My ISR Journey:
I grew up as a competitive swimmer and always knew that when I had kids, I wanted to do something different. Traditional swim lessons didn’t quite make sense to me because they didn’t focus on the critical combination of independence and survival skills that I felt were essential. I wanted my child to have the ability to self-rescue in real-world situations, not just swim in a controlled environment. Growing up on lakes and open water, I realized the importance of equipping kids with these life-saving abilities.
Once I was pregnant, my official search for the right swim program began. That’s when I discovered Infant Swimming Resource (ISR), and it felt like exactly what we needed. Fast forward to when my daughter, Adalynn (Addie), was about 8 months old—we were ready for our first session!
As a family, we committed to 10-minute lessons, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks—all while driving over 35 minutes each way. Though our friends and family thought we were nuts, we remained committed. This process, which we’ve repeated more than five times, showed us the incredible progress that consistent and focused lessons could achieve. Day by day and week by week, we saw so much progress. After 5 weeks of Addie crying through every lesson, her skills clicked. She was floating! She became confident in her buoyancy and mastered the skills her instructor had taught her.
That moment was life-changing for me. Seeing my child self-rescue and float independently for the first time was an indescribable mix of relief, pride, and joy. It’s a moment that still brings tears to my eyes when I think about it. It was unlike any other milestone. And it was that moment that made me want to share this feeling with other families.
Fast forward again, I had an epiphany: I NEED to be doing this.
If 2020 taught me anything, it’s the importance of spending your time doing something meaningful. For me, that meant becoming ISR certified and dedicating myself to providing self-rescue skills to families in my community. The decision came after careful reflection and a realization that this was my true calling. Watching my own baby save herself in the water gave me an overwhelming sense of pride, and I wanted to share that moment with as many families as possible.
So, I made the leap. I left my corporate job, traded my desk for a wetsuit, and never looked back. I took a risk and bet on myself to start my own business, and I couldn’t be more excited about how it’s turned out. Since becoming certified, I’ve had the privilege of teaching over 1,000 students these life-saving skills. One of my favorite success stories is a two-year-old who confidently demonstrated their floating ability after just a few weeks, leaving their parents in awe and tears of gratitude. My daughter is now 6 years old and swims better than most 10-year-olds I’ve seen.
Thank you for being here and being part of this journey. Together, we can save lives and make a difference.
