Meet the Master Instructors

In 2004, I trained to become a survival swim instructor and started teaching in my backyard pool. My business grew and flourished so incredibly I have since added two indoor locations. 2009 held a pivotal career move for me, when I was approached to train as a Master Instructor. Since then I  have trained 11 instructors from all parts of the U.S. and abroad. I never would have thought that my career would go in this direction, but I find teaching children how to swim, a valuable life skill, so rewarding and enjoyable. I know, based on parent testimonials, that I have saved lives and provided a more enjoyable pool experience for my families.

Since 2010, she continued to expand her knowledge in the swimming world by becoming more educated about swim aquatics. She currently holds her Master Instructor certification with Survival Swim Development Network, USA Swimming Head Coaching certification, ASCA Level 2 certification, and Triathlon coaching certification. Shannon found her passion in teaching other instructors aquatic survival skills. Together, we can help more families discover a love for swimming, while being safer in and around the water.

Shannon’s goals for the Survival Swim Development Network is to help educate parents, develop strong instructors, and to create safety and love for the water in each child. Parents should know that survival swim lessons do not have to be an aggressive approach. The Survival Swim Development Network has a loving and nurturing style of teaching.

We will continue to help the network grow by training new instructors using the proper skills and curriculum necessary to become an exceptional swim instructor. We will be available to help with trouble shooting students and to offer guidance. We want each instructor to represent the Survival Swim Development Network in our methodology of teaching children.

We will help promote water safety through our social media outlets. We here at TSA want to make sure that our communities understand that not all swim lessons are equal. Spreading the word about the importance of proper swim lessons is vital. It is imperative that students get placed into survival swim lesson because accidents can happen even when parents are present.

In 1998, I brought the program to Atlanta, Georgia. The demand for survival swimming lessons grew each year. In 2001, I became a founding member and Master Instructor for Swim Float Survive. My passion for saving children from drowning increased and so did my business. It became essential to open my own facility to meet the demand for my survival and learn to swim programs. We now teach school age children and adults as well as infants and toddlers

Over the past 28 years, I have taught thousands of children not just to swim but to save their lives in the case of an aquatic accident. Since moving to Atlanta,  I have incorporated an intensive in water training program for both instructor trainees and our students consisting of behavioral techniques, reinforced with, love, kindness and a solid direction and a logical approach to teaching all ages the life saving skills of swimming.

I have taught 35+ instructors to teach these amazing skills as well as co authored the Survival Swim Development Network’s training manual. As a Master Swim Float Survive℠ instructor and a mother that has lost a child, my mission as well as passion is teaching children how to save themselves from drowning as well as saving other parents the heartache of losing a child needlessly.

My mom was my second employee and is still a swim teacher for us today.  My husband Brian was a business major in college and was always contributing to the business, but after coaching and teaching for years he joined the business full time in 2013 and is now our CEO and runs all dry side operations.

The way I think about kids comes from the way I was raised and having a mom that was incredibly in tune with 4 crazy kids. I also majored in early childhood education and family studies at Oklahoma Christian University. I have a deep love for people and especially kids.

Teaching survival swim lessons has been one of my greatest joys in life because I get to be a part of something bigger than myself. On a daily basis we get to see a child become more confident in themselves and their abilities, while a parent sits poolside showing sighs of relief seeing their own child prove they have the skills to survive if they were to fall in the water.  Being in 1 on 1 lessons allows us to stay in tune with our kids and find those teachable moments to help them be brave enough to conquer a fear or gain an essential piece of the survival skill puzzle. I am still impressed that kids can learn to swim before they are potty trained; the swim-float-swim method is truly amazing!

I was amazed at their proficiency in the water. After my youngest child was born, I was introduced to Beverly Steinfink R.N., a founding member of Swim Float Survive℠ program. I was impressed with the child development based curriculum and loved the results that my own children experienced. In 2004, I made the decision to join the Swim Float Survive team.

I started my program out of my home pool. The program grew rapidly and with in 5 years had began to outgrown my backyard pool. In 2011, my husband and I opened the Texas Swim Academy in Katy, Texas. It is a 6 pool, indoor facility. We train over 2500 children each year in swimming and aquatic safety and employee over 30 people in our community. In 2013, I trained and became a Master Instructor with the Survival Swim Development Network. I have trained over 20 instructors in the lifesaving method. At Texas Swim Academy, I offer intensive in-water training as well as academic information to enable instructors to teach the Swim Float Survive℠ program. Additionally, I offer the Texas Swim Academy stroke development curriculum, Adaptive Aquatics for children with special abilities, training for groups and other specialty programs.