British Swim School Opening New Location in Clearwater
By Jacob Brown
September 14, 2022
September 14, 2022
Former Dartmouth Football Player Helps Kids Stay Safe with Survival-based Swim Lessons
British Swim School, the nation’s leading “learn to swim” franchise company, continues its rapid expansion across North America with the opening of its newest franchise location inside Esporta Fitness on East Bay Drive and US 19 in Clearwater, Florida. New British Swim School franchise owner David Johnson saw this as a great way to fill the void he experienced firsthand in his county, one that is surrounded by water. Johnson is a father of four children, two of them under the age of 3.“When I went to look for swim lessons for my 2-year-old daughter, I was shocked to see only a couple of options in Pinellas County, which is a peninsula. We’re big beachgoers, so I knew I had to get her swimming so we could enjoy our family time on the water without worry,” said Johnson. “Since I was looking to invest in a child health and wellness franchise anyway, British Swim School seemed like a great option for us.”It's a service that is greatly needed in the area. Over the course of four years, 32 children under the age of 6 drowned in the Tampa Bay Area. Seven of these drownings were in Pinellas County, according to PinellasCounty.org. Drowning, which is the number one accidental cause of death in children ages 1 to 4, can take place in as little as two inches of water. Johnson is a former NCAA Division 1 football player who attended Ivy League powerhouse Dartmouth College. His love of fitness and health led him to his new business venture after a decade of working in finance.
“We’re a very active family,” Johnson said. “My goal was to find a support team with a proven business model that aligned with my values and goals of youth fitness and safety education. I was very impressed by the roadmap British Swim School provided, and I loved that they were such a well-established brand.”British Swim School has been providing survival-based swimming lessons for over 40 years. The use of gentle instruction methods and a survival-first approach when teaching infants, children, and adults is what attracts new and returning swimmers. Since 1981, British Swim School has followed the mantra “Survival of the Littlest,” and Johnson, along with other British Swim School owners, takes that mission very seriously. British Swim School of Pinellas will give area children a chance to learn life-saving skills while having a lot of fun in a safe environment. They will also have the opportunity to join at any time of year that suits them, as British Swim School’s program is a rolling, year-round curriculum, taught within warm-water indoor pools.
“What’s really amazing is this father’s dedication to helping other children within his community,” said Ashley Gundlach, President of British Swim School. “We know the Johnson family will be a great addition to the British Swim School franchise and expand to other areas of Pinellas in the future.”The Clearwater location is set to open its doors on or around September 20th, and additional locations in Northern Pinellas are planned for opening in the near future For more information about British Swim School of Pinellas, visit www.britishswimschool.com/pinellas.
