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ABOUT US

MEET OUR TEAM

Old City Swim School is run by a team of lifelong swimmers. We’re passionate about teaching everyone we meet how much fun can come from a life in and around the water.

Our focus at Old City Swim School, first and foremost is about safety. We teach you the proper breathing, floating, and kicking mechanics to be safe around the water. From there, we start improving your techniques so you can start swimming fast. Our programs are great for anyone who’s interested in learning to swim so those beach vacations can be more enjoyable, all the way up for someone who’s looking to polish and fine tune their technique so they can have more competitive pursuits in the water.

Regardless of what your goals are, let us share our passion with you and show you how much fun a life in and around the water can be!

MEG EMERY

HEAD COACH

Meg, having been a part of multiple regional and state championship high school teams, swam her entire 4 year collegiate career at Lycoming College. There she led her team to victory in the MAC Championship her junior year and was voted the team’s captain her senior year. Meg has been teaching swim lessons and learn to swim programs for well over 10 years. She’s great at explaining the fundamentals to anyone and loves working with beginners.  Her best events were the 100 and 200 backstroke.

SEAN EMERY

SWIM INSTRUCTOR

As a high-school All-American swimmer, Sean continued as a Division 1 Collegiate Swimmer for his 4 years at the Naval Academy. After serving in the Navy for 8 years as a submariner, Sean started pursuing his passion for coaching. Sean loves bringing the tips and techniques he learned from the very best swimming programs in the world to anyone who wants to swim a little better.  His best events were the 200 IM and 200 Fly.

ANNA PETRILLO

SWIM INSTRUCTOR

Anna grew up swimming from an early age at the local pool that was right across the street from her house. She learned from her father, who was a swimmer in college. She swam on the team in high school (200m free and 500m free). Since then, she has enjoyed swimming for many years as a way to stay healthy and has recently taken up training for a triathlon. She loves swimming as a sport because it doesn’t require any pieces of equipment and it can be done inside or out.

  • American Red Cross Lifeguarding/First AID/CPR/AED

AMY RZEPKA

CUSTOMER LEAD

After growing up on the Great Lakes and swimming competitively through high-school, Amy Rzepka was eager to find someone she trusted to teach her 2 young children how to swim. As a former consultant and then strategic corporate human resources manager, Amy pestered the Emery siblings long enough that they invited her to join the team and help launch Old City Swim School. Amy loves her role working with families to help them also have a positive learn-to-swim experience for their children. 

WHAT OUR PARENTS HAVE TO SAY

We have two children taking swim lessons with Old City and we are tremendously pleased with the structure and quality of the program. The swim instructors are professional and meet the development needs of each child. The children learn quickly about the skills they must to learn at each level before testing and advancing. The swim coaches work 1:1 or 2:1 with the kids to master each skill.

 

I highly recommend the Old City swim program for other practical reasons. There is ample and free parking (seriously, where do you get that in DC these days). It's also a time wise choice, as both children can swim (at different levels) at the same time. And finally, the program is well managed, responsive, and the staff are caring and professional. One note of caution, plan/budget for awhile in the program because most kids (or a least mine) don't learn how to swim in a couple months by going once a week.

 

The truth is, if you stick with this program the kids will learn how to swim and learn how to swim well. I consider it a life insurance policy worth investing in.

Tracy Z.

My daughter for years has lacked confidence when it comes to physical activities. Old City Swim has been terrific for her. The entire program, from the technique-based approach to the warmth and dedication of the coaching staff, has helped her feel better about herself and believe in her own ability. One particular breakthrough moment for her was when a coach complimented her strokes, telling her "beautiful job!" after one lesson: It was probably the first time a teacher had said something so positive to her in a physical activity, and she was thrilled. Old City Swim School has been a positive experience for her and our family. She has forward momentum now and is building confidence in herself not only in the pool but beyond as well.

Cindy D.

Old City Swim School has been a game changer for our 5 year old son! Before these lessons, he was scared to go in the water without a life/flotation vest, and hated taking baths, which caused all of us significant weeknight stress. Now, he is much more comfortable in the water -- he takes showers all by himself. One thing I really appreciate is how the teachers pay attention to how he's feeling and make sure he advances at his own pace. For example, he had technically mastered the 10 bobs one lesson, but the teacher noticed that he wasn't really comfortable with that skill yet. So she waited another week to give him more time to practice and get comfortable - and then he graduated. It was exactly the right balance of challenging and supporting for my son. Other swim classes we've taken have not had that level of individualized attention. I'm grateful for it and can't wait for this summer so we can play together in pools and lakes!

Abby

Swimming is a technique-limited sport. With great skills, you have almost no limits. With poor skills, you face almost nothing but limits. SwimWOD's technique and speed blend gradually de-limits you as a swimmer, then transitions your new skills in to what is fun about swimming - swimming FAST!

Coach Block
Former High School swim coach and the current President of the World Swimming Coaches Association

Our little guy has always been active, so we started him in swim lessons at a very early age. We ping-ponged back and forth between multiple programs all over the DC area, all kind of stuck in between this phase of teaching kids not to be afraid of the water to actually swimming laps. We were frustrated as we couldn't find the program that worked for our active little guy, who was fearless in the pool. Through a referral, we tried Old City Swimming, and the ping-ponging stopped!  We're a year in and have loved everything about Old City! The program design of promoting swimmers from one level to the next is excellent, as it ensures he's learning the foundations of swimming appropriately, but also teaches him about working towards a goal and being rewarded when you meet it. In watching, I'm always amazed at how the teachers provide focused instruction to each child they are working with.  Finally, the overall program is wonderful to work with.  They communicate openly, anticipate the holidays and adjust schedules, and always always greet our entire family with a smile.  Can't say enough about how much we love about Old City!  I can't wait to see my little guy swimming laps of all the different strokes, and neither can he!

Christie J.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE SWIM GUIDES FOR BEGINNERS

These guides will prep you on what to wear, what to bring, how to be ready for day-1, and how to make the most out of your first swim lessons at Old City Swim School.

FREE DOWNLOAD FOR PARENTS:

Everything You Need To Know To Prep For Your Child’s First Swimming Lessons

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FREE DOWNLOAD FOR ADULTS:

The Ultimate Adult’s Guide to Learning How to Swim

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