Beth Davis

Swimming Instructor – Competitive Swimmers – Adults Learning to Swim – Triathletes – Young Competitive Swimmers – Getting Children Started

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    • Getting Children Started
      • Stroke Development for Children
      • Overcoming Fear of Water for Children
    • Learning to Swim as an Adult
      • Stroke Development for Adults
      • Overcoming Fear of Water for Adults
      • Shoney’s Story
      • Adult Swimmers’ Stories
    • Competitive Swimmers / Triathletes
      • Using Film to Enhance Your Stroke
      • Open Water Swimming
    • Teaching Families
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    • Boulder
    • Louisville available only for children
    • Outdoor: Boulder Elks Pool and Patio
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Overcoming Fear of Water for Children

When a student comes to me who is afraid of water, whether he or she is an adult or a child, I start them out the same way – slowly.  I teach in a step-by-step fashion. I establish comfort, relaxation, and eliminate any panic reflex before ever building a stroke. Once someone trusts me and the water, then I begin to teach them how to swim.

 

My son, John, was terrified of the water. When he was six years old I began enrolling him in swimming programs, from groups of two to four children. Two years and three different programs later, he was still afraid, and would not put his head under the water. After a few months of lessons with Beth, he told me he loved swimming, and now after a  year of lessons, he is swimming across the pool with his head under the water. Beth is a wonderful instructor: patient, kind, and an excellent athlete. I feel very blessed that she is teaching my son. — Mary Wallace

scuba-diverWhen my son, age four, started taking swim lessons with Beth, he wasn’t comfortable in the water and had a very weak set of swimming skills. He wasn’t interested in learning to swim and he didn’t show much aptitude for improvement. Beth adjusted her teaching style repeatedly over the years as he changed, grew, and became more comfortable in the water. Today, he is a certified scuba diver at age ten. He impressed instructors and other divers with what a strong swimmer he is and he even helped two adults complete their swim tests by serving as a pilot fish in the waves guiding the swimmers around the boat. The dive instructors all commented on his complete joy and comfort in the water. We are grateful for your hard work, expertise, and patience in helping him achieve this milestone. He is a beautiful swimmer and is completely comfortable in the water. — Wynn Martens

My son started lessons with Beth when he was six. He was not born with a natural affinity for water, and his memory of earlier group lessons at the city pool was of a scary instructor who made them do things even if they were afraid. Beth spent quite a bit of time helping him learn to feel safe in the water. Her approach is empowering: first she listened to his concerns, and then she told him that she would always check with him before he tried something new. As he accomplished each new skill, his confidence grew and the water became a more comfortable place. When a particular new skill seemed especially daunting and fear crept back in, Beth was encouraging but firm. They talked about the things he had already accomplished, how good he felt about them and how important it was to try something that seemed scary so he could get past it and go on. He was the one who decided when he would try, but it was Beth who helped him find the strength within himself to push beyond his fear so he could experience that sense of exhilaration and accomplishment. Beth was teaching not only a specific swimming skill but, more importantly, a life skill of finding the strength within to push past adversity. From a technical perspective Beth is an excellent swimming instructor, but what I value even more is her ability to empower kids so when they face a challenge they know they can draw on their inner strength, face the challenge, and, in so doing, succeed. That is a universal skill they will benefit from for the rest of their lives. — Mary Horsey, mother of Ry

Life Altering Experiences …

Stories from Courageous Adults Learning to Swim

My inspiration for asking my adult students to write about their swimming experiences came from reading an article in the Wall Street Journal. The journalist had interviewed me for the piece on adults … [Read More...]

ROKA Sports Partnership

roka-logo2SwimBoulder, Inc. has partnered with ROKA  to bring all of you the best quality swim gear at a discounted price. Contact me to learn more about this benefit.

What Beth's Clients Are Saying

Beth Davis is an amazing coach. She worked with me to create a plan that pushed my limits while supporting and fitting it into my everyday life. She believed in me when I had no idea of my strengths and limitations. Best of all, she consistently pushed me to look within. I highly recommend Beth for her personalized approach, her consistent support, and her superior knowledge as a coach and athlete.

— Erin Blakemore
Beth Davis
2023-09-26T23:03:42+00:00
Beth Davis is an amazing coach. She worked with me to create a plan that pushed my limits while supporting and fitting it into my everyday life. She believed in me when I had no idea of my strengths and limitations. Best of all, she consistently pushed me to look within. I highly recommend Beth for her personalized approach, her consistent support, and her superior knowledge as a coach and athlete. — Erin Blakemore
https://swimboulder.com/testimonials/beth-davis-is-an-amazing-coach
I came to Beth when I was 11 years old. At that point I liked swimming, but had had little success in competition. One year later I qualified for summer league finals for the first time. In high school, I qualified for State and earned a spot on an All-American relay. Through Beth’s help, I was recruited by Division III schools and ended up swimming for Claremont McKenna College, where I had success in numerous conference finals. Without her help, I would not be the swimmer or person I am today.

— Nathan Lenssen
Beth Davis
2023-09-26T23:05:17+00:00
I came to Beth when I was 11 years old. At that point I liked swimming, but had had little success in competition. One year later I qualified for summer league finals for the first time. In high school, I qualified for State and earned a spot on an All-American relay. Through Beth’s help, I was recruited by Division III schools and ended up swimming for Claremont McKenna College, where I had success in numerous conference finals. Without her help, I would not be the swimmer or person I am today. — Nathan Lenssen
https://swimboulder.com/testimonials/when-i-was-11-years-old
When I started working with Beth I was the typical 9-year-old who didn't want to focus on anything for more than 10 seconds. I went from only being a breaststroker (and a slow one at that) to a well-rounded swimmer, getting relay spots in freestyle and excelling at butterfly, posting State times in all three strokes in my time at Fairview High School. Beth was very positive about my personal development as well and helped give me confidence that was hard to find elsewhere.

— Michael Lenssen
Beth Davis
2023-09-26T23:05:45+00:00
When I started working with Beth I was the typical 9-year-old who didn't want to focus on anything for more than 10 seconds. I went from only being a breaststroker (and a slow one at that) to a well-rounded swimmer, getting relay spots in freestyle and excelling at butterfly, posting State times in all three strokes in my time at Fairview High School. Beth was very positive about my personal development as well and helped give me confidence that was hard to find elsewhere. — Michael Lenssen
https://swimboulder.com/testimonials/didnt-want-to-focus
When I was 5 years old, I fell out of a boat in the middle of Broadmoor Lake. Since then I have had a continuing fear of water. Beth Davis has helped me ease that fear, to begin to trust myself in the water, through amazing patience and understanding. She has zillions of exercises for me to try in the water; if one is too hard, she comes up with another that's easier.

Beth is a topnotch swimming instructor. She is knowledgeable, dedicated, and kind.

— Jane Carlson, age 72
Beth Davis
2023-09-26T23:06:15+00:00
When I was 5 years old, I fell out of a boat in the middle of Broadmoor Lake. Since then I have had a continuing fear of water. Beth Davis has helped me ease that fear, to begin to trust myself in the water, through amazing patience and understanding. She has zillions of exercises for me to try in the water; if one is too hard, she comes up with another that's easier. Beth is a topnotch swimming instructor. She is knowledgeable, dedicated, and kind. — Jane Carlson, age 72
https://swimboulder.com/testimonials/fell-out-of-a-boat
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Contact Beth Davis • 303.554.8857 • [email protected]