Jackie Drakes

I have been a swimming instructor for 15 years, having taught adult & child level and upwards. All my teaching has been either in a swim school environment or with a private Adult & Baby swim company. Over the years I’ve come across many nervous, fearful, and reluctant swimmers. I always feel it’s my personal duty to try turn this nervous, fear around as best I can. To witness a child or adult relax and become at one with the water is a true blessing.

Unfortunately, about 5 years ago I injured my shoulder and with the pandemic in the mix I did not receive the much-needed surgery for many years. The shoulder injury sadly prevented me from swimming, and I had to stop teaching for a bit due to the pain and inability to use my shoulder.

I had researched Steven Shaw, founder of the Art of Swimming and desperately wanted to try this out. Once I had experienced the difference in technique, and the holistic approach this method provides. I was able to improve not only the pain in my shoulder but my whole sense of wellbeing.

As swimming was my ‘go to’ for physical exercise and stress relief, when I could not swim this had a negative impact on me physically and mentally.

The statistics of non-swimmers in the UK is extremely high and worrying. I have now stepped away from a swim school environment to be able to focus on swimmers’ individual needs. The swim school environment is a fast-paced environment and generally doesn’t cater for the nervous swimmer, whether that’s adults, children or parent and baby. I have seen too many give up and ultimately lose out on a vital lifesaving skill and the ability to enjoy all the amazing benefits that swimming in water brings.

So, I trained with Steven Shaw in 2023, and am now providing this amazing holistic approach to my lessons, working with those who wish to learn to swim, improve confidence assisting a better relationship with water to fully enjoy the benefits that swimming brings us.