Pods Swimming

Specialties

At pods swimming, we teach infants and toddlers to be happy and comfortable swimming underwater. They will learn to breathe underwater. This will help them in emergency situations not to panic and ingest water. We also teach them to swim, float, swim. The emphasis is placed on swimming forward, rolling to their backs for a breath, holding a float, and then rolling back to their stomachs. This teaches children life saving skills they will need in emergency situations.

These skills also serve as the foundation for the pods skill progression. They are the foundation for children to learn basic swimming skills and for them to progress into proper stroke technique.

History

Established in 2007.

Pods Swimming originated in 1996 as the Ocean State Squids Learn to Swim program at Brown University. Coach Susan Pascale joined Squids in 1996 and Jamie Pascale in 1999; under world-​class swimming coach Joshua Stern, they focused on teaching children proper stroke technique at a young age. They were also encouraged to support each child to reach his or her full potential, regardless of swimming level.

Susan successfully built Pods into a solid foundation for the Ocean State Squids swimming club, and she and Jamie provided starting block for many of New England’s top swimmers over the last 12 years. When Brown University’s pool closed in Fall 2007, Pods separated from Ocean State Squids and became its own swim school.

Meet the Business Owner

Susan P.

Business Owner

Entering her 22^nd year as a swim instructor, Susan has taught thousands of Rhode Islanders to swim through various local swim programs. Before becoming director of Pods, Susan was an entry level swim coach for the Bay & Ocean State Squids from 1996 – 2007. During that time she attended several ASCA clinics and received two «New England Age Group Coach of the Year» awards from New England Swimming. Her program was the starting point for many top New England swimmers and national level swimmers. In 2007, she joined the United States Swim School Association and in 2008 became certified in their infant/​toddler program. Susan is a 1997 graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she received her BS in Dental Hygiene. She currently is a registered dental hygienist and has been practicing at the office of Drs. Rubinstein & Ducoff in Providence, RI for the past 14 years. She and her husband Marc reside in Barrington with their daughter Jillian and son Evan.