As we mark Drowning Prevention Week, Swim Wales is proud to shine a spotlight on one of our most inspiring aquatic teachers.
Winner of the 2025 Aquatic Teacher of the Year, Brian Jones, embodies the passion, dedication and life-saving impact that swimming teachers bring to our communities every day.
What does winning the Aquatic Teacher of the Year award mean to you?
It was a genuine pleasure to receive the Aquatic Teacher of The Year Award 2025 from Swim Wales, an organisation that I respect. I share the privilege with all my colleagues who work tirelessly on the poolside to make this fantastic activity available to everyone.
Can you share a bit about your journey as a teacher and what inspired you to take this path?
Swimming has always been there in my background – as a toddler my father (being a deep-sea diver) taught me to swim underwater before I could swim on the surface! I progressed through lessons at my local pool and on to several swimming clubs and in my teens trained with The City of Cardiff Swimming Club.
I fell into teaching by accident really, when the organisers of my own children’s swimming club asked for volunteers to help out, so I did what I could but without any formal qualification.
I enjoyed this so much that I decided to take Level One and Level Two teaching qualifications and later qualified as a Level Two coach. As a result of this I was offered work at local leisure centres although this was never my intended plan.
Today my teaching includes work across several venues in Cardiff and The Vale of Glamorgan, ranging from parent and child lessons, through the learn to swim program, on to advanced swimmers, Rookie Lifeguards and lessons for adults and stamina coaching.
What do you find most rewarding about teaching swimming?
I love sharing my passion for swimming with others regardless of their age and ability. I firmly believe that swimming is an activity that we all can enjoy and that it opens doors to so many opportunities.
Are there any standout moments or success stories from your teaching that you’re especially proud of?
A standout moment for me was when a child who I first taught as a 4 month old baby at parent and child lessons eventually returned to me as a teenager. In the intervening time she had progressed through the entire Learn to Swim program ultimately arriving at competition level. When balancing school commitments with training became a challenge she stepped back and returned to me for Advanced Swimming Coaching. To me this was a clear signal that the programs that we operate really do work from a child’s first splash and upwards.
What advice would you give to new or aspiring swimming instructors?
My advice to newcomers is to shadow as many teachers as possible and with this knowledge to adopt and grow their own individual style. It is worth upscaling teaching methods that are used in ‘early’ lessons to the more advanced. Likewise downscaling advanced practices to beginner groups. Front crawl and back stroke streamlined leg action practices being a good example. It is also important to strike a good balance between the requirements of the group while also making the lesson individual specific. Meanwhile of course, lessons must be fun and entertaining!
Do you have a message on the importance of learning to swim and school swimming?
Aside from the simple pleasure of experiencing weightlessness, swimming is also a lifelong safety skill. No other sport or activity begins with the ability to save one’s own life, a fundamental strength considering that the planet is seventy percent water!
For many, the first opportunity to learn to swim is during school swimming lessons. These intense and often too short periods of learning are a crucial part of a child’s development, and as relevant as any other subject they may be taught at school. The onus rests on swimming teachers to pass on these skills in a quick and effective manner that is at the same time fun and engaging. After all – we do want them to come back for more!
Find out more about swimming lessons or teacher training through the below links!
Swimming Lessons: https://www.swimwales.org/learn-to-swim-wales/
Training: https://www.swimwales.org/courses/
