Ripples Leisure Centre wins Swim Australia national award

The Ripples St Marys Leisure Centre in Western Sydney has been received the 2016 Best Swim School Marketing award from Swim Australia.

Presented at the recent Swim Australia Awards Dinner at the Sofitel Broadbeach Queensland, Ripples Leisure Centre was awarded ahead of other renowned swim schools across Australia in recognition of the dedication and commitment of its staff in providing new opportunities to access and utilise the facility, as well as continually educating the community on the importance of water safety and supervision.

Among the many the initiatives run by the swim school they were acknowledged for their work and achievements with:

• The delivery of the free Water Safety Road Show to local preschools and schools. In 2015, Ripples educated over 6,000 students from over 50 preschools and schools and were awarded the 2015 NSW Water Safety Award for Community Initiative of the Year for our achievements.

Their 2016 delivery of this program is scheduled for August/September 2016. The driving force behind this initiative is to:

o Raise general awareness of water safety, the dangers present in various waterways and practical ways for all ages to stay safe and enjoy all water environments.
o Encourage participation in learn to swim and water safety programs. 
o Start conversations and make water safety something families and the wider community take active action on.
o In turn, reduce the alarming drowning statistics with particular emphasis on children aged 0-14 years.

• The inaugural and exclusive Learn to Swim Christmas Party full of fun, games, activities, prizes and special offers.

• The Learn to Swim Mini Carnival event which was held on 18th March 2016. This free event was exclusive to St Marys and Penrith Learn to Swim students along with Development and Fitness Squad members. The purpose of this carnival was to encourage participation for those students not confident yet to take part in a swimming carnival or new to swimming competitively, to introduce them to the carnivalatmosphere and to promote the sport of swimming but most of all to have some fun away from the lesson environment.

• Partaking in industry and affiliated partner initiatives such as Swim Safer Week, Kids Alive ‘Learn to Swim Week’ and U-Rippa rips and currents workshop.

• The Maniah Betham Squad Scholarship. Maniah was a talented and beloved national swimmer of Ripples Squad who tragically lost his life in July 2014 at the tender age of 15 from a heart condition called sudden arrhythmic death while playing basketball at his church youth group. Ripples developed this annual scholarship in honour of his memory and his amazing achievements in and out of the water. The 2016/2017 recipient is scheduled to be announced in June.

• The 2016 introduction of the exclusive Learn to Swim only newsletter called the ‘Swim School Times’ distributed every block (quarter) keeping swim school families updated on everything about our program along with a Kidz Zone full of fun water safety puzzles and activities.

• The new student progression recognition process that involves the student being informed by their swim instructor that they have progressed to the next level will get out the water and go and ring a ‘Progression Bell’ on pool deck and get applauded by other participants, instructors and families for instant recognition. The student will then have their photograph taken and provided on the spot with a progression colouring in page to take home to show family and friends. A monthly colouring in competition for the students that have progressed will run and students will go into the draw to win a swim pack. Finally, an official level certificate outlining completed criteria will be forwarded to the parent via email for their records.

• In celebration of students’ birthdays each student on the week of their birthday will be provided with a birthday card from the swim school delivered by their instructor, they will also be presented with a lolly pop and pool shop discount voucher to the value of 25% as a thank you for loyalty to the swim school and a celebration.

• Jamie Soward’s ‘Sowie’s Swimmer of the Week’. This award comes from nominations by instructors of students that behave well, consistently try their or achieve an important milestone.

Ripples Swim School is a comprehensive and established learn to swim program catering for all ages and abilities from 4 months to adults and special needs. Our lessons are skills based with an emphasis on progressive learning experiences from building water confidence, correct stroke technique to survival skills.

Its instructors are AUSTSWIM/Swim Australia/ASCTA accredited and have been screened according to legislative requirements. Combining technical knowledge and the ability to communicate to all ages, our instructors have a caring, emphatic and inclusive approach to teaching.

Ripples Swim School is based at three facilities St Marys, St Marys Hydrotherapy Centre and Penrith (summer only, reopening in September) and is partnered with many industry leaders to ensure we are delivering the highest quality swimming lessons to our students.

Safeguard your child and give them a skill for life! SWIM, SAFE, SURVIVE! Book your swimming lessons now. For more information visit www.ripplesnsw.com.au 

Image: Ripples' team members receive the Swim Australia award.

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