Where Have All the Swimmers Gone?
In an industry where leisure operators and swim schools are repeatedly told that retention is the key to growth and success, it is worth asking an uncomfortable question: retention of whom?
Much of the current focus is on retaining children in swimming lessons. Yet children grow up. If we concentrate solely on keeping the same participants for longer, who is entering the system at the other end? Who is replacing those who leave? This narrow approach risks stagnation rather than sustainable growth.
The swimming and leisure industry must now refocus and restructure to become genuinely inclusive and accessible to all communities.
Many senior leaders report that their swimming teachers are asking for more skills and better training to meet the increasingly complex needs of their swimmers. Teachers want greater confidence and deeper understanding to deliver lessons effectively. The question then arises: what training is available that genuinely meets these needs?
While there are numerous continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities on the market, it is fair to question whether a low-cost, short CPD can truly equip teachers and operators – large and small – with the depth of knowledge they require today.
Imagine a course that underpins all core aquatic skills: one that explains how the human body works in water, why it behaves as it does, and the mechanical principles behind movement, travel, and ultimately swimming. When teachers understand the why, instruction becomes clearer, more compassionate, and more effective than simply telling swimmers what to do.
This is the approach of the Institute of Aquaphobia (IOA). The IOA trains swimming teachers to become certified Aquaphobia Coaches through courses grounded in scientific research – an increasingly rare standard in the sector.
Addressing aquaphobia creates a clear, structured pathway to learning to swim for all ages. It also offers operators an opportunity to grow their businesses, enhance their reputation, introduce a valuable secondary revenue stream, and demonstrate a genuinely inclusive ethos.
In the UK alone, an estimated 13 million people cannot swim and are afraid of water. These individuals represent the industry’s largest untapped audience, yet they are largely overlooked.
Aquaphobia is not a simple reluctance; it is an anxiety disorder. Placing an aquaphobic individual into mainstream swimming lessons without understanding the underlying neurological and psychological causes can be ineffective – and potentially harmful. Fear, in these moments, overrides logic and instruction, significantly increasing drowning risk.
Despite many excellent learn-to-swim, water safety, and drowning prevention initiatives, none specifically address those who cannot swim and are scared of water.
Across the UK, there are substantial communities who:
Cannot swim and fear water
Experience mental health challenges
Need weight management support
Are preparing for or recovering from illness, injury, or surgery
These challenges place increasing pressure on NHS services, physiotherapy provision, mental health services, and migrant community support.
Training certified Aquaphobia Coaches directly supports Sport England’s guidance on inclusive leisure service delivery. One of the UK’s largest leisure providers, Everyone Active, now has over 2,000 coaches undertaking this training, giving the initiative truly nationwide reach.
If we are serious about growing participation, improving public health, and future-proofing our industry, it is time to look beyond retention alone – and start welcoming the swimmers we have been missing.
It is also possible that within these 13 million may be future Olympians or the swimming teachers the industry urgently needs.
www.instituteofaquaphobia.com