Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Self
Holly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
2025 Is my 37th year to teach swimming lessons in Memphis. Angie, one of my sisters, began teaching lessons to children in our parents’ pool. I joined her and we taught together for 3 years. l am so grateful to her because she had the idea to teach children this life skill. Angie decided to stop teaching, but I wanted to continue. Teaching swimming lessons felt like an extension of my K-12 Physical Education college major. At this point, I got certified as a Lifeguard Instructor Trainer and a Water Safety Instructor Trainer through the American Red Cross. In addition to teaching young children how to swim, I was now training teachers how to teach swimming lessons and the Lifeguarding. In 2000, my husband and I with our 3 children moved to midtown Memphis and built a pool. I named my business Move Water Swim and created my own curriculum for my swim program. My two daughters have taught with me in the business for many years. What a joy it has been for me to have Savannah and Shelby work along side me using their unique teaching gifts! They bring creativity, energy, laughter, kindness and resolve to help children have fun while learning to swim.
2025 marks a year of change for me. Savannah, my oldest daughter, is opening her own swim school in the East Memphis/Germantown area, where I know that she will thrive. Shelby and I will miss her while we continue teaching lessons in midtown. Shelby brings a sweet calming influence each day in lessons. The fact that she is a speech-language pathologist is a big plus, especially when teaching young children.
Move Water Swim has grown, so that I now employ 15-20 part-time workers during our 8-12 week summer season. Most if not all of my employees came up in my swim program, which is incredibly rewarding to me. Since I have taught for so many years, I am now teaching second generation children in many cases. I feel like I have been truly blessed.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
You will always have bumps in the road in anything in life. I can think of 2 challenges that I faced. One, after my parents divorced, I did not have access to a pool because they sold the house. I did not know what I was going to do. Two families gave me access to teach swimming lessons in their pool, so I was able to continue teaching. I am forever grateful for the Harro’s and the Warren’s. They let me teach hundreds of children in their pools. What a gift!
Another challenge happened during Covid. When we had to shelter in place I had many families who were not comfortable bringing their children to swimming lessons. My business took a dip like so many businesses during that time.
We’ve been impressed with Move Water Swim, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I believe that swimming is one thing that ALL children can learn to do! Move Water Swim is a self-developed swim program founded in teaching swim skills through play and systematic instruction. The program is comprised of seven distinct levels of instruction, building from Parent & Me to Junior Lifesaving. Teaching strategies include verbal instruction, teacher and peer modeling, small teacher to child ratios, and free play!
If you know me, you know that I like to have fun! Because of this, I want lessons to be fun for the children as they learn different skills. My lessons have structure, but we teach in a way that incorporates games, songs, toys and playtime.
Here is a testimonial from a parent whose child took in 2024: “We absolutely loved our experience with Move Water Swim this summer. Our 4 year old learned how to swim in one week – something we wouldn’t have thought possible. And most importantly, he now loves swimming! All of the Move Water Swim staff were so professional and the program was run so well. We will definitely be coming back next summer!”
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I sought counsel from several swim families. They were able to communicate with me how I could offer swimming lessons but still put Covid precautions in place so the children were safe. Children needed to be able to be outside. Children needed to be able to play! I offered outdoor swimming lessons during Covid, but we had safeguards in place. Our classes were smaller. I hired someone to disinfect every hour. We had children social distance when they were out of the water. We as a staff wore masks when we were not in the water. Oh the heat in Memphis! That was a rough summer!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.movewaterswim.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/movewaterswim
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/movewaterswim/
