BEN MCKINLEY
COACHING SPECIALTY
Learn-to-Swim Children & Adults
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Shallow Water Lifeguard
American Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers
EXPERIENCE
Swim coach and private lessons instructor since 2014
GET TO KNOW COACH BEN
ONE WORD THAT DESCRIBES ME
Generous.
FAVORITE STROKE
Butterfly - it’s fun being like a dolphin! 🐬
5 FUN FACTS ABOUT ME
For fun, just put me in deep water 😆
I love watching anime
I’m passionate about taking pictures of transit
I really enjoy skiing, bowling 🎳 and miniature golf
For exercise I like to walk really long distances, no matter the weather!
FAVORITE QUOTES
“The only way to get it right is to get it wrong.”
— Ed, Edd, Eddy
“No single thing is perfect by itself. That’s why we’re born to attract other things to make up for what we lack.”
— Itachi Uchiha
Hello everybody!
I'm a coach who loves making people laugh and feel good. When it comes to swimming, I believe that having fun and feeling confident is the key to success and being able to make someone laugh when they are nervous or afraid is a critical skill to being a great coach! I love saying “skippady pap” when giving high fives and making children smile! 😀
I discovered my passion for teaching kids to swim when I was just 18. My own swim coach recognized my talent for balancing firmness and fun, and I've been teaching ever since. I started teaching in my hometown of Urbana, Illinois, just after middle school and I've never looked back.
When I was young I wanted to be a bus operator in Washington State (and I still love taking public transit) BUT I found my calling… and it’s in the pool!!! I love teaching kids to swim and I always make sure to treat them as my own when they are in my care!
I truly believe that anyone can learn to love swimming and feel comfortable in the water.… it just takes time to confidence-building. So if you're ready to dive in, let's make a splash together! 💦
