Carlile Swimming prepares for re-opening of children’s lessons as of 20th July

Having been closed since March due to COVID-19, Carlile Swimming has announced they will be back in operation on 20th July with lessons for children at their nine swim schools across metropolitan Sydney.

Carlile Swimming’s reopening will coincide with children going back to school for third term.

Explaining that while closed they have put in place some practical protocols to help their pools remain COVIDSafe, Carlile Swimming Director and former Australian champion Richard Cahalan stated “when you’re in the business of teaching children to swim, safety is your number one priority and as you’d expect we’re taking steps to combat COVID-19.

“There is no evidence that the virus can spread through properly treated water and we use the world’s best technology to maintain our air and water quality but naturally we are implementing other changes as well.

“This includes ensuring that any staff member who shows any symptom will not be able to work until given the all clear.”

In a statement on its website outlining the COVID-19 Protocols Carlile announced a range of initiatives including:

• Limits to numbers within each pool and in change rooms
• All staff having completed the Government’s COVID-19 Infection Control training
• The introduction of a new contactless check-in system
• The availability of hand sanitisers, with surfaces regularly cleaned throughout the day and with contracted professionals also undertaking daily ‘deep cleaning’
• That social distancing will be observed.

Commenting on these initiatives, Cahalan advised “we have constantly monitored the health department recommendations and we will continue to do that to ensure we are demonstrating best practice.”

Calahan notes that with social distancing guidelines for swim schools and aquatic swimming centres “when our teachers need to make contact with children for safety and to correct their technique then that’s what we will do, out of the water we will be social distancing.

“That said, in our Waterbabies class when parents are in the water with the children, then we will be social distancing.”

Australia’s first commercial swim school, Carlile Swimming conducts more than 20,000 lessons a week in normal circumstances. During lockdown it has kept in touch with customers throughout the closure in a bid to help them retain their existing booking times. The business has also announced a new make-up system for anyone missing a lesson because they are unwell.

Cahalan notes “naturally, because of COVID-19 we are encouraging our customers not to come if they, or their children are unwell, and the make-up system will help ensure they still get their lesson when they are feeling better.”

The closure period has also seen the business introduce a new class management system that will allow clients to manage payment details, provide multiple contacts per family and track their child’s skills progress.

Cahalan adds “we are also working towards giving our customers the ability to move bookings electronically, there is a way to go but as it develops, we know this new Parent Portal will make our customer experience more efficient and enjoyable.”

Carlile Swimming plans to release more information about this new system in the coming weeks.

Double Awards for Carlile Swimming staff
Dave DuBois, Carlile Swimming's Swim Program Curriculum Manager was named the recipient of the ‘Commended with Outstanding Feedback’ award by the Australian Swim Coaches and Teachers Association at the beginning of June.

Carlile Swimming's Manager of Operations, Michael Yeomans, has also been named as the recipient of the Australian Swim Schools Association’s inaugural Young Guns Award.

For more information go to www.carlile.com.au.

Images courtesy of Carlile Swimming. Lower image shows Carlile Swimming's Cherrybrook facility.