Clean water, good instructions from staff, but I cannot get over why they instruct the kids in the…read morefurthest lanes away from the viewing area. You simply cannot see your kids swimming without binoculars. It defies logic.

Waterloo has been a great experience all the way around. Staff are friendly, helpful, and…read moreaccommodating. Lessons provide the perfect level of challenge for consistent growth. Plus, this is one of the few swim schools in Austin that has a comprehensive adult curriculum. I look forward to coming here every week. Margo T. has especially been a fantastic instructor to learn from and I'm grateful for her resourcefulness and expertise. She coaches with kindness and encouragement, and she puts in extra time to find new drills for me that target my weaknesses. She is attentive in the pool and always has great feedback that helps me improve quickly. I'm so grateful for Margo and the entire Waterloo team for providing a fun and effective learning environment for adult swimmers.

Great shop. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. I have done a few certifications with them so far and…read morewill happily do more.

Our thoughts on Tom's Dive and Swim still stand…read more From the swim trainers, all the way up to the owners, this place has great customer service and quality services provided!

Update: Looking back 2 years ago when my Maddux (now age 4) took Ms. Cathy's (Catherine) swim class…read moreto now on Monday Major (almost 2) will be taking this class at the same age! It is amazing what our children can do if they are just given the right tools. This class has literally been a life saver! On Easter Sunday Maddux was leaning over a pool to fill up a water gun and fell in. I was 10 feet away and of course got up and ran over to him but before I could get there he had already swam to the edge and was pulling himself out. He remembered these skills even 2 years later and wasn't shocked by the cold water. I could not have been more proud of him in that moment and so thankful we had him take this class! If you are considering lessons for your child Ms. Cathy Swim Austin is the only way to go!! The first week is tough but by the second week, they are loving it and the lessons learned are far more valuable than anything! We took our son to Ms Cathy's at just barely 2 years old! Yes, he cried the first couple of days. After that, it was all smiles and all so much fun to him. He loved it so much he wanted to jump in and swim over and over again and would get so excited to go to swim lessons. He now swims all over the pool comfortably and confidently. We will be taking his baby brother next summer.

Review I'm not…read moregoing to say this class worked, because it did not. Out of the nine kids in the class, the only ones successfully able to go across the pool and get themselves out of the water, were two kids, ages 6 and up. None of the other kids could get from the point of entry in the water, to the stairs on their own. In addition, about 25% of the class was still crying on day 5. I don't believe it is success if 80% are being assisted in the water on day 5, and 40% of the class is still screaming. My child included. After being tossed into the pool and submerged under water over and over, it did not "click" for my children. While this class is sold as teaching your kid to survive, and getting themselves out of the pool, there were zero times my two children were able to do so without the teacher's help. While her website states, "some children may need more than one session due to motor skill development," i don't think the majority of our class's inability to grasp this skill was due to their motor skill development. I write this review to encourage parents to think of their child's temperament and previous water experience before signing up. They will be thrown into the water, by you, over and over, and they will be forced to be submerged by the teacher. And they will scream. My children did not take kindly to this. I had to ask my husband to take off work on the second day to assist me in maintaining my sanity in the class. Keeping a positive persona to my children, while enduring screaming all around, while also, being responsible for ensuring my kids exited the pool, was not a one woman job. This is NOT a skills class. The fundamentals of kicking and holding your breath are not covered. It was after my two year old inhaled so much water over and over that she belched repeatedly to the point of almost vomiting, that I realized I needed to do the instruction myself. Maybe that was on me, I'll take that. It was also after Ms. Cathy repeatedly yelled "kick" at the kids and no one did, that I realized, oh I have to teach my kids that on my own. Happy to do so. But why did I pay $450 to realize I had to do all the basics in order for this class to "work?" Parents, know what you're getting into. If your child has little experience swimming, and all they've ever done is play in the shallow end of a pool, it will behoove your sanity to work on kicking and breathing A LOT before doing this class.

We loved our experience. Great communication and our daughters confidence in the pool grew…read moreexponentially.

Gillian was amazing with our kids. They showed great improvement in 10 lessons. So pleased!read more

If you care about the wellbeing of your child or children stay clear of this gym. If you advocate…read morefor your child, stay clear of this gym. If you want your children spending long periods of time in an unhealthy training environment with a head coach "god complex" ego, then look no further.  I cannot speak for Crenshaws after school program, camps, or palestra program, but if you're looking for an Optional or Compulsories training program here's my honest review.  We first started noticing issues with the constant change in coaching staff. In the last three years we've seen 2-3 coach changes. The latest newest edition being the worst. They bark orders at the girls and offer put downs when there is no delivery. My daughter felt this coaching style began to rub off on the other coaches. We were met with many meltdowns after training due to this specific coach. Hysterical crying and shaking. If you directed concerns to the head coach your child would be blamed for bringing this response on. We noticed over our tenor here that our daughter was scared and intimidated to communicate. Not to us as parents but to the coaching staff. She feared retaliation from her coaches. If she was interested in attending a gymnastics college summer camp with her peers, they would all be terrified to to mention it due to how the coaches would respond. Of course, you'd think attending a college gymnastics camp would be encouraged - it's not. If my daughter suffered an injury, she did not want to mention it to her coaches, scared of how they would treat her or push her to train on the pain. If my child was running late to practice, she was terrified to communicate her occurrence. This all goes against USAG Safe Sport Policy.  This gym says "family" is their mantra but that's a lie. It's the head coach's idea of family. He feels he owns your kids once they join the team. He acts as their father, at least what he thinks is a father. It's by far the unhealthiest part of this facility. He cancels parents and does not allow parents inside the gym. There are no windows to observe your children, there are no seats or seating within the gymnasium that welcome parents to watch practice to ensure your child's safety. You're told you're welcome to pull up a chair when you first join but this is not true. Most parents when we ask questions are met with snarky comments, attitude, pettiness, unprofessional responses, or no response at all. This is no way to conduct business. Your kids are bred to have their own communication with the coach that does not pertain to you. This means if your kid suffers from anxiety or depression, it will only worsen because the head coach does not want you as an adult to protect the child and speak adult to adult. Coach to parent. I'm all for children learning to communicate and advocate for themselves in a healthy manner but this is not that.  He's most comfortable texting your youth or adolescents. He rather hear from your kid how they cannot attend practice because you as a parent have a conflict, planned a family vacation, or other plans etc, so he can punish your child for your decisions or hold them accountable for something that does not pertain to them. This is just a toxic form of control. Over our time here we met with the head coach,Adam Miller, numerous times to discuss our concerns or issues as concerned parents. Each discussion showed more and more how he does not like to take ownership for his wrong doings. He would constantly point fingers at the children. During each discussion instead of being met with concern or willingness to change, we were met with communication that said, "Maybe this isn't the gym for you all". We were always told in so little words to just get out and our daughter was indispensable. This is not a family.  Our daughter was always pulled to the side and addressed about various things without our knowledge. She's 14 and unable to comprehend all conversations yet the coaching staff assumed or assumes these young gymnasts are adults, they're not. Every conversation she had without an adult present bred toxicity. She was being bullied, coerced, and always accused of wrongdoing. She was left feeling isolated and alone. All parts of their toxic control they like to flex.  In the end, I had to ask my daughter if this were a relationship would you stay? She told me no. I asked why, and she said because she's constantly manipulated, always accused that everything is her fault, and voiceless.  Overall, the head coach is unwilling to welcome healthy change. He rather continue with the same traditions that have led to years of gymnastics, toxic culture and adolescent abuse.  If you want to feel targeted and enjoy being disrespected, this is a place for you.  I would not recommend this gym to anyone.

Great classes water aerobics my favorite friendly staff. Children's programs are excellent.read more

Just wanted to rave one more time about the staff here. Our time slots are currently 4:30 & 5:00…read morerespectively and it is a busy time overall. The staff never flinches, they all perform their roles well and take safety into account in every way. I love that they blow the whistle every ten minutes to make sure everyone is accounted for. Miss Alyssa is so patient with the two year old crowd. Love love love!

We signed our 8 year old up for March and April lessons looking to improve technique before summer…read moreswim team. I was clear at sign up that we were there specifically to get a consistent side breath. After 6 lessons I can't tell any improvement. We had a different instructor almost every class. The instructors ran drills and never corrected sloppy technique. On back stroke they allowed him to mix and match elementary backstroke with windmill arms. On freestyle he was taking doggy paddle breaths 3 out of 4 breaths. At $40/ lesson I am pretty sure I can do better elsewhere.

I like swimming here it is very fun but I'm just gonna keep typing so I can fill up this reviewread more

Great coaching and flexibility for all ability levels. Facilities are excellent, staff is helpful…read moreand welcoming. Highly recommend.

Miss Tiffany, and the ISR method itself, are really in a class all their own…read more I have three kids; over the past 3 summers we have tried two of the most "popular" Austin swim instructors, both of whom use the "put 'em in the water and make 'em figure it out" method. If you read reviews of these swim providers you see terms like "brutal" used a lot, and for us it was exactly that, for me and the kids. While it didn't traumatize my oldest, it was am miserable process for us both. Worse, after 2 weeks of lessons, my middle child literally refused to go near the water for the entire rest of the summer (and he is not a particularly sensitive kid). Just as important, for both kids (I was not ready to put my youngest through those lessons at that point, given what they entailed), while they could "swim" at the end of the week/2 week sessions, I had zero confidence they'd ever actually be able to save themselves from drowning. In fact, they spent so much of those lessons swallowing pool water and vomiting it up that I was afraid they'd have exactly the wrong response should they fall in the water alone. The great news is: Miss Tiffany completed turned all of this around. After a 6 week session with her, not only could my 2/3/newly 5 yr olds could all legitimately swim / float / swim (including in both summer and winter clothes) significant distances, but they all loved the pool! We did not have a single traumatic day in 6 weeks - no child cried, soiled himself, or vomited, all of which regularly happened under the stress of the previous methods' lessons. Miss Tiffany is SKILLED. She is clearly highly trained, with proven methods. She is patient, gentle, and firm. The kids not only respect her but like her (and so do I). Because she gives them skills and confidence, they also enjoy swimming and want to do it more frequently. She has an ability to see what each child needs and provide it on an individualized basis. I cannot recommend her highly enough, and we are and will continue to take regular refresher courses with her. The kids are *thrilled* with that plan, and I'll be forever grateful we found her. She has completely changed our family's relationship with the water.

Our son was a few months short of 3 years old when he had his lessons this summer. The ISR…read moreapproach was very effective for him, and Miss Tiffany is a great teacher, very consistent in teaching the ISR steps, both firm and kind. I watched her interact with several different children of different ages and comfort levels, and adjust her approach accordingly, while remaining patient with each child's individual needs. In our case, the challenge was not crying but instead overconfidence and an above-average lung capacity. This made our little guy more resistant to learning the turn-over-and-breathe part of the process. But Miss T. kept meeting him where he was, and challenging him a little more each time. Now, I'm glad to report that we have a little ISR swimmer, and a whole lot less nervousness (and a lot more fun) when we are near a pool.

This place makes a lot of promises in terms of their methods but we were really not convinced. Our…read morekid actually spent very little time swimming ("White" or beginner level) in the few months we were there, there's a constant rotation of very young instructors so it's hard for the kid to get used to a style or establish confidence and for the instructor to really know the kids and what they need to advance. This was especially frustrating for us because our child had a experience with an instructor elsewhere and we wanted someone consistent, and in fact were told we were being placed with someone more experienced. That's not what happened. Our kid actually swims worse now than when she started. Also, the shower and changing area is totally open but in a narrow corridor, there aren't really enough showers during peak times, and it's just really chaotic.

They offer free swimming lessons for infants up until one years old. We just had to pay a one time…read moreannual fee of $50. We dropped by on a Saturday for the tour and signed up. They require swimming diapers for infants. The pool is heated to 90 degrees Fahrenheit so it's comfortable for babies.

I really liked going to this YMCA especially since this location has an indoor heated pool and hot…read moretub, great for winters. However, the past few times that I have been here, the hot tub has been closed off and I also ended up getting an ear infection for the first time :( Makes me question the hygiene and sanitization practices at this pool. They even have painters come in during pool hours so the entire enclosed space is filled with paint smell and fumes.

Even though it's okay here, I'd still recommend this YMCA. Just a few odd quirks here and some…read moreundesirable effects. First off the parking here is a challenge. Spaces are too small, and you can guarantee your car getting dinged. Mine already has, and I was even in the car when she did it, I confronted her and she just gave me a nasty look and did not apologize. I had to leave it at that since she had a small child with her, but she apparently didn't give AF. I've noticed similar behaviors with other patrons who park there. I use the pool here - it's outside. Most of the inside of this place is carpeted, which is quite odd, when you come in from the pool or the spa or indoor pool you walk on carpet and the carpet gets drenched. Not good. I detest that you have to walk all the way through various hallways and by the gym and the other pool to get to the locker room if you're coming / going to the outside pool. Kinda feels like you're at a hotel and having to walk down the carpeted hallway bypassing several rooms / areas in your swimsuit, or if you're wet with a towel. The indoor pool is fine, but when they hold those Zumba courses there - that Zumba instructor is - how can I saw this - irritating to say the least. She has forced a rule - you cannot turn on the jacuzzi jets during her classes because it's too loud and they cannot hear or talk to each other. This has been a bothersome rule for years now, and many of us have complained, yet this Zumba instructor wins all the time. I get it when you have a full pool of people, but some of her Zumba classes have only 4-6 people attending, they take over the whole indoor pool, she blasts the music so damn loud it's like you're at a club, and they don't talk to each other anyway so WTF?? They could use the other half of the pool (away from the jacuzzi) since there's only 6 of them, so everyone can use the facilities, but after complaining about this - I was rejected. I was also informed by several other members - they have complained too but have also been rejected. It's irritating AF and it's not respectful when there is no compromise. The basketball court is smaller here. The weight room is open and carpeted. The showers are okay, the bathrooms at times could be cleaner, the men's locker room is on the smaller side and quite compacted for space. The outside pool - it's heated during the winter time and it's open all year round. Swam the other day - it was 75 degrees outside temps and pool was 88 degrees, it was nice. But once you get out of the pool - yikes. But it's a nice change of pace here. They just updated the deck space around the pool. Service here has always been nice. Never had a bad experience with the any of them, all very responsive and answer my questions and good customer service. I don't frequent here as much but will go sometimes if it's convenient for my schedule. Can we just work out the Zumba lady and jacuzzi jets please?