Programs highlight safety, instruction

Although there may be several swimming programs in The Woodlands, Fun In Swimming stands out by emphasizing water safety, offering personalized instruction and possessing a passion for the sport.

Fun In Swimming was founded in 1999 by Bill and Cathy Goudeket, said their daughter, Woodlands Director Megan Goudeket. The family purchased the first permanent FINS location in Spring in 2002, expanded to The Woodlands in 2008 and opened a third location in Kingwood last year.

Goudeket said her father was an Olympic trial swimmer and her family has been involved in the sport all their lives.

"It's our mission," she said. "It's to prevent drowning. It's to make people love the water. With good discipline and good technique, it can be a lifelong skill."

The Woodlands branch is about 6,000 square feet and houses three pools: a 20-yard pool, a 12.5-yard pool and a 17-foot pool kept at 90 degrees for the baby classes. Goudeket said FINS offers a smaller student-to-teacher ratio that most swimming programs cannot match, ranging from 2-to-1 for beginners to 8-to-1 for the most advanced courses.

The Woodlands location currently employs 15 instructors who undergo a thorough training process, she said.

"They do not come here to work a shift," Goudeket said. "They come here to teach a class."

When customers walk in, FINS evaluates their skills to determine their ability. Goudeket said young children are taught water safety, whether it is how to find the wall when they fall into a pool or how to roll over and float to get a breath.

"Being safe in and around water doesn't necessarily just mean swimming—it means being aware of your environment," Goudeket said.

Safety is the program's top priority, because drowning is the No. 2 cause of death among children, Goudeket said. The emphasis on safety has not prevented children from learning to swim, such as 9-year-old Aidan Masterson.

Aidan's mother, Donica Masterson, said her son failed to learn to swim despite nearly six years with other swim programs, but Aidan learned after only three weeks at Fun in Swimming. With a recently installed pool and three children who enjoy swimming, Masterson said water safety is paramount for her.

"I recommend [FINS] to pretty much all parents," Masterson said.

Goudeket said The Woodlands location continues to grow every year. The branch had about 750 students in March, and she expects to surpass the 900-plus students from last summer.

"It was a little slower at first and being in The Woodlands, it's sometimes a little bit hidden, but word of mouth has really gotten us around," she said. "Swimming is just such a big thing in the area."

Fun In Swimming Programs

• Baby Fins — This class involves both the parent and baby, introducing babies to water with slow movements, toys and songs to create a friendly environment. Class sizes range from 3-6 depending on the age of the baby and offers a 6-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.
• Learn to Swim — This program is for ages 30 months and older. Students will be evaluated to determine their skill level and placement for one of several different programs, ranging from children afraid of the water to those trying to master all four strokes. The student-to-teacher ratio ranges from 2-to-1 for beginners to 4-to-1 for more skilled swimmers.
• Adult Programs — FINS offers adult courses ranging from those with no prior swimming experience to those training for triathlons. Adult programs feature a 4-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.
• Fast Fins — Competitive swimmers can hone their skills in a 45-minute skills-driven class focusing on improving all four strokes: freestyle, butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke. Ages range from 6 and older to 10 and older, while the program offers an 8-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.

Fun In Swimming, 3707 College Park Drive, The Woodlands, 281-379-3467, www.funinswimming.com