How I Became a Swimming Coach.

The love of teaching.

It was June 2016, my lowest point of life before I decide to start teaching swimming.

It’s a skill i learnt at the age of 13. I felt left out not knowing how to swim and always hanging onto the sides of the pool wall when everyone else is having fun jumping in.

From that day on, I said, I’m gonna learn swimming.

One day, the school started to open up applications for those who want to learn swimming. The school has engaged a public swimming pool club with swim coaches to teach public school students with a fee of only 10MYR a month.

This is an extra activity curriculum by the school board and it is one of my favourite. Well, i love sports and have joined a few different curriculum but I’ve set my mind to focus on swimming.

I just wanted to know how to swim and I did it. Also experience competitions from school but that has never really interest me. Now that I am teaching, may it be, life style swimming or competitive training. I know how that will make you feel when you win and or lose in a competition, or to have the training that you need to build that stamina and strength.

It was in June 2016, I quit a business partnership where I don’t find myself resonating with. I can’t speak a proper sentence of mandarin and it was really tough to communicate. Although it doesn’t really affect me 100%, somehow, I feel it’s a waste of time.

I can do better than this.

I felt like I was relying on them because they were still paying me a salary and not getting the right treatment as a partnership. I’m not being selfish and always want to work alone, I just haven’t found the right partner at that time.

Woke up one day, had this shut down feeling and not wanting to look for another job. That’s because, I’m not getting paid for what I’m worth. I did look for another “JOB”, did it for the sake of salary, because I need it.

First company lasted for 6 months and the second company lasted for less than a year. Will share that part of story on a different day.

So, I asked myself, what sort of skills do I have? Arts and craft? since I like making and building stuff but how will I make money out of it.

I still need to pay bills.

I need a little more consistency.

As I was sitting out on my balcony, staring at the swimming pool…

I started asking, what if I teach swimming? Will I be able to make a career out of it? will I enjoy teaching? during my work days, I used to look forward giving trainings.

I do like to teach and passing on my knowledge.

WHY NOT? Ok, I’m gonna do this!

I’m gonna teach swimming and so I started creating flyers and did a lot of research, purchased some swim gears for students, made plenty of phone calls, send out flyers to a couple of close friends with small family and that has children asking if they would be interested in sending their kids for swim classes.

Starting Aug 2016, 3 students signed up. They’re all siblings and have no experience in swimming and strong fear of water.

That’s where it all started…..

“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle” – Napoleon Hill

Word of mouth goes around and I got more students after a couple of months. I could barely pay my bills with the income I’m getting from swimming and just 3 swimmers?

Seriously, can you imagine? Struggled and suffer for a year building and growing my students list.

As much as I don’t want to mentioned this, both my parents were very supportive and I had to borrow money from them to pay my bills. House, Car, Utilities, etc. I scheduled 7 days a week, constantly sending out messages looking for students.

I don’t have a swimming pool apart from where I am living (Apartment’s swimming pool). So, for those who don’t live in a condominium / apartment with a swimming pool, they can travel to me for classes otherwise I will travel to them.

One Year past, students grew up to 50 ishhh… by word of mouth. Yes, income got better and that’s when I wanted to focus on a Mobile Swim School.

I name it “Swim Mobile School”. Two years past and I grew up to 100 plus students in 2 years. Teaching from Monday – Sunday and soon after, I group up some of my students and managed to have 1 day off.

As of today, weekends are fully booked and only open for enrolment on weekdays. It is exactly 3 years now that Swim Mobile School has been established and I recently turned this into a business career.

It is now Global Swim Mobile School. Why Global? I’m not only getting students locally from Malaysia.

I have students from Seattle, USA, Hong Kong, Yemen, Iran, India, China etc. Most of them are here on a long holiday, some short term expats, engaging me for swim classes and competitive training.

Some of them lives abroad and when they return once a year or every now and then. I’ll received an email for class booking.

If ever I’m visiting your country, it’ll be a pleasure to swim together. Shall we?

Here are some photos of students I have.