Catch the Wave Swim Club
Our Promise to Families
What you can expect every time your family walks through our doors.
What Every Family Can Expect From Us
At Catch the Wave, our promise is simple: every family deserves a safe, supportive, and consistent experience — no matter which class, coach, or location you attend.
Our Promises
| Our Promise | What This Means for Your Family |
|---|---|
| Warm water, small classes, predictable structure | Warm water, smaller class ratios, and consistent lesson routines help swimmers feel comfortable, focused, and ready to learn. |
| Clean, well-maintained facilities | Our pools follow strict internal safety and water-quality standards informed by industry best practices and guidance from the CDC's Model Aquatic Health Code — ensuring clean water, sanitized spaces, and properly maintained equipment every visit. |
| Family-First Flexibility & Support | Makeup options, schedule adjustments, and responsive communication — so your swim journey fits your life, not the other way around. |
| Highly trained, caring coaches | Our coaches are trained in CPR, First Aid, and AED safety, along with child development and adaptive instruction to help every swimmer feel safe, understood, and confident in the water. |
| A clear, measurable path — 200 BraveSwim™ Skills | Our structured, survival-first curriculum ensures every swimmer continues to make steady, meaningful progress — with no guesswork about what they're learning, what they've mastered, or what comes next. |
Bravery Has a Ripple Effect
At Catch the Wave Swim Club, we teach more than traditional swimming lessons — we teach children how to stay calm, think clearly, and act confidently in the water.
Our unique BraveSwim™ Method begins with survival-first training: floating, breath control, and reaching safety. Once those vital self-rescue skills are mastered, swimmers seamlessly progress into stroke development, endurance, and lifelong confidence.
Every BraveSwim™ instructor is certified through our BraveCoachTM Academy, emphasizing emotional intelligence, accountability, and consistent progress.
It’s a joyful, empowering experience that saves lives — and transforms how families think about swim lessons.
“Bravery in the water creates confidence that ripples through every part of life — opening doors to new adventures, sports, and lifelong possibilities.”
Brandon Stoffregen
President & CEO, Catch the Wave Swim Club
MEET OUR COACHES
The trusted team guiding your swimmer’s progress.
Highly Trained Coaches
Every coach completes structured onboarding and on-the-job training before independently leading classes. Ongoing development and annual refreshers help maintain consistent, high-quality instruction.
Safety-Trained & Certified Team Members
All instructors receive CPR, First Aid, and AED training, and many maintain active professional certifications, including lifeguard credentials.
Personality-First & Thoroughly Vetted
We hire warm, encouraging personalities first — and every team member is thoroughly vetted to ensure they meet our standards of professionalism and care.
Consistent, Reliable Coaching Staff
We structure advancement, scheduling, and compensation around reliability so your swimmer sees familiar, dependable coaches each week whenever possible.
Parent-Driven Coaching Development
Parent feedback plays a major role in our coaching development process, helping us continually improve the experience for every swimmer.
Ready to Make a Safer Swimmer?
Find your nearest Catch the Wave location and start your BraveSwim™ journey today.
frequently asked questions
What safety training do Catch the Wave coaches receive?
All Catch the Wave coaches receive required training in CPR, First Aid, and AED use as part of their onboarding and ongoing development. In addition, every coach receives comprehensive training through our BraveCoach™ Academy before ever teaching a class. Our training focus is on safety first instruction, child development, emotionally intelligent teaching, adaptive communication, and anxiety-management—ensuring lessons are both safe and confidence-building.
Are Catch the Wave coaches certified lifeguards?
Many members of the Catch the Wave team hold current American Red Cross (or equivalent) lifeguard certifications, and full American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification is a core component of advancement into leadership and management roles. Certification status may vary by role and location but safety is always our top priority. All classes are supported by trained staff, clearly defined emergency procedures, and layered supervision—creating a consistently safe learning environment for every swimmer.
How do you screen and vet Catch the Wave coaches?
We follow a Personality-First & Thoroughly Vetted process that continues well beyond hiring. Background checks are applied as permitted by age and applicable state/federal laws, and coaches are trained on professional conduct, appropriate boundaries, and child-safety standards. Oversight is ongoing coaching is supervised, standards are enforced, and parent feedback and satisfaction surveys directly inform accountability and advancement.
How does Catch the Wave ensure water safety and sanitation standards?
Water safety and sanitation are uncompromising at Catch the Wave. Regardless of whether a facility is owned or leased, our team directly oversees water quality, sanitation practices, and safety protocols at every location. We routinely verify chemical balance, cleanliness, and equipment performance and we step in when needed to ensure our standards are consistently met.
Will my child have the same coach every week?
We design our programs to promote consistency whenever possible, because familiarity builds trust and progress. While occasional substitutions do happen, everything from how coaches are trained, scheduled, compensated, and advanced is intentionally structured around reliable attendance and high-quality instruction. When challenges arise, our guarantees are in place to ensure families always feel supported.
What is the BraveCoach™ Academy?
BraveCoach™ Academy is our proprietary internal certification program for all instructors. It covers safety-first instruction, child development, and emotionally intelligent coaching to ensure every teacher is fully prepared.
How can parents track progress or share feedback?
Every swimmer progresses through a structured framework of 200 BraveSwim™ skills, so you always know what your child is working on and what comes next. Coaches track demonstrated skills—not just time spent in class—and your local team can explain current focus areas and upcoming milestones at any point. Parent feedback is always welcome and helps guide coaching adjustments, communication, and overall program improvement.
What does the Catch the Wave Promise mean for families?
The Catch the Wave Promise is our commitment to a safe, supportive, and consistent experience across every class, coach, and location. Families can expect warm water, small class ratios, trained and caring coaches, responsive support, and a structured curriculum designed for real progress. When things don’t go perfectly, we communicate, adjust, and make it right.
Do you offer makeup lessons if we miss a class?
Yes. All Catch the Wave locations offer makeup lessons as part of our commitment to families. Specific makeup rules—such as eligibility, timing, and scheduling—vary by location and enrollment type and are explained before enrollment. Your local team can confirm exactly how makeups work for your account.
How do I schedule a makeup lesson?
Scheduling procedures vary by location. Some Catch the Wave locations allow families to request or schedule makeups through a parent portal or scheduling system, while others handle makeup requests by phone or email through the front desk. Your welcome materials or local location’s Contact page will outline the exact process used at your pool
What happens if we don't "click" with a coach?
Tell us. Coaching fit matters—especially for hesitant swimmers—and we take it seriously. If your family needs a different coaching style, we’ll help adjust placement or coach pairing so your swimmer stays comfortable and progress stays moving.
What is the coach-to-swimmer ratio in group lessons?
Group lesson ratios are intentionally kept small to support safety, control, and meaningful progress. Most group lessons average 3:1 or 4:1, depending on level, age, and swimmer readiness. Some levels may run slightly different ratios to match safety needs and skill goals, and your local team can confirm what applies to your swimmer before enrollment.
How warm is the water at Catch the Wave?
We believe warm water is a teaching tool, not just a luxury. While exact temperatures vary slightly by location, our pools are consistently maintained in the warm-water range (typically 86-91°F). We do this because warm muscles relax, allowing for better movement and faster learning. When a swimmer isn’t shivering or tense from the cold, they can focus entirely on the lesson, making the experience safer, more comfortable, and more productive.
Are there company-wide policies in place to keep Catch the Wave pools clean?
Yes. Catch the Wave follows facility-wide sanitation standards across all locations and programs. These include water-quality monitoring, equipment and surface sanitation, and clear swimmer requirements designed to protect pool cleanliness and water quality every day.
Is there a universal swim diaper policy?
Yes. As part of our sanitation standards, all non-potty-trained swimmers must wear a properly fitted reusable swim diaper as the outer layer in all Catch the Wave programs, including swim lessons, Open Swim & Family Time, and birthday parties. Disposable swim diapers alone are not permitted. This helps protect water quality and ensures a clean, safe pool environment for every family.