ISR Swim Lessons with `ISR Savannah` | Infant Swimming Resource

Get to Know Kate Finney

Hi there! My name is Kate Finney and I am a Certified Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) Instructor. My family and I moved to Savannah, GA in 2021 and since then, I have served families in this area through ISR lessons! I am a 2016 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where I majored in Human Factors Engineering and swam competitively. My husband, Sam, and I met in college and have been married since 2017. We have 4 little boys who absolutely light up our world - Dominic, Elijah, Xavier, and Leo.

I grew up surrounded by water and developed a passion for all things aquatic. Throughout my childhood my family belonged to summer swim clubs where I participated on the swim team and eventually served as a lifeguard and traditional swim lessons instructor. I was also heavily involved in competitive swimming on a club team all-year round. Between morning practices before school and commuting back after school for a second workout, I never strayed far from the pool and was sure to always smell like chlorine. Swimming had a profound impact on my development and upbringing, and I can honestly say that I would not be the person I am today without it.

After saying "see ya later!" to competitive swimming when graduating college, I went on to serve in the Army as a Field Artillery and Adjutant General officer. The Army provided a myriad of adventures, friendships and experiences that I am deeply appreciative of, but after becoming a mother in 2019 I no longer felt comfortable with the amount of time and sacrifice it required. When asking myself, "what's next?" I came to the pleasant realization that many of my most fulfilling, authentic, and formative experiences took place in some sort of aquatic environment.

My soul-searching and researching led me to Infant Swimming Resource - and I never looked back! I was immediately drawn to and impressed by the elite standards, safety protocols and depth of theory, anatomy and physiology in ISR's Self-Rescue program. Swimming and being near the water always brought me a deep sense of peace and purpose. ISR was the perfect avenue to continue that passion while continuing to give back to the community. I temporarily moved myself and our two little boys to Texas so I could complete ISR instructor training in 2021 while my husband packed up our house and moved us to Savannah for a new and very exciting next chapter in our lives!

I am incredibly humbled, eager, and honored to bring ISR to Savannah. Being that this beautiful, historic city is surrounded by and filled with water of all kinds - ocean, rivers, pools, marshes, you name it - its most precious and vulnerable residents are at risk. The terrible reality is that drownings do not discriminate. They happen to good families and very loving, vigilant parents. I look forward to furthering ISR's mission of "Not One More Child Drowns" and I hope you will join me in the movement!

FAQs

Why don’t parents participate in the water during the lessons?

We do not want the baby to initially associate the water with the love, attention, and affection of the parent while in the water. Also, it takes incredible concentration and objectivity to teach the baby how to respond to an aquatic emergency and our experience shows that parents often find it too difficult to be objective to be effective teachers with their own children in the water. We gladly invite parents to join us in the pool once their child has independent skills to practice at home.

How do the kids react during the first few lessons?

Children often fuss during the first few lessons because they are in a new environment and around new people. As your child becomes more confident in his/her ability in the water, the fussing will decrease. It is not unlike the first time you tried a new exercise class or were asked to perform a task at work that you’d never done before: the first time you try a new task it is always challenging, until you get the hang of it. It is the same for your young child. Your child is learning to perform a skill that he/she’s never done before.

Do parents have to leave during the lessons?

No. You are truly the best cheerleader your child could have. Your positive support and encouragement are invaluable to creating an effective learning environment for your child.

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.

Get to Know Kate Finney

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