We were all warmly welcomed back after the summer holiday break by SwimWay founder, Dan Pastor, and Facilities Manager, Ana Vernica Pastor, for our start-of-term staff meeting.
The meeting gave us an opportunity to reflect on where we are as a company, where we are heading, and what to expect during the Autumn Term, following a successful Summer Term. We discussed the exciting opportunities that are arising and how, at SwimWay, we continue to design our own strategy and shape our own destiny.
Every moment was beautifully captured by Jordana Barale, our talented instrutcor and photographer
SwimWay’s business model has continued to evolve and strengthen over the years. We have introduced a number of new swimming-related classes over the years, including Aqua Aerobics, while also expanding our Parent & Baby lessons at some of our venues, with increased weekend availability.
We have also continued to develop our triathlon group lessons, which have been evolving and growing over the years, just to name a few.
These developments reflect our commitment to creating new opportunities for our clients while continuing to expand and diversify the services we offer.
Following Dan’s presentation and his great opening to the Autumn Term, we welcomed our guest speaker, Alberto Baggio.
Alberto has been with SwimWay for nearly 13 years and is also our Training & Development Supervisor. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Social Psychology and is a STA Aquatics Tutor.
Alberto delivered an engaging presentation on the topic of Attention and how it can influence learning, communication and performance.
What Is Attention?
Alberto explained that:
Attention is a limited resource. Our brains cannot process everything around us, so we naturally filter information and focus on what we consider most relevant. This also means that people can perceive and respond to the same situation differently.
What Can Affect Attention?
A number of factors can impact how well we focus and process information, including:
How Can We Support Better Attention?
We can help by keeping instructions short and clear, prioritising the most important points, reducing distractions, and matching tasks to the individual’s ability and experience.
Allowing sufficient time and recognising when someone may be tired or overwhelmed can also make a significant difference.
The key message was simple: we all have limited attentional resources, so we need to choose carefully where we direct them.
By being more intentional about how we communicate, teach and structure activities, we can help create better conditions for learning, focus and performance.
After Alberto’s presentation on Attention, everyone enjoyed some delicious sandwiches with refreshing & warm drinks, all organised by Ana Vernica Pastor, whilst the instructors could also collect any kit for the Autumn Term.
During the break, the instructors and office staff had the opportunity to catch up and share stories about how everyone’s summer break had gone. It was a lovely chance for everyone to reconnect before the new term got fully underway.
After the break, we welcomed Zahed Abedipour, a STA Level 3 Tutor/Assessor and Lifesaving First Aid Instructor.
Zahed took us through CPR and a variety of first aid scenarios, ensuring that all instructors were familiar with our safety protocols and confident in how to respond to different situations by re-enacting different scenarios. One of the scenarios the instructors practiced was a nosebleed, and Zahed had us practice with fake blood.
This refresher is an important part of ensuring the continued safety of all our students, clients and instructors, and reinforces the importance of being prepared to respond appropriately in an emergency.
All staff members were given a very smart-looking SwimWay gilet, which we proudly wore for our staff photograph at the end of the meeting. It was a lovely touch and a great way to bring everyone together as we marked the start of the new term.
Once the meeting came to an end, we continued catching up over a drink and some snacks at the nearby Victoria Pub, which provided a relaxed opportunity to continue conversations and spend some time together outside of the meeting.
It was a great way to finish the day and officially kick off the new term.
At SwimWay, we place a strong emphasis on continuous development, ensuring our instructors are always equipped to deliver safe, effective, and enjoyable lessons. With refreshed skills and a new term underway, we’re excited to dive into a summer of progress, confidence-building, and fun in the water. See you at the pool!”
SwimWay swimming lessons take place across South West London & Kensington in warm, well-maintained pools that are perfect for learning. Use our map and postcode search to find the pool closest to you and start your swimming journey today.
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