Bebe, a Beginner and future triathlete:
"I was never very confident in the water. I could not even do a freestyle stroke. Laura has been so awesome!! She is so encouraging. I thank her for teaching adults. She has made the water a place that is a new adventure for me. I could not swim across the pool at the beginning of the summer, and now I am swimming 20 laps! I want to do a triathlon next year. I'm a runner, but I can't wait to swim everyday. The water is no longer my enemy or something I fear. I can't believe I have missed out all of these years loving the water like I do now. It's never to late to learn something new. Thanks, Laura, for having the heart for teaching adults. To God be the Glory for answering my prayers to overcome my fear and pride."
Nina, a Beginner:
"My name is Nina Taylor-Milton, I am 37 years old, and last year at this time, not only could I not swim, but I was deathly afraid of the water. I am extremely proud to say that after only one session of 4 lessons I could actually swim! In the months that followed the first session, I continued to take lessons from the Laura. She is helping me to fine-tune strokes, breathing, etc. and has convinced me to participate in a triathlon-imagine that! I would like to thank Laura for the FANTASTIC job she is doing and would like her to know that I will always be grateful to her. She is without a doubt the most patient and caring person I've had the pleasure of knowing. Her calming spirit immediately allowed me to feel more than comfortable in the very place in which I was terrified. Each lap I swim from now on will be dedicated to her. Thanks Laura!"
Ken, a local triathlete:
"The purpose of my taking lessons was to swim easier and more efficiently in a triathlon. Before taking lessons, my stroke was weak and I truly felt like I was fighting the water, struggling on breathing and trying to stay afloat. After a set of 4 lessons I feel that I have the basics of a good freestyle stroke, which has in turn made swimming an enjoyable experience. I feel comfortable breathing and have achieved much greater speed with proper body, arm and leg position and movement. It feels great to be almost gliding, instead of struggling, through the water. I would encourage anyone who is interested in becoming a better swimmer or in learning or relearning the fundamentals, to take a set of lessons from Laura."
Maria, a Beginner:
"I cannot begin to express how much it has meant to me to have the opportunity to meet someone like Laura. I was born in Cuba, a beautiful island with the best beaches in the world. As a young girl we would go to the beach but my mom felt like the water was too dangerous. As a result, I developed an uneasy feeling about being in deep water. I have always had a strong passion for the ocean and its beauty, but have never been able to enjoye the beach or a pool while on vacation with family and friends. As an adult I attended group lessons, but was not successful.
After Katrina in 2005, I relocated to Brandon and became a member of the YMCA. It was there that someone told me about Laura, the Swim Girl. I was told she possessed great patience and could teach anyone to swim. My first reaction was: Laura has not met me yet! I started to entertain the thought of actually accomplishing a life-long dream. This dream became even more important when I met my Mr. Wonderful who would be a fish if he had the opportunity. Although I wanted to learn to swim for myself first, I also wanted to be able to share this great activity with him. After some hesitation and a phone call to Laura, she assured me I would be able to accomplish this mission. My 48th birthday was quickly approaching and I wanted this to be a birthday gift to me. I often felt I was too old to learn, but then I though, I can drown at any age.
On July 22, 2008, I drove to the Flowood Courthouse pool, nervous and feeling it would take months to learn. To my amazement, the minute I stepped into the water I felt relaxed. I had never met Laura before, but I can honestly say that I have never met anyone who exudes such calm and patience with the ability to transfer that feeling to her students. By the time the first session was over, I was totally amazed as to how much I had learned in just 30 minutes. After my second session, I went on a trip to Pensacola, FL, and for the first time in my life I got into the pool at the resort. The best part is, I was able to swim underwater, not very far, but I was actually floating, not standing.
By the time my 4th class came around, I was able to swim under water and feel comfortable. My 48th birthday came around and at my birthday party at my son's house, I spent the entire day swimming. Not only did I swim all day, I was actually able to swim from one end of the pool to the next underwater all the way without touching the bottom. I have a long way to go, but I can say that I am truly loving this experience and falling in love more each time with the water. This has been the greatest birthday gift I have ever received. Never in a million years would I have thought that at this age I would be swimming.
I am grateful for meeting Laura and want to thank her for the great gift she has given me. Anyone who reads this and has never been able to swim, I highly encourage you to do it because you will learn. In my opinion, you will never find an instructor like Laura, so don't miss out on this opportunity. Laura, thank you so much for not only helping me acquire a life saving skill, but also because now I can enjoy this wonderful sport with the love of my life. I will be continuing this journey and look forward to all the great skills Laura will be teaching me to get better each time. It has often been said you can't teach an old dog new tricks, well, Laura can.
Rebecca, a Beginner:
"Until I had the opportunity to work with Laura, I somewhat doubted if I would ever achieve my goal of completing a triathlon: I had a true swimming deficiency. But after the initial four lessons with Laura, she has me convinced that my dream can actually become reality – it can be done! Now I can proudly say, 'next year, at the ripe young age of 52, I will compete in and complete my very first triathlon'.
Laura is a great confidence booster and motivator as well as an excellent instructor. Her utilization of various techniques and one-on-one tailored instruction provided the tools necessary to form an excellent swimming foundation. Now, the rest is up to me. Using everything Laura provided, I'll continue to practice daily so that in June, 2007, my swimming foundation will be solid, my goal achieved.
Others boast about their 'group' swim lessons and numerous swim programs, but there's only one SwimGirl."
Harley, an Ironman competitor:
"Thanks so much for your help! I have really started to enjoy swimming. I used to see it more as an endless, monotonous chore that needed to be done on order to race triathlons. Now that I can see improvement in my technique and fitness, I can't wait to get back to the pool for a few more swim sets!"
Greg, a local triathlete:
"I signed up to take swim lessons from Laura for several reasons. For someone who never took swim lessons, I wanted to learn the basic fundamentals such as breathing between strokes, relaxing in the water, and becoming as efficient as possible. I have entered a few triathlons and the swimming portion of the race has always been intimidating and a struggle for me mentally and as a result, physically. My technique was awful at best. I expended way too much energy during the swim and just felt so defeated before I exited the water. After my 4 lessons with Laura, I can tell the improvement in my swimming through these lessons. Putting the pieces of the swim puzzle together has given me greater confidence in the water and I really look forward to and enjoy my swim workouts.
I encourage anyone who is interested in learning the basics of swimming or just swimming more efficiently to take lessons from Laura. She is such an excellent teacher and person who provides great encouragement to her students."
