What Others Think about Blue Dolphins Aquatics

Coach Stephanie


"We have been very pleased with your teaching style, your patience, and skill in helping our 4 year old and 7 year old how to swim. We've especially been amazed at how many "tricks" you have up your sleeve for keeping them focused and interested. Both of our kids have left your lessons begging to have another lesson the next day!" –Molly

"We had a great experience with Blue Dolphin Aquatics! The coach tailored each lesson to our child's specific skill level. She was consistently positive and encouraging as she challenged our son to master each skill and stroke." –Christy

"I have only positive things to say about Stephanie and her teaching approach. She not only exemplified  extreme professionalism and amazing patience, but also knew just how to engage my son to make lessons fun.  My 4 yr old son (then 3) went from not swimming on his own to swimming underwater, jumping freely into the pool and floating all by himself in just one summer!  He is just as proud of his himself and his accomplishments as I am.  I credit it all to Stephanie’s personality and style. We will definitely be signing up again next summer!"  -Janene

"My 6 year old daughter took several private swim lessons with Miss Stephanie this summer.  Not only did Stephanie show genuine concern about my daughter, her needs and abilities, but she adjusted her teaching methods accordingly.   I was impressed that her instructions were clear and patiently presented in a way that my daughter could understand."  –Karen 

"Stephanie has worked with my children for years, including the ones with some "special needs," and has been wonderful with all of them.  She is an amazing swim instructor all around." -Mom of 3 in Durham

"She is amazing! She is really happy and she gets the kids excited to swim! I could not ask for a better coach!" -Ellen Joy, age 10

"Stephanie has been coaching my girls for many years and she is a wonderful teacher and coach!  She is gifted at encouragement and gentle correction.  She never degrades a child and always has a warm hug for them.  Stephanie is also a woman of integrity and very dedicated to shaping the swimmer not just physically, but emotionally.  I would highly recommend Blue Dolphins Aquatics!!"  -Susan

"I love swimming! And Coach Stephanie helps me to understand how to do each stroke the right way. I think she is a great swim coach!" -Hannah, age 7


"We have known Stephanie for a few years now. I only have positive to say about her as a person and a coach. I have three daughters. All three have been taught by "Miss Steph!" My girls are now ages 4, 7 , and 10. My older two daughters started swim lessons with her at ages 7 and 4. My youngest started with her at age 4 too. Stephanie is incredibly wonderful at coaching. She motivates them, encourages them, teaches them, stretches them,  and she seems to see the skills each child has and she also sees their potential. I have trusted her and will continue to trust Stephanie coaching and teaching my daughters." -Necia




"I am happy that she was my swim teacher! She made me feel excited to swim!" -Mia, age 4

"Steph...you are a GREAT coach. You have challenging, fun, well organized workouts. You are very supportive of folks of ALL ages. I would describe you as congenially demanding, great temperament for a coach." -Mary Anna, Masters swimmer
"Stephanie is gifted with an ability to foster confidence in the most timid of swimmers.   She is relentless in her oversight and ensures a safe swimming experience.  Swimming for Stephanie is fun, yet disciplined.  She is very responsible, honest and a pleasure to work with.  My son stated, "Coach Stephanie doesn't tolerate bullying or fighting and is a fun coach!"   My daughter says, "She challenges me to improve and encourages every effort." 
We highly recommend Coach Stephanie!" -The Boushell Family

"Stephanie's practices are very demanding and have really improved the endurance of my kids, and yet she manages to make them FUN!  My kids have also improved a lot in stroke and technique.  Stephanie is positive and encouraging and a great role model." -Angela, mother of 2 swimmers

"You were our third instructor (three summers - different vendors for our community each year).  Third time was a charm!  I think you did a terrific job.  Seriously, you had a great way with the kids and managed to actually build skills and make progress in only 4-5 sessions - no small feat with 3-year-old beginner swimmers.  My daughter was always hyped to go to class and you managed the co-instruction with others kids fairly and well.  You are clearly a pro.  Thanks and we hope to see you again next summer." -B.T.  


"Miss Stephanie is wonderful!  She is obviously very skilled in the mechanics of swimming and uses creative strategies for teaching children various strokes, techniques, and skill sets.  Ellie was 4 when we first enrolled her in private lessons with Stephanie. She was already very accustomed to the water and highly motivated to swim, but in 2 short months we were amazed at what she accomplished and all that she had learned. Stephanie really emphasized principles and practices of safe swimming, working to ensure that above all Ellie was able to remain afloat and keep her head above deep water when needed. Over the course of the summer, it was obvious to us the progress Ellie made, the confidence she built, and the lessons she learned along the way.  Stephanie has a personalized and individualized approach with each child, is compassionate, gentle, and genuinely concerned about their development and learning as little swimmers. We found Stephanie to be an excellent resource in providing us with insight into lessons in general, developmental swimming, and swim team.  We cannot say enough about our experience and highly recommend private lessons with Stephanie!"  – Mary and Bob

"I am 45 years old and have been taking lessons with Coach Stephanie for a month now. I was 26 years old when I first saw a body of water. Until a few weeks ago, I was capable of drowning in water I could stand in.The instruction has made a big difference to how I now feel in the water. Other adults who know how to swim always said "Just jump in, you'll float" - no one understood how disconcerting it is to be in the water swirling around you, let alone jump into it. Coach Stephanie's strategy seems to work well - she's teaching me how to find my own equilibrium, first in shallow water, and to teach simple things like floating on the stomach, and back. She points out subtle things about body position that make a big difference.She is gentle, not hurrying or pushy, and her teaching evolves in accordance with my abilities. She has been able to make me do new things by providing reassurance (I floated in 9 feet of water for the first time in my life, albeit with a snorkeling vest).I liked the fact that I was able to describe my goals at the outset - this has tailored our lessons to meet those goals. Highly recommended for adults." - Archna

"Stephanie was great at understanding our son's sensory processing deficits! During the first lesson I was amazed at how her patience and teaching had already transformed his swimming from labored to productive! He was really happy too! He also loved to hear he had breast stroker's feet....it is hearing that you have special gifts that give you the ability to keep at something even when it is hard!" - Jennifer

Stephanie is a "great instructor who is patient, technical, encouraging, and uses a method-teaching approach which builds upon many techniques until all of it is pulled together." - Kristopher (adult student)

"My son learned so much--that he is now trying to do on his own. Thanks!"

My child "has Aspergers & she had a great experience with these lessons. 1 on 1 is the best for her.  [She] improved quickly & the teaching style was PERFECT for her! Thanks!" - Adele

"Stephanie was always on time and spent the entire 30 min. engaged in the swim lesson. I felt that [my child] was getting great beginner swimming instruction and the time was used wisely. She effectively managed his behavioral issues (talking, crying) very well." - Ashley


Coach Andrea
"Jason has been taking lessons from Andrea for almost two years now and he has certainly made great strides in improving his strokes and his stamina in the water.  Andrea is excellent at communicating with Jason and making him understand the technical motions of each stroke.  
She has also established a great rapport with Jason so that he wants to do well when he is swimming with her.  She has an ability to offer constructive criticism in a way that seems like she is kidding with him yet gets the point across so he can make adjustments to his stroke without feeling like she has put him down or discouraged him.  We are looking forward to many more swim lessons with Andrea!"  -Ann 

"Coach Andrea is a really nice coach!" -Ellen, age 11
"I really enjoy Coach Andrea teaching us swim!" -Hannah ( age 8)
"I love Coach Andrea!" -Mia ( age 6)

"I think Coach Andrea is very friendly and I like how she reaches out to all the kids she works with as a swim coach!" -Necia Joy ( mom )

"Andrea has been wonderful. She has an amazing way of interacting with the kids, keeping them focused and moving them forward."


Private Coaching Sessions
"We are so impressed with the improvement in our boys' strokes after taking lessons with you last year, I can highly recommend these lessons." - Marina