Bucks County Herald, August 20, 2015
Doylestown Resident Launches KickSmart Swimming Program
Doylestown resident Barbara Seiden, a Certified Water Safety Instructor and award-winning Bucks County swim coach, has launched KickSmart Swimming. KickSmart provides personalized private and semi-private swim lessons for students of all ages and abilities.
KickSmart Swimming focuses on play as an instruction technique. According to KickSmart’s experienced swim instructors, this teaching method makes lessons more personalized and easier-to-understand than the traditional drills taught at other swim programs. “Swimming is a vital life skill,” said Seiden. “Through years of professional and personal experience, our team has found that students learn best when they are actively engaged with the instructor. Most area swim programs have students learn mostly through drills. We utilize play methods to ensure that the learning process fun, meaningful and effective.”
KickSmart Swimming instructors partner with parents and caregivers to understand specific goals and expectations. Instructors develop customized swim lessons to meet each swimmer’s needs. Beginner students typically learn how to float and become comfortable in the water, then progress to learning stroke technique. Critical water safety skills are built upon as students develop their body awareness and breath control.
What’s more, KickSmart swimming offers services to a wide range of students, Seiden says. “From the competitive swimmer looking to hone-in on his or her technique and race time, to those with neurological, developmental and cognitive challenges, our team has the background and experience to suit every kind of student. Individualized, progressive instruction makes learning achievable, sensory integrative and fun.”
KickSmart’s experienced team includes Seiden and instructors Katherine Varner and Maggie Tulik. Together, they have decades of instructional and competitive swim experience – making them uniquely qualified to teach all types of swimmers. Each instructor holds multiple national certifications.
Seiden, who is also the Aquatics Director at Fanny Chapman Pools in Doylestown, started swimming competitively at age seven and competed throughout high school. She has a teaching certification in Health and Physical Education and a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from West Chester University. Seiden also has a master’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from Chestnut Hill College. She has taught swim lessons to clientele in Bucks and Montgomery counties since 2007. Her credentials include Water Safety Instructor, lifeguard, Certified Adapted Physical Educator, and Adapted Aquatics Instructor.
KickSmart Swimming lessons are offered at the Homewood Suites in Warrington, PA, throughout the year. During the summer, lessons can also take place at a client’s home pool or Fanny Chapman Swimming Pools in Doylestown, PA. To register for swim lessons or for more information, go to www.kicksmartswimming.com or call 267-218-3798.
