Paralympian Brenden Hall proud Shapland brand ambassador
Brenden whilst learning to swim at Shaplands, lost a leg to chickenpox & lost his confidence to be in the water. His teacher John Dommett reintroduced him to water and swimming.
The Golden Moment
As a swimming teacher who taught his first lesson at the age on nine (9), some sixty (60) years ago it is the golden moments, as I call them, that never ceases to bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart. Golden moments are the ones where a child/adult suddenly transitions from one level of skill acquisition to the next.
Window Dressing: The Truth About Swimming Progress and Floatation Devices
“I am not happy with how my child is progressing because at her last swim school she was swimming across the pool” is a statement I have heard lots of times over the many decades I have been teaching swimming and running swim schools. I also knew the statement “she was swimming across the pool” to be untrue as I was teaching that pupil and knew that the pupil could not float on top of the water by himself or herself without being frightened.
Oldest English Channel swimmer last year – it’s official.
It is official. I have just received notification from the Channel Swimmers and Pilots Federation that I was the oldest swimmer from any nation to complete a solo crossing of the English Channel last Channel Swimming Season. Glen and Julie Langford who were part of my support team and who live in England will be attending to annual dinner to accept the award.
Watch a Q&A with Chris Shapland
Chris Shapland recently joined Karen Ghidella from KidsToDo.com.au for a LIVE online video chat. We recorded the event and posted it right here for you to watch on demand.
Watch the Q&A chat with Chris Shapland
Watch the video of the recent live chat about swimming lessons with Chris Shapland. The chat was hosted by KidsToDo.com.au and includes some helpful information about problems parents and children face while learning to swim.
Chris Shapland places 3rd in Byron Bay 2.2k Winter Classic 2014
On Sunday the 4th of May 2014 I competed in the 65-69 years age group in the 2.2 kilometre swim from Watego’s Beach to the Byron Bay surf club. This annual swim attracts some 900 competitors and the 2014 swim marked the 26th anniversary of the race.
Greg Brough 23rd March 1951 – 9th March 2014
On Monday I attended the funeral for Greg Brough, a good friend for over forty years. Greg was a larger than life character who lit up a room when he entered. He was the Gold Coast’s first Olympian and won a Bronze medal in the men’s 1500m freestyle at the Mexico Olympics and a bronze medal in the men’s 400m freestyle at the 1970 Commonwealth games.
Three Gold Medals for Shapland
Winning three gold medals (surf race, rescue tube and the board rescue) in my age group at the recent Queensland Masters State Championships held at North Kirra made me very happy and reinforces what I have written many times which is, “being able to swim is a life long life saving skill.” The Championships provided a platform that verified the statement. On Friday, 7 March 2014, Surf Lifesaving Queensland held their Championships, which invites all proficient surf lifesavers to compete and test basic lifesaving skills against their peers.
The two Hannahs
Over the last six and a half decades I have heard some wonderful stories in relation to children and adults learning to swim. This letter to me from Gaye about her and her daughters experience at the Shapland Swim School Warner is one of those wonderful stories.