Making a Splash: Goldfish Swim School to Open Soon in Reston

Families in the Reston area will soon have a new place to learn how to swim. The Goldfish Swim School opens Nov. 4 in a nearly 10,000-square foot location at 12340 Pinecrest Road in Reston.

Pre-registrations are being taken now by calling (703) 348-3261 or online at www.goldfishswimschool.com. You can also keep up with the school on the Goldfish Swim School Facebook page, where your child might win a month of free swim lessons. Classes are age four months to 12 years old.

The swim school is a franchise owned by Gina and Ryan Bewersdorf of Michigan who also keep a home in Reston; they took their own kids to Golfish Swim School in Michigan, where the business was started in 2006, and were so impressed they decided to buy a franchise and locate it in Reston. Gina, a radiologist, had spent time in the area previously during her studies and wanted to return in some capacity since they also have friends in town. Ryan, an attorney, will also be involved in the business.

Gina described this week how excited they are about opening the Reston school, after their own children’s experience with the classes.

“When they opened near our home, we walked in, it wasn’t open yet, it was a pre-opening and it was an amazing facility — very tropical, very beautiful, with tropical paintings [and also surfboards for seating and touches of Tiki here and there] and my son was intrigued by it.”

It also doesn’t hurt that the water temperature is a soothing 90 degrees and the pool area temperature is 92 degrees, so no shivering. (The average pool temperature for water exercise is 84 to 86 degrees, according to the US Water Fitness Association.) The Reston pool is 25 yards long and includes a bench that runs around the perimeter where children can sit in the water during classes; the pool is no more than four feet deep.

Parents sit behind a glass wall to watch the lessons and come into the pool area for the last five minutes to get a quick update from instructors.

In all, the Reston school has hired 18 people including two with a combined nine years of experience working for Goldfish at other locations. “I have the dream team out there right now,” Gina said.

There will be a grand opening at the Reston school on Feb. 7, after the busy holiday season is over, Gina noted. Plus, she said she doesn’t want the new swim staff distracted from ”getting everything perfect. I want to let my team get in there and get their feet wet so to speak.”

PHOTO of Goldfish Swim School (not the Reston location) courtesy of Goldfish Swim School via Facebook