Certified coaches who are experienced in working with and teaching young children. This describes the professional staff of FINS Swim School (FINS), first established at SAFRA Toa Payoh in November 2012. Today, FINS offers swimming lessons at four SAFRA clubs (Mount Faber, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Yishun). From 1 Apr 2019, it will be offering swimming lessons at SAFRA Jurong.
Its comprehensive and well-structured curriculum focuses on efficient swimming techniques, and is suitable for children aged 5 and above, as well as adults.
Under the FINS Learn to Swim programme – which comprises beginner, intermediate and advance levels – students would have been taught water safety and survival, and learnt to swim the freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and survival backstroke/sidestroke. Thereafter, students are encouraged to join the FINS development class, which enhances training in the four strokes, introduces the butterfly stroke,and focuses on endurance through distance swimming and speed through sprints and time trials.
Students with the potential for competition are selected and encouraged to train under the FINS Pre-Squad. This unit was formed in 2017 and was led by former FINS Head Coach, Julian, who trained a first cohort of just three students at SAFRA Yishun and is currently the Senior Technical Coach for the programme.
Today, the Pre-Squad has classes at three SAFRA clubs (Toa Payoh, Mount Faber and Yishun), and trains more than 30 students. Each training session runs for two hours, and there are two training sessions each week. Achieving Milestones Since its inception, the FINS Pre-Squad has reached various milestones, including Singapore Swimming Proficiency Awards certification, and FINS students have clinched medals at local swim meets and age-group category competitions.
Students of the Pre-Squad are challenged to push through their comfort zones to develop the mental strength and physical stamina to achieve excellence in competitive swimming. They are expected to embody confidence, discipline and team spirit, and benefit from “positive coaching”, which is a structured way of teaching and correcting students.
By training and having fun together as a team, these students can improve and look forward to the next lesson with smiles on their faces. For more information, please visit www.safra.sg/our-services/fins or email fins@safra.sg.
“I took part in my first actual competition in 2018. I didn’t win, but I got a personal best and it was really fun – that’s why I swim. I have been working on my legs and my kicking, which was always my weakest point. Coach has really helped me improve that.” Daniel Chung, Student
“I like playing games [during training] and the coach makes it fun. During training, I also like taking part in the time trials. I’ve learnt how to swim faster and to be better in breaststroke. Now, I’m more confident.” Eldrick Lim, Student
“I enjoy the training and the way the coach teaches us. He will tease us when we make mistakes. I’ve learnt to kick faster and improved in my freestyle and butterfly strokes. Sometimes, if we make too much noise, the coach will scold us. This has taught us to be more respectful when someone is teaching us.” Ethan Lim, Student
“I wanted my son, Aaron, to learn this kind of discipline and test himself against others. I just want him to have a lifelong passion for swimming. If he gets a medal, it would be a bonus.” Jeremy Goh, Father of Aaron, Joel And Timothy
“Their strokes have definitely improved and they are more disciplined – that’s for sure. Coach Julian really has a way with the boys. The training is always not enough for them!” Elizabeth, Mother of Javan And Jalen
