Aquatic Mentors

Angela Wild Part 2

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I continue my interview with the swim teacher, fitness instructor and Tiktok star, Angela Wild.

Angela talks about the influences and mentors who have helped her along her journey and the way she targets audiences through her Tiktok videos.

She also shares her dream for the aquatic industry to come together and work towards the goal of water safety and drowning prevention in a more unified way.

I am excited to announce that my passion project, Regional Swim Clinics Training Academy is ready to launch.

At Regional Swim Clinics Training Academy I offer masterclasses which complement your development into the great swim teacher or coach you know you are.

All of the courses are designed to be easy on your wallet and time while giving you a wealth of knowledge to take and implement in your next lesson or squad session.

Each course covers a new specialised topic that enhances your teaching and coaching skills, inspiring you and your swimmers to achieve your best.

Every quarter I will be adding new courses so keep popping back to find out what specialised topics you can learn more about.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Angela’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s dive in and find out more about Angela’s journey in swimming.  

Angela Wild’s Contact Information:

Tiktok: elemental_aquatics

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-wild-3ba24640/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElementalAquatics, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100017146245612

Website: http://www.elementalsd.com/

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Angela Wild - Part 1

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who started in the fitness industry covering personal training and water aerobics and then found her passion in aquatics where she has now reached over 20 years of swim teaching. So, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Angela Wild.

Angela started her career in the fitness industry working with clients as a personal trainer and a water aerobics instructor. Clients saw her skills working with people in the water and began to ask her to teach their children. The seed of interest grew, and Angela investigated her options and became a swim teacher.

During her time managing swim schools and working as a swim teacher Angela completed a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Kinesiology, Fitness, and other connected qualifications.

In 2017 Angela took the skills she had developed working in and around the industry and opened her own swim school called Elemental Aquatics and over 4 years later is still going strong.

Angela advocates for drowning prevention and active lifestyles for children and took the plunge onto Tiktok videos sharing her aquatic knowledge and drowning prevention to a new audience and in a very creative way. She uses her Tiktok videos to connect with other aquatic professionals, parents of swimmers, and hopes to use her videos to inspire and mentor the younger generation into the aquatics industry.

As Angela has such a wealth of knowledge, we couldn’t contain the interview into one episode, so it has been expanded into a two week feature so remember to look out for next week’s episode where I continue the conversation with Angela Wild.

Through today’s episode Angela shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Angela’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s dive in and find out more about Angela’s journey in swimming.  

Angela Wild’s Contact Information:

Tiktok: elemental_aquatics

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-wild-3ba24640/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElementalAquatics, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100017146245612

Website: http://www.elementalsd.com/

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Juanita Farrell

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has been involved in HR and Leadership management for the Paul Sadler franchise over the last 11 years. So, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Juanita Farrell.

Juanita started her journey in swimming while facilitating conferences for the Paul Sadler swim school staff. She drew on her background in training and development which she developed while working in her roles through Flight Centre and other businesses.

When a People and Culture role was advertised in the Paul Sadler franchise Juanita took the chance to apply and received the role giving her the opportunity to expand on her leadership skills. This role began as a part time giving her a taste of the industry before she progressed in the business to a full-time role as the HR and Leadership manager.

During her time in the role Juanita has inspired leaders from the franchise to learn more about their skills and how to develop a great team of people around them who are engaged in their work.

Juanita’s highlights in the industry include running two conferences for the Paul Sadler management teams in 2018 and 2019 titled Legacy and Powerful Leadership Lessons Learnt from Tribes. In both conferences Juanita and other presenters researched and facilitated activities which would develop those attending the conference’s and leave a lasting legacy in the Paul Sadler network.

She enjoys focusing on self-improvement and understands that our industry is not one that stagnates and that we always need to be developing new and interesting ways to improve the industry and make it more attractive to the public while continually improving ourselves along the way.

Through today’s episode Juanita shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Juanita’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s dive in and find out more about Juanita’s journey in swimming.  

Juanita Farrell’s Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanita-farrell-24b231153/

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Cherry Smith

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has been officiating swim meets in NSW since 1994. So, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Cherry Smith.

Cherry picked up a stopwatch at her daughters first come and try swim meet at the Peakhurst ASC swimming club in 1994 and has not looked back since then.

After her children moved on from swimming Cherry continued to volunteer her time officiating meets building her experience and knowledge in the technical side of swimming.

Cherry has been given the opportunity to officiate at major events like the Olympics, Paralympics, and Commonwealth Games during her 8-year term as a FINA technical official and remembers seeing some of the Australian Olympic and Paralympic swimmers she has officiated compete at their first swim meet when they were young.

For the future of officiating swimming Cherry see’s an interesting future entwined with technology and looks forward to a hybrid system where the technology assists us to run a fair and efficient swim meet.

Cheery shares her thoughts on the coach/official relationship and explains that the officials are there to keep the swim meet fare and emphasizes that the officials are not out to get swimmers. They enjoy watching swimmers achieve PD and race goals.

Chlorine is in her blood and even though Cherry’s term as a FINA technical official has come to an end and she has stepped down from the technical official’s board she looks forward to continuing her walks along pool deck and hopes to give back to the industry by mentoring and supporting new officials and by sharing her knowledge and skills.

Through today’s episode Cherry shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Cherry’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s dive in and find out more about Cherry’s journey in swimming.  

Cherry Smith’s Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Hannah Watkins

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has followed her family’s tradition into aquatics and has been involved in both the learn to swim and coaching sides of aquatics in two different countries. So, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Hannah Watkins.

Hannah started her career early in aquatics following the family tradition of swimming, competition and then teaching others to swim. She started her aquatics career in Wales before moving to the warmer climate of Australia with her husband and family.

During her years of study Hanna has completed a Degree in Sport and Health Science and a Masters in Education completing the latter while pregnant and finishing when her daughter was still a baby.

Hannah and her husband Simon moved to regional NSW to retire and ended up starting their own swim school called Swim am byth. Swim am byth now runs in 9 aquatic facilities covering 3 states.

She prides herself on the work she does behind the scenes and enjoys converting swim schools from low performing facilities to high performing, buzzing environments where the swimmers, their families and her staff are all valued and seen for the person they are.

Hannah shares her knowledge about the Great Britain swim teaching qualification which promotes consistency through the industry allowing easy movement of staff and swimmers between programs. She also shares how her daughter and husband are her driving forces and looks forward to seeing her daughter Skye grow and develop her confidence in the water.

Through today’s episode Hannah shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Hannah’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s dive in and find out more about Hannah’s journey in swimming.  

Hannah Watkins’s Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HannahWatkins

Facebook: Swim am byth

Website: www.swimambyth.com.au

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional with a highly successful 17-year career in swimming, a three-time Olympian, businessman, public personality and a motivation speaker so, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Michael Klim.

Michael was always drawn to the pool and enjoyed learning to swim as a young child. He found the pool offered him stability and a community environment with a common language in his early life when his family moved around the world before finally settling in Australia.

Michael’s amazing swimming career saw him receive a total of six Olympic medals, break multiple world records and collect the title of World Swimmer of the Year. Today, this athlete turned businessman draws on his professional experience as World Champion to drive the success of his entrepreneurial ventures, including his swim school Klim Swim and his global, skincare brand MILK & Co amongst other ventures.

Drawing on the knowledge and skills he learnt in swimming and with the help of other experienced aquatic professionals Michael opened Klim Swim Swim School with his family in 1997. Klim Swim has expended to 3 venues including Bail. Michael enjoys spending time in Bail with his 3 gorgeous children and shares his time between Bail and Australia.

This year Michael was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. While he still enjoys swimming in the pool, he has found a new passion in open water swimming with a 7-year involvement in the World Series Swim’s which includes several open water swims around Australia. The events included in the World Series Swim’s include beginner and advanced marathon swimmers.

Michael enjoys connecting with charities and those in need and he has affiliations with charities including the Brainwave Foundation, the Polished Man Campaign and Eczema Association of Australia.

His experience as a world champion in the pool guides his work in the corporate sector as a keynote speaker and through his personal development workshops and mentoring programs.

Through today’s episode Michael shares some insights into his work as well as his thoughts on swimming in Australia and where he see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Michael’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all his contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Michael’s journey in swimming.  

Michael Klim’s Contact Information:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-klim-oam-b9342b7/

Website: https://www.michaelklim.com/, https://www.klimswim.com/, https://milkandco.com.au/

Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Alina Graham

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has been involved in both the learn to swim and coaching sides of aquatics and has spread the knowledge of aquatics across Queensland and many more countries. So, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Alina Graham.

Alina has been involved with aquatics in some way since turning 16 and after a baptism of cold water she started working with her coach running the learn to swim connected with his program. Using the skills, she learnt Alina began training new swim teachers and worked part time in the education department.

Alina had the ambition to become an Olympic swimming coach until the passing of a friend made her reassess what she wanted from her life. A short break from the industry helped her realise how much she missed the interaction and the achievements of her swimmers.

With her wealth of knowledge Alina has been called on to advise and rewrite a number of aquatic courses and programs.

Recovering from her own health scare Alina now runs the facility at Quilpie in outback Queensland. Alina enjoys bringing swimming lessons and other fun aquatic activities to her rural community and finds her community is highly engaged when it comes to aquatics.

Through today’s episode Alina shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Alina’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s dive in and find out more about Alina’s journey in swimming.  

Alina Graham’s Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/AlinaGraham

Facebook: All About Aquatics – Quilpie

Website: www.allaboutaquatics.com.au

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Shona Pallas

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has been working in aquatics for several years gaining a variety of experience in her different roles. So, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Shona Pallas.

Shona began her career in the aquatic industry while still in high school working at her local swim school for a week of work experience. That week had a massive impact on her, and she has built her career around aquatics ever since.

Starting her career at a local swim school Shona then moved into the Paul Sadler franchise working at a local facility before purchasing her own facility with business partners at the age of 25. From then on Shona has had many roles in the Paul Sadler including a regional manager position, marketing manager and now the Director of Infant Fun and Safety.

In her current role Shona had the opportunity to travel to Canada to study successful infant programs and she didn’t let Covid stop her from researching infant programs in India and similar programs run locally. Shona used the information she found to rewrite and upgrade the Paul Sadler Infant program making sure all their lessons are run trauma free.  

Shona is a great example of how working in the aquatic industry can inspire someone to change their dream career and build a life in aquatics.

Through today’s episode Shona shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Shona’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s dive in and find out more about Shona’s journey in swimming.  

Shona Pallas’s Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shona-pallas-2b8b5a123/

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has had a short career in the industry so far but has already made a big impact. So, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Lisa Griffin.

Lisa took the plunge into her first Swim Teacher course 3 years ago after watching her daughters develop their swimming skills and recovering from a near drowning incident when she was young. Since then, Lisa hasn’t stopped learning.

She now holds the Swim Australia Swim Teacher, Babies and Toddlers, Competitive Swimming and a Water Aerobics qualification and is working towards two more qualifications. Lisa uses the wide knowledge she has gained from these courses to enhance her teaching skills.

On top of all the study and lockdowns Lisa is a single mother of a very large family and is the career for her 2 lovely daughters with special needs. Lisa’s daughters are her inspiration and she see’s water as a therapy for not just her daughters but for everyone.

Lisa has overcome so much I her life and works towards building a career around her daughters where she can fulfill the dreams and aspirations she has to become the super women she wants to be while lighting the path for her daughters to do the same.

I look forward to seeing her grow and succeed in the aquatic industry, changing so many lives on her journey.

Through today’s episode Lisa shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Lisa’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Lisa’s journey in swimming.

Lisa Griffins’s Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Lisa Griffin Photography

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/

Podcast Episode – Kerryn Prouse

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In today’s episode I interview an industry professional who took the plunge into aquatics later in life, founding her passion and a business that continues to grow. So, please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Kerryn Prouse.

Kerryn started her swim school in 2014 in her backyard pool as a way of supporting her children through a gap year before they moved on to university. She had spent many years traveling Victoria taking her children to swim meets and while at boarding school her children had qualified as swim teachers so together, they opened Prouse Swim School.

Their numbers grow quickly and Kerryn realised there was a market for swimming lessons in Horsham and the surrounding area and hired a local indoor motel pool to continue lessons over Winter while they invested in a heated pump and cover for their personal pool. Once updated they moved the swim school back to their home pool and now have 700 + swimmers attending lessons.

Kerryn noticed that some of her swim school families were driving big distances to attend lessons, even traveling from across the border in South Australia. Taking the incitive Kerryn sourced another pool closer to the boarder and now has 200 + swimmers moving through that facility.

Early this year Kerryn expanded into another rural pool where her staff teach another 100 swimmers.

Kerryn shows you are never too old or young to find your passion and develop a business from hard work.

Her passion is to share the water safety message and goes above and beyond for her clients.

Through today’s episode Kerryn shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming and where she see’s swimming and water safety moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Kerryn’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

Check out our website aquaticmentors.com.au for our Season 1 Ebook.

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Kerryn’s journey in swimming.

Kerryn Prouse’s Contact Information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prouseswimmingschool

Website: https://prouseswimschool.com.au/

Email: [email protected]

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email – [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Aquatic Mentors Ebook Link: https://www.regionalswimclinics.com.au/top-10-tips-for-aquatic-professionals/