Local swim instructor shares tips for water safety

Stacy Fujitani says she has done a lot of swimming. She began at a young age with the Mommy and Me classes, then she look lessons until age 7 and swam in the summer swim league until age 13. For the next six years, she belonged to the Lodi City Swim Club and also swam all four years in high school. Now in her third year of teaching young children how to swim, she feels the job is rewarding when they come in for the first time — they are scared of the water and cry until they realize the water is not scary.

"We play games and they get to where they are not scared. They scream (excitedly) to their parents," she said. "I think it's really cute."

How did you get started as a swim instructor?

I was hired three years ago because (the city) was short on instructors and I like kids, so I thought I would try it out.

What age is best to begin swimming lessons?

We don't really start with ages. They just have to be 36 inches to the chin.

How many swimming lessons should a person have to be safe if they fall into a pool?

It all depends. I teach a lot of the level ones. They are the really little kids. We teach a lot of water safety. By level two, they can swim the width and length of the pool but need a little bit of help.

How can you tell if a person has the potential to be a good swimmer?

Stacy Fujitani at a glance

Age: 19.
Education: Attends California State University, Long Beach.
Hobbies: Swimming, wakeboarding, shopping.
Future goals: To study graphic design.
Source: Stacy Fujitani

Everybody can learn to be a good swimmer. The first step is to get rid of the fear of water.

What do you do to reduce a person's fear of the water?

(Because of the height requirement), they always are able to touch the bottom. We play games and sing songs and do a lot of fun stuff to teach that water isn't something to be afraid of.

What is the easiest swimming stroke to learn?

I would say the freestyle. We teach freestyle and the backstroke first.

What is the best water safety tip you can provide?

Probably not to swim by yourself; always be with someone.

What is the best tip you can provide to someone wanting to improve their swimming?

That all depends. I'd have to see what they are doing wrong.

What is the highest number of laps you swam at one time?

Quite a few. I used to swim year round and would have two-hour practices. Maybe two miles.

What do you have to do to be a swimming instructor?

You have to be lifeguard and CPR certified. Our head instructor is Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certified. Those are the main requirements. You have to like kids, and all the instructors have swum competitively.

What is most challenging about teaching?

Probably keeping up with the kids all day long. They get tiring and you have to have energy. And also teaching the ones who are scared not to be that way — getting them to trust you.

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