Stuart W
Personal Statement
My passion in life is sport - all sports and working with people. I love helping people of all ages reach their full potential and achieve a goal. I spent 8 years at Reading swimming club at first just watching my daughter swim up and down. Then something in me said I want to help - it wasn’t Stuart the swimmer, it was Stuart the coach. I wanted to help these children reach their full potential and I knew swimming coaching was the direction I needed to go in.
I assisted at most levels to start with, then my thirst for knowledge and desire to learn from anyone and everyone lead me to coaching my own squad and i have loved every second of it.
I worked for 30 years as a printfinisher, I have a city and guilds in printing and also in printfinishing. I enjoy drawing and painting, of which I’ve been told my pictures are of a very high standard. I follow Chelsea football club, I also played cricket for one or two clubs when I was younger. These experiences have lead me to meet some great people, young and old.
Expertise
- Teaching Child and Adult Beginners
- Technique correction for competitive swimmers
- Working with those who have learning difficulties
- Building water confidence
Qualifications and professional memberships:
- ASA Level 1 Teaching Aquatics Award
- ASA Level 2 Teaching Aquatics Award
- Full CRB Checked
- IoS Insurance
Stuart has 17 testimonials More »
Charlie Sibley (Child Beginner) (Child Beginner)The service provided by your company was excellent, especially as the booking was made just a few days prior to a bank holiday and the lessons were fitted in during Charlie's half term break. All the teachers were wonderful and his progress in the week was beyond his and our expectations. All the arrangements were dealt with very quickly and always confirmed by email and I must say it was a pleasure to deal with your company and I will not hesitate to recommend you whenever possible.
Andy Moss (Reading) (Adult Beginner)I have nearly completed 10 lessons, most of which have been with Stuart. Arriving a non-swimmer and being nervous in water I am delighted to be able to confidently be and swim in the water now. Stuart has been a fantastic and patient teacher and I would have no hesitation in recommending him.
Stephanie Walton (Children Swimming Lesson)My 3 year old has swam since a very young age in private group classes however his progress was starting to slow. So pleased I moved to swim expert he has progressed so much in his strength and understanding. Stuart is a fab teacher. Great balance of fun and committed.
Sharon Woolford (Reading) (Child Beginner)My daughter has so far had two lessons with Stuart and the improvement after just one lesson has been amazing! She was really nervous to begin with and was physically shaking but Stuart spent time building her confidence in the water and gaining her trust and to my surprise she really enjoyed herself. By the second lesson she had improved dramatically and was able to use swimming aids to swim but without any contact with Stuart which she has never done before. I have been really impressed with the lessons so far and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone with a reluctant or nervous swimmer.
Jenny Macdonald (Child Beginner)Following 3 unsuccessful terms in group swimming lessons where my 4yr old son did not seem to improve at all and spent the whole time just standing in the water, I decided to invest in some 1-2-1 swimming lessons, and this has been a great decision. My son has progressed considerably to the point he swam (with an aid) 10m after 5 lessons. This is amazing as Rory lacks confidence in the water and was very uncomfortable in deep water. Stuart is a great instructor, he recognises exactly what standard your child is at and goes at their pace. He mixes swimming skill development with fun and gently encourages them to do a little more each time. The best thing for me is that there is no competition or comparison with other children and so they really can learn at their own rate.
Helen Bradbury (Adult Beginner)I was afraid of the water and basically did not know how to breathe correctly I can now put my face into the water. I found the swimming lessons extremely helpful. I am so grateful to Stuart for his patience and understanding. I will be coming back for a few more lessons in the Winter. Thank you again Stuart.
Katie Knott (Child Improver)My son has been having lessons for Swim Expert for a while, he thoroughly enjoys his lessons with Stuart, he makes the lessons fun and my son has made excellent progress. Swim Expert are excellent to deal with, they kept me informed and updated, I cannot recommend enough.
Kate Seabrook (Adult Improver)This teacher is very kind & patient & clearly an expert. I could hardly swim after a hip operation, but have gained a lot of confidence in the water thanks to Stuart, & can now swim breaststroke and backstroke well enough to not feel like a total duffer in the pool. Front crawl still needs work, but that's not the teacher's fault - I asked for help with the other strokes. I'm very pleased with the lessons which have made a real difference, & am now able to swim for health & enjoyment. Thank you!
Monika (Adult Beginner)Great teacher, great service !!!! Very satisfied.
David Hume (Reading) (Adult Beginner)Both teachers were very welcoming and committed. I felt instantly at ease. My swimming technique has improved significantly over the full course. Admin for reschedules was easily accessible prompt and efficient.
Louise Gelhardt (Child Improver)My daughter Ruby has been swimming for some years now, Stuart has only been teaching her for a short while but he is one of the best teachers she has had! He is very good at making her feel comfortable and ensuring that she understands what he wants her to do. She listens to his every word and has improved dramatically in the short time he has been teaching her. He is very clear what he expects from Ruby and explains to me every week what she needs to work on to improve her swimming. I would recommend Stuart to anybody.
Vanita Ashley (Reading - Wokefield) (Child Beginner)My 6 year old son has had 2 blocks of 10 sessions (1hr) with Stuart and has progressed with confidence and speed. He is no longer frightened of the water, jumping in and diving as well as comfortably being able to swim a width. The 1-1 investment has produced the results I wanted and is well worth the money. I would recommend SwimExpert to anyone.
Consuelo (Child Beginner)Both of my children were very fearful of being in the water. They were both attending group lessons but their fears were not improving and I could not see them moving forward. I contacted Swimexpert on a Sunday and received excellent customer care, the lessons started within a week. Stuart ( their instructor) gave them confidence by playing and teaching them techniques. After 8 months my daughter age 6 can now swim by herself and loves diving in! My son age 4 is now happy to immerse his head under water and enjoys swimming too. I highly recommend Swimexpert for children lessons
Jas sumal (Child Beginner)Stuart has really helped my son gain confidence in the water. My son looks forward to each lesson with Stuart and is making great progress. I highly recommend Stuart for all child beginner swimmers- he's an excellent teacher.
Janet Joyes (Reading) (Adult Beginner)Stuart has been a fantastic instructor. He has helped me overcome a real fear of water. At first I was very nervous and scared to even get into the pool. His calm, sensitive approach and encouragement has meant that I am now happy in the water, gaining in confidence each week. Stuart structures the lessons very well, taking some time to recap on previous achievements then introducing new skills so that progress is made each session. Thank you Stuart for your patience and understanding.
Consuelo (bracknell) (Children Swimming Lesson)Both of my children were very fearful of being in the water. They were both attending group lessons but their fears were not improving and I could not see them moving forward. I contacted SwimExpert on a Sunday and received excellent customer care, the lessons started within a week. Stuart ( their instructor) gave them confidence by playing and teaching them techniques. After 8 months my daughter age 6 can now swim by herself and loves diving in! My son age 4 is now happy to immerse his head under water and enjoys swimming too. I highly recommend SwimExpert for children lessons
Katie (Bracknell) (Child Improver)My son has been having lessons for Swim Expert for a while, he thoroughly enjoys his lessons with Stuart, he makes the lessons fun and my son has made excellent progress. Swim Expert are excellent to deal with, they kept me informed and updated, I cannot recommend enough.