The British Swimming Research and Teacher Training Centre based in the beautiful Cotswold Hills.
Britain's only genuine 'Centre of Excellence' in Learning to Swim.
The renowned "Kennedy Swim Technique" School at Britain's only Research and Teacher Training Centre invites you to attend their intensive 2 and 3 day Residential Swimming Courses for non-swimming adults. This is a unique opportunity for anyone to overcome all reservations and learn to swim in private and in comfort with the world's No. 1 teacher. Each guest enjoys private on-site self-contained accommodation with the entire pool building to themselves and one-to-one tuition from the world-renowned Mr Frank Kennedy. Guests travel from as far away as China in the knowledge that they are getting the very best.
The Kennedy Teaching Techniques are now established as the finest in the world while British ASA swimming methods are probably the amongst the worst. If you want to overcome your problems in water do not waste time and money with conventional ASA trained teachers who are not sufficiently trained to help you. The world has moved on, our Governing body has not!
It is a disgrace in 2008 that Ex-British Olympic Swimmers are promoting Kellogg's rubbish Confetti Certificates and the ASA Top Up nonsense in return for ASA money.
With the right tuition we have proved that British children need only three certificates 10m 100m and 1000m all the rest are little more than our Governing Body and Kelloggs ripping off loving but gullible parents. Most children can achieve 1000m by the age of 10, and many can achieve it at the age of 6. But there is more money to be made selling Junk Certificates than there is running a True Educational Programme.
SWIMMING EQUIPMENT. Again the world has moved on and our research shows that Speedo have now been overtaken by AQUA SPHERE. If you want the very best equipment made in Europe (not China) then visit the Aqua Sphere site at www.aquasphereswim.com
COMING SOON Franks new series of easy to follow DIY DVDs, "Adults Self Help, overcome your fear of water" and for Parents "First teach your child to float" then "Teach your child to Swim" At last some real common sense in swimming tuition!
These will be available by mail order and direct downloads from this site this summer. Just keep visiting www.swimmingteacher.com Britain's only true Centre of Swimming Excellence.
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Click here to read our view of Poor UK Teaching Standards
The private organic 40 acre country estate of Didbrook Fields just outside the towns of Winchcombe and Broadway in the beautiful Cotswold Hills is the home of the worlds leading authority in overcoming the fear of water before learning to swim. With a private specially designed crystal clear salt water learner's pool heated to a cosy 92°F, with padded floors and walls, the emphasis is 100% on relaxation and floatation first. In order to preserve the unique water quality every pupil is requested to shower 'before' using the pool.
Tel: 01242 620950 or Contact "The Kennedy Centre" to request a course reservation for 2008.
After 25 years as an Advanced Teacher, Teacher of Disabled and Fellow of the Institute Mr Kennedy bought Didbrook Fields in 1998, when he designed and built this unique indoor learn to swim pool and established the "Kennedy SwimTechnique" Centre. Today after 40 years of teaching and researching swimming with many of the top teachers and coaches around the world Franks vast knowledge and unique teaching style is acknowledged and respected world-wide. He understands just what works best in every instant especially when helping the nervous non swimmer. Since 2002 Frank has been working exclusively with non-swimming adults who have suffered a trauma in water at an earlier stage in life. The results of his latest research and teaching techniques are quite extraordinary (see TESTIMONIALS).
Frank does not mince words or waste time. He does not believe in teaching adults in groups as no two people ever require the same tuition and his clients are professional people who want the job done properly in private and in the shortest possible time. If you want the best and the most up to date methods with the best available teacher then you have no option. Cheaper alternatives will eventually cost you a lot more.
The testimonials speak for themselves.........
"Dear Frank......
I'd like to send you my sincere thanks for an unforgettable three days at your swim centre.
Having suffered quite a traumatic event in the water at the age of about 11, I spent the next 52 years being terrified of the water.
I tried a number of times over the years to learn to swim and overcome my fear by taking lessons, both in groups and also with
individual tuition, but never came anywhere near to gaining any confidence - in fact it was all an expensive waste of time,
and quite demoralising too.
Just by chance I noticed your web site on the internet, and after having read about your technique and the testimonials,
I decided to try to learn one more time. And I am SO pleased I did. Your pool is beautiful, the water temperature is
perfect, and your tuition is second to none.
As you know, at the first lesson I was terrified even to walk into the water, but your understanding and encouragement
was remarkable, and I still cannot believe that after two lessons I was actually floating face down with my head in the
water. What a fantastic feeling that was!!
Picking up the shell from the bottom of the pool was another great achievement for me ... something I will never forget.
The last two lessons just reinforced my confidence and I found I really enjoyed being in the water, especially when I
found I could cover about ten metres without any assistance, - unimaginable only a few days before.
I left your home with a smile on my face and the feeling of a real sense of achievement - thank you so much.
I intend to continue to practise the skills you have taught me.
You certainly have a very special talent, and I would recommend that anyone, with or without a fear of the water,
should take advantage of your unique teaching expertise.
With my grateful thanks and very best wishes to both you and Jane.
Kind regards
Ann
And here's our most recent testimonials
(Nov 2007):
Hi Frank & Jane,
I was going to call you because I had an awesome experience last Friday!
I think with all the excitement of being able to swim I was rather tired when I got back Wednesday.
However, I went to the local gym on Thursday evening and signed myself up for a 12 month membership.
They have a 20 metre pool which is a depth of 5ft all the way across.
On my first visit next day I was a bit nervous as there were 7 other people in the pool, but they have swimming lanes for the fast swimmers.
I got in and practiced my homework, each time I swam I managed to get a little further extending to 15 metres, following Frank's practice sheet.
I was in the pool for 45 minutes, and for my last effort I really wanted to get from one end to the other without stopping.
Amazingly I managed to swim this full 20 metres! You can imagine the joy that it brought me.
It doesn't finish here, a guy whom I had seen in the pool later said to me "you swim really well, I was watching you for a while,
you just glide over the water".
He was gobsmacked when I explained to him that I could'nt swim a stroke a few days and had just come from a 3 day swimming course.
He said "You swim better than a lot of the regulars that come in".
How about that Frank? Those comments just made my weekend, infact I think it's made the rest of my year.
I think I'll be like your other client who has become addicted to swimming.
I think me and the water are meant for each other and finally you made that come true.
Once again, thank you so much.
Best Regards,
Vicky. (Edgebaston)
(June 2007):
I wanted to drop you a short note - a very long time after I came to see you back in 2004,
to say thank you so much for all your help in helping me to start swimming.
I found your approach and facilities to be amazing and it was a most wonderful way to learn to put my head under water
for the first time in my life. Just incredible.
After that I swam very little until 2005 when I practised about once a week, then in May 2006 I joined a local
triathlon club and started swimming with them, usually twice a week. At first I managed to swim 600m in the hour
doing various drills and sets (this is now up to about 1,500m in the hour).
I entered my first tri in Sevenoaks in September 2006 which included a 400m swim that took me 12.20.
(Since then I've done two more races and my 400m time is now down to about 9:30. I've also been swimming in open
water (lakes) three times and loved that.
On 1 July I have a race in Eaton where the swim consists of two 400m laps of a lake (800m in total) and then in August
I am entered in the Bedford tri which is a full Olympic distance, with a 1,500m swim in a river.
I'm really looking forward to it.
Thanks again for all your help, non of this would have been possible without you.
Kind regards
Peter C, London EC4
A Typical Request for Help [ from Peter B, back in 2002 ]:
"I am interested in learning to swim and like your philosophy of emphasising the criticality of being comfortable and at ease in the water before gaining the confidence to swim. I am a 50 year old male who "learnt to swim" about 15 years ago through lessons in a public swimming pool along with probably a dozen others. I have no confidence at all in the water - I know my breathing technique is wrong and I can swim no more than a few yards. As soon as my face gets splashed I have to stop, and so cannot swim out of my depth at all. To all intents and purposes I consider myself a non swimmer as I get no enjoyment from being in the water and feel I am really missing out. Do you think you can help?"
These ASA lessons that Peter had attended simply did not work for him, and they never would. TEACHING HIM THE MECHANICS OF SWIMMING BEFORE FULL WATER CONFIDENCE WAS AN UTTER NONSENSE THAT IS STILL IN USE NATIONALLY BECAUSE OF OUR FAILED GOVERNING BODY, THE ASA. Frank painlessly removed Peter's fear of getting his face wet so that he could enjoy being in the water fully. The water soon became a friend, not the threatening enemy of old. Soon after that Peter was relaxed enough to learn how to float and stand up again independently. Relaxed swimming then became very easy for Peter. Like most pupils, Peter made 15 years of progress in just a few days with Frank (see TESTIMONIALS).
A Typical Thanks [ from Sue, August 2005 ]:
Frank,
Just to say another huge thank you for the weekend.
I took my husband to the local pool yesterday afternoon to show him what I could do now with all the
confidence you had given me - he was just amazed.
The difference it has made to me is difficult to put into words.
I have been going for lessons for two years and I made more progress over a single weekend with you than
I had done previously.
Please let me know the numbers/addresses of anyone at the UK's Governing Body who I can contact to let them
know what your training can do for people - they and the rest of the world should know and learn from it.
There are too many people like me who are desperate to learn that other teachers are letting down.
Thanks to Jane for the super accommodation - the perfect place to relax after my hard work in the pool.
The whole experience was great, a Magical transformation.
Thanks again,
Sue
DEAR SUE, DON`T WASTE YOUR TIME WRITING TO THE ASA. THEIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE HAS BEEN HERE.
AND OUR METHOD HAVE BEEN ANALYSED AND STRONGLY RECOMMENDED FOR NATIONAL USE. BUT NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
THE ASA AND SPORTS ENGLAND WHO FUND THEM (with your money) ARE NOT INTERESTED IN PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
THEIR TIME AND MONEY GO TO PATHETIC ATTEMPTS TO BUY GOLD MEDALS FOR OUR NON-SWIMMING NATION.
THIS IS TEACHING FROM THE TOP DOWN..... INSTEAD OF INVESTING AND BUILDING NEW FOUNDATIONS AT GRASS ROOTS LEVEL.
OUR CHILDREN ARE STILL NOT BEING TAUGHT TO SWIM PROPERLY.
IT'S VERY SAD.
Frank.
A Typical Thanks [ from Mark, 26/02/06 ]:
Dear Frank & Jane,
Thank You seems woefully inadequate! Words cannot thank you enough for what you have given me over the last 3 days
-- the pleasure I have had and will now have forever with my family is immeasurable.
I hope that you and your family enjoy the champagne and chocolates
-- if they give you a fraction of the pleasure you have given me, they will be the best you ever tasted.
Best Wishes,
Mark
Kennedy Swim Technique Centre,
Didbrook Fields Farm,
Toddington,
Gloucestershire GL54 5PE.
Tel: 01242 620950
This website was last updated on 26th March 2008
© Copyright 2007 Kennedy Swim Technique Centre.