Silver Bear Swim School strongly believes that swimming is a rite of passage and an important life skill that benefits children’s physical, emotional and social development. In addition to prioritizing safety in and around the pool, the company offers programs for children as young as six months. By Erika Ortega
SPECIAL SECTION: FITNESS + WELLNESS
Silver Bear Swim School strongly believes that swimming is a rite of passage and an important life skill that benefits children’s physical, emotional and social development. In addition to prioritizing safety in and around the pool, the company offers programs for children as young as six months.
“Our program has a huge impact on early development when students start young,” said Jamie Proctor, Site Director and Staff Development. “We also have a swim team for our technically advanced students, which has its own list of benefits, including increased endurance and strength.”
The brand employs teams of highly trained instructors dedicated to guiding swimmers through necessary fundamentals and focuses on providing children with a higher level of water safety and confidence.
“By using games, toys and songs, our lessons introduce students to all of the swimming drills in an engaging and positive manner,” Proctor said. “We believe that learning in and around the pool is never completed, and there is always room for improvement.”
According to research by Griffith University, children who participate in swimming lessons can be up to 20 months ahead in cognitive development when compared to children who don’t swim. Also, there is a myriad of physical and social benefits ranging from heart, lung, muscular and brain development as well as major improvements in self-esteem, independence, sleeping patterns and bonding.
“Swimming lessons are a wonderfully intimate activity between parent and child that provide a one-on-one bonding opportunity, which helps promote the parent-
infant relationship,” explained Proctor. “The group class structure provides a chance for interaction with instructors and other children and parents, and it enhances a child’s social skills and ability to build relationships.”
In the 2024 Nevada State Championships, more than 20 finalists were alumni of Silver Bear Swimming School.
“We have had many of our swimmers get recruited to compete at the NCAA Division 1 level, and one of our former alumni swam at the Olympic Trials this past summer,” Proctor said.
By providing learn-to-swim lessons for children six months to 15 years old, Silver Bear Swim School continues to make a lasting impact on the safety, health and wellness of its students.
The Silver Bear Swim School franchise currently serves over 5,000 children per week across all locations. Parents love the quality and flexibility of programs. Here are some of their accolades:
“Silver Bear has been such a valuable experience in my children’s lives. All three started with Silver Bear at the age of six months and swam well into their teenage years. Swimming kept them active and in shape and gave them confidence in and around the water.”
“Silver Bear has been so amazing for our family. I have started all of our children at six months old. Our youngest is two and a half and has autism and is speech-delayed. I am so grateful for the extra effort Silver Bear has put into my child’s learning.”
“Silver Bear focuses on the details, and their swimmers are prepared when they move into competitive swimming! The club coaches in our area are always excited to get a Silver Bear graduate because they have such solid technique. My son now swims in college at the Division 1 level, and we attribute his success to his early beginnings at Silver Bear.”
Erika Ortega