Meet the Aquatics Rockstars – Rodel, Abdul, Greg, Zack and Hariz. Dedicated to enriching lives through swimming, they are the squad that looks after the Aquatics Programs at the Club. This dream team is close-knit and has come a long way since the completion of the Club’s redevelopment project.
In July 2018, The American Club pool and the aquatics program restarted with a new facility and a clean slate. A group of enthusiastic Members of all ages, juniors and masters swimmers, was ready to return and re-engage in swimming lessons. Long-serving Team Members, headed by Chief Lifeguard, Abdul, welcomed Greg Fasala – now fondly known as “Coach Greg” – to rebuild a new aquatics team. He was tasked to guide them to assemble and re-populate the program from a two-year hiatus after the Club’s redevelopment project.
Coach Greg knew that he would need to start with someone who could assist him in the coordination of aquatic lessons as well as all sorts of communications. When asked how he chose someone for that position and the rest of the team, Coach Greg remarked, “It’s simple, as they say, surround yourself with good people and you know how it goes…all good things happen.”
“The first time I met Zack, I was impressed! It was obvious he was knowledgeable and passionate about our sport, and I felt that I could really trust him.”
Next was the core group of our team of teachers, Rodel and Tata, who had been a part of the program before redevelopment, and their history within our program made them an essential part of it. The next addition to the team was Hariz; although he had not participated in swimming in his early years, he showed he was passionate, energetic and ready to learn. “I’m very proud to say he has taught at all levels of our program and now helps me as my assistant coach with our training groups. In fact, I’m very proud of the whole team.” When Coach Greg describes the aquatics Team Members, the word passionate is used very often. “We’re all very passionate about what we do in our aquatics program. It’s important.”
The Club now has a robust program, coaching under the SwimAmerica Program umbrella; lessons start with Learn to Swim for babies and moves through to our station swimming lessons. These classes start from three years old and progress into our levels for ages seven to eight. These important building blocks taught by our experienced teachers, such as Daniel, Caroline and Francesca, open the opportunity for our junior swimmers to participate in larger groups and swim at the next level.
The Junior Development Squad is where our young swimmers have fun whilst improving their fitness and becoming safer and stronger swimmers. Like our whole program, we offer a pathway to the following level here too. The Junior Squad is where we have seen some of our young swimmers take that step and challenge themselves in a competitive environment as they work towards our Senior Squad.
The program and the Club are very proud of our Senior Elite Squad. This group of dedicated athletes spends many hours a week working on and improving their skills. This hard work paid off in 2022, with six of our Senior Squad Members in their final year at high school, their involvement at this competitive level can partially be credited to their acceptance into university and other schools that they applied for.
Our Senior Squad competes all over Singapore, and with restrictions lifted, has also taken trips overseas to train and compete, once again, providing an inspiring pathway for all our younger swimmers to work towards.
With the disruption of redevelopment and COVID-19 well behind us, the transformation and growth of the program are a testament to Coach Greg and his team, which has created a unique program here at The American Club.
Summer holiday swimming programs are available for booking on the TAC Book app. Available schedule can be found under Sessions > Aquatics > Groups for swim lessons or Sessions > Aquatics > Events for water polo and camps.
For current swimmers if you are unsure of your child’s level, email aquatics@amclub.org.sg. For new swimmers aged 3 years and up, you can request for an assessment here.
Enrollment for the Fall swimming term will commence from July 3, 2023 onwards on the TAC Book app.
