During the first trimester, 1st through 4th graders were able to visit Steward Aquatic Center and take a week of swimming lessons in William R. Orthwein Sr. Pool as part of their physical education classes.
Led by the Director of Aquatics Programs and Facilities, Coach Khannie Dastgah, students learned the fundamentals of swimming – including stroke technique and kicking. Students also reassessed the skills taught last year to reinforce the importance of water safety and correct pool etiquette.
Students also had the benefit of an assistant coach on hand whenever Coach Khannie was busy with other students. That coach happened to be Khannie’s father, Hossein.
“Having Coach Hossein Dastgah assist with the Lower School units this year was a tremendous benefit,” said Coach Khannie. “He recently retired from 34 years of coaching with a local club team and brought the expertise needed to help ensure that new students or those having difficulty were able to develop the survival skills we introduced last year.”
Meanwhile, Coach Khannie could introduce students to competitive swim strokes such as the freestyle and backstroke.
One student even had his first ever experience in a pool, swimming for the first time at these lessons. Although he was tentative to enter the water at first, the video below shows how far he progressed during the week of lessons.
Overall, the swimming unit made a big splash with the Lower Schoolers!
