities and abilities. The thing is... More than 50 of the 75 swimmers who have enrolled cannot swim 25m comfortably. There are a series of conversations that will be shared about what this means from the adolescent perspective through to our elder of 55s community who have recieve the additional support that teachers provide. It's great to see how the B.O.S.S movement is gaining traction with several intentional and impactful organisation's hauling the weight of a public sector service while tackling decades of inadequacy. Soon enough, the allocation of economic resources and assets within the sector needs to be reasonably apportioned to balance the inequality. In the meantime the work continues with a growing group of willing students. Then extends from London to Birmingham at the commonwealth aquatics center and upto Derby with Thandolewthu Ndlovu's former academy. Anything worth doing is worth doing well! #empowering #youths #futureinvestment #mentoring #swimming #equalityanddiversity #bossmindset #learntoswim #qualifications #training #academy #college #London #Birmingham #Brumting #Derby #Swimstory

Observing my son at his swim lessons today, I couldn't help but draw parallels between learning to swim and investing in commercial real estate. Just as an unattended pool or oceanfront warns swimmers with "no lifeguard on duty" or "swim at your own risk" signs, venturing into real estate investment without proper guidance involves inherent risks. Even experienced swimmers are cautioned against swimming alone; similarly, even those with some knowledge of real estate can find it daunting to navigate the market without expert advice. In real estate, whether you’re a novice or have some understanding, the complexity and potential risks can deter you from taking action. Many aspire to invest, diversify their portfolio, and achieve better returns but hesitate due to uncertainty and lack of direction. Like a swim instructor who assesses your abilities and tailors lessons to your needs, a skilled real estate partner understands your goals and aligns opportunities to help you achieve them. They provide the necessary guidance, instruction, and support to help you navigate the investment landscape. While risk is an inevitable factor, whether in swimming or investing, it can be mitigated through collaboration with experts. By sharing knowledge, implementing best practices, and leveraging professional expertise, we can significantly reduce those risks. Interested in exploring these opportunities further? Let’s have a conversation! #RealEstateInvestment #InvestmentOpportunities #ExpertGuidance #CommercialRealEstate #DiversifyYourPortfolio #RiskManagement #FinancialGrowth #InvestmentStrategies #PartnerWithExperts #AchieveYourGoals #passiveincome #passiveinvesting

Are you a professional swimming trainer or lifeguard looking to get paid what you truly deserve? At CoachHubz, we understand that experience and expertise should be rewarded, not undervalued. 🏊♂️ Why Choose CoachHubz? Set Your Own Rates: Finally, you have the power to set your own rates based on your skills and experience. No more standard pay rates that don’t reflect your true value. Free to Join: Joining CoachHubz is completely free. You can sign up and start showcasing your expertise without any upfront costs. Verified Credentials: Build trust with clients by showcasing your verified credentials and qualifications. Ratings and Reviews: Maintain high standards and attract more clients through positive feedback and ratings. 💡 Addressing Industry Challenges: Many trainers face the frustration of being paid the same as less experienced peers in corporate settings. CoachHubz provides a platform where your experience is recognized, and your earning potential is in your hands. 🌞 High Demand for Trainers: Did you know that 16% of households in Sydney have a swimming pool? With a significant number of NSW households owning pools, there's a huge potential market for private swimming lessons. Families are constantly looking for qualified trainers who can provide quality training in the comfort of their own homes. Join CoachHubz today and start connecting with clients who value your expertise. Your journey to better earnings and recognition starts here. Sign up now #SwimmingTrainers #Lifeguards #CoachHubz #Training #ProfessionalDevelopment #SwimmingLessons #SydneyTrainers

At FOBISIA x TEEMS Global our coaching team organized a quick and informal paper plate awards with our student-athletes (unrelated to swimming) on the night before finals & medley relays. The objective was to take their minds off swimming, relieve stress and further develop our team bonding experience. The student-athletes voted on things like; swimmer most likely to be a CEO/famous for something random/professor/government think tank/deadlift the most weight, etc. During these awards, the student-athletes mentioned that I get the ‘conductor award’ ~ I didn’t think it was too relevant at the time until they sent me this. 📧 subject: Conductor Coach☝🏻☝🏻 The student-athletes picked these categories for the coaching team: - Coach most likely to fall in the pool. - Coach most likely to cry if their swimmer qualifies for nationals. - Coach most likely to lose their voice. - Conductor Coach. ✨🙏🏼💫🫧