Family first. Safety always.

Certified ISR Instructor committed to your child’s safety and success.

Dedicated to teaching life-saving skills — one child at a time.

For more than 46 years of living on the water as well as playing in and on the water, Tom more than realizes the importance of water safety and swimming survival skills !

Tom Grothouse is a resident of Winter Haven, Florida, and Crown Point, Indiana, who along with his wife Carol and their three children, Ryan, Kristen, and Karen, originate from Crown Point, Indiana. Prior to spending time in the education field at Polk State College and Northridge Christian Academy as an Athletic Director, Coach and Project Manager, he spent 30 plus years in the Airline and Logistics Industry, spending most of his time with American Airlines, Flying Tiger Airlines, and other privately owned companies.

In the Educational Field, working with children and student athletes at various levels has always been more than a career for Tom; it has been a ministry of service in an effort to impact young people and families. These factors along with other personal experiences led Tom to become an ISR Certified Instructor.

Tom has had a considerable athletic experience culminating in spending four years within the California Angels Organization. Leading up to that time with the Angels, started his youth and High School athletic career in Munster, Indiana; earning Varsity Letters and participating in Track, Cross Country, Basketball and Baseball. He went on to play College Basketball and Baseball at St. Joseph's of Calumet College and Santa Monica College, where he joined the California Angels. After getting married to Carol, who in her own right is a tremendous athlete, Tom coached Youth Basketball, and every level of Baseball and Softball including All Star Teams for over 8 years in the Tampa Bay, Coral Springs, and Winter Haven, Florida areas. He concluded his official sports career by pitching a one hitter as a 42 year old for the Clearwater Dodgers of the Senior Baseball Association.

Tom and Carol love spending time and investing their lives in their children and grandchildren, while also having a passion to serve others in the Christian Ministry; Carol investing her life in teaching children at Christian Schools and Tom investing his life in Pastoral, and Men's Ministries.

FAQs

Why are lessons 5 days per week and for only 10 minutes?

The reason for this is multifaceted. First, repetition and consistency are crucial elements of learning for young children. Research shows that short, more frequent lessons result in higher retention. Second, most children have fairly short attention spans and will not be able to focus on the task for longer and we want to take advantage of the best time for learning. A third reason is that, though the pool temperature is maintained at 78-88 degrees, the temperature is still lower than your child's body temperature. Lessons are work and therefore will also be losing body heat. Instructors check students regularly for temperature fatigue since this is an indicator of physical fatigue.

Are swimming lessons for infants and young children safe?

I can’t speak for all swim lessons, but I can tell you ISR is dedicated to safety and maintaining numerous safety protocols to promote safe lessons. Your child's health and well-being are our highest priority and are closely monitored on a daily basis. In addition, your child's medical and developmental history is a mandatory part of the ISR national registration process, all of which is held strictly confidential. All ISR instructors undergo intensive and rigorous training that far exceeds any other training program of this kind. Each ISR instructor is also required to recertify yearly with emphasis on quality control, safety and lesson efficiency. Your education in the area of aquatic safety for your entire family is an integral part of your child's lessons. You will receive access to the "Parent Resource Guide" to inform you about every aspect of swimming and aquatic safety for infants and children. With research, you will find that ISR is not only the safest survival swimming program but also the most effective for teaching infants and young children.

How can you teach babies and young children to swim?

ISR instructors teach infants to swim by honoring each child's individual strengths and experiences. They understand the fundamentals of the behavioral sciences, child development and of sensori-motor learning as it relates to the acquisition of aquatic survival skills; they use this education to guide each child through the sequence of learning to swim and float.

What other benefits does the ISR lesson experience provide students?

Every child is unique. However, many parents report that once their young children have mastered learning to swim, the resulting confidence in their abilities engenders a positive self-concept that is often demonstrated in other aspects of their personalities. There are also obvious health and other psychological gains.

Inspiring children through faith, family, and life lessons—one story at a time.

In addition to his work as an ISR Certified Instructor, Tom Grothouse is also a published children’s book author. His book, “What Grandpa Wants to Teach Me,” reflects his heart for family, faith, and guiding the next generation. Through his writing, Tom shares meaningful lessons and values that encourage children to grow in wisdom, kindness, and confidence—both in and out of the water.

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