In February this year we welcomed Angie Oo into the Artemis team as our Learn to Swim Coordinator.

Angie joins the Artemis Centre with over a decade of experience working in aquatics teaching various age groups and skill levels ranging from infants to adults, beginner to squad level.

Across that time Angie has had experience developing pathway programs to produce junior/development squad swimmers and has worked with children with disabilities as well as with people from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

As a former competitive swimmer, her passion for swimming inspires her to work with young athletes and motivates her to empower future generations of swimmers.

Since joining our team, our Learn to Swim program has gone from strength to strength. Find out more about Angie and her passion for swimming below.

Tell us a bit about your background and how you ended up working at the Artemis Centre?

AO: I have around 10 years of experience working in aquatics. I have taught various levels of swimming classes spanning from infants to adults including pathways levels, squads and triathletes. In recent years I have moved towards sports administration. I heard about Artemis Aquatics through a former colleague, and I was not only compelled but very impressed to hear about the Artemis Centre and its range of programs. The Artemis Centre’s Learn to Swim Program is an up-and-coming and rapidly developing program. It’s precisely the kind of environment I wanted to work in – a place for creativity, innovation and most importantly, community building. I was thrilled to get the opportunity to work with such a great team at Artemis.

 Where does your passion for swimming come from?

AO: I have been a swimmer for as long as I can remember. My father taught my brother and me how to swim when we were toddlers, and my passion for swimming grew greater over the years. I began competing as a seven-year-old for my school swim team. Fast forward to my high school years, I was a varsity swim team captain, getting ready for university when my coach trained me up to be a Learn to Swim teacher and swim coach. We taught preppies, ELC kids and my fellow squad mates race skills such as cross-over turns and relay changeovers. 

I fell in love with swimming because of the joy it brought me. As a competitive person, I love the challenge of pushing myself to the limits and the continual search for ways to improve aspects of my technique. Most importantly, swimming instilled in me the values of hard work (reaching goals, setting new PBs), perseverance, the desire to continually challenge myself (trying new events), and humility to accept failure and learn from it. The enthusiastic support of my friends and my family (who are just as swimming obsessed as I am) allowed me to expand that passion and see where it can take me.

What is it you enjoy about teaching children how to swim?

AO: The other day I found an old photo of me teaching a classmate/friend how to dive. We were only eight years old. I have always enjoyed sharing things I love with the people around me. Sharing my experience and knowledge of swimming is really rewarding. It’s a great feeling supporting people to reach their goals and celebrating together when they achieve them. Teaching others to swim has been one of the most gratifying and humbling experiences I have ever had. I have met people of all ages, from all walks of life and various cultures. The joy that’s felt when someone learns a lifesaving skill like swimming is universal. It is an emotional moment and impacts everyone involved. Teaching children to swim is truly important and meaningful work.

Why is it important that kids learn to swim and what are some of the benefits?

AO: It’s important to give children the skills they need to be safe and confident in different environments. Swimming is a critical life skill considering the various bodies of water a person will encounter in their lifetime, be it a bath, pool, lake, or the ocean. If you can swim, you’ll be able to enjoy so many experiences in and around the water safely. Children need to understand the basics of water safety. Once they can swim, there are positive benefits of improving cardiovascular health and overall fitness.

What is unique about Artemis Aquatic’s Learn to Swim program?

AO: One of the unique things about the Artemis Learn to Swim program is its genuine sense of community. We love welcoming new families and swimmers and making them feel at home at the Artemis pool. All our team members are enthusiastic and attentive teachers who prioritise the needs of our swimmers. Our team is constantly striving to improve and be the best we can be. We are open to feedback and new ideas, and we are working together to provide the best service to our community. It’s a program comprised of people who genuinely understand and believe in the positive impacts of a holistic swimming education. 

Who is your favourite Australian swimmer, and why do you like them?

AO: Currently, my favourite Australian swimmers are Kaylee McKeown, Emily Seebohm and Bronte Campbell. They are strong athletes who are hardworking and humble role models for young girls all over the world. They are truly inspirational, and I look forward to seeing what they continue to achieve in and out of the water.

In addition, Ian Thorpe has been one of my longstanding Australian swimming heroes. He continues to influence swimming in meaningful ways and is a great mentor to emerging swimmers.

What is your favourite sports book or movie?

AO: My favourite sports movie is Cinderella Man – it gives me all the feels! I don’t think it’ll ever get tiring watching a story of a person’s hard work paying off. We all face challenges in life. This movie beautifully depicts how sports can bring out the best in us. To achieve greatness, we must find strength within ourselves.

What are your interests away from the pool?

AO: I enjoy photography immensely and I occasionally do freelance work as a portrait photographer. Food is probably one of my biggest passions, and I love discovering new restaurants and cafes and exploring new dishes and cuisines. I also enjoy picking up new skills; this usually takes up a lot of my free time.

FIND OUT MORE

Our Learn to Swim program caters for swimmers of all levels. Whether your child is building up confidence and just discovering themselves in the water, or they’re at the stage where they’re ready to start swimming competitively – our helpful, talented and friendly teaching team will be more than happy to help with your child’s development in the pool.

Get in contact with us today to learn more about our swimming programs.