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James C., Queens, NY Swimming Coach

James C.

Swimming

SILVER

American Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructor, Former Competitive Swimmer and Coach for United States Sports Camps View all coaching experience

This coach is unavailable to take clients at this time.

Training Locations
Training Locations
  1. 73-38 Springfield Blvd, 73-38 Springfield Boulevard, Queens, NY

Coach is willing to travel up to 5 miles

  • SUNY Downstate Medical Center (NY)

  • 13 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

  • Adults, Kids, Teenagers

  • Open Water, Distance Freestyle, Sprint Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Individual Medley

  • Starts, Sprinting, Relays, Pulling, Pacing, Open Turns, Kicking, Flip Turns, Technique

Credentials

  • SUNY Downstate Medical Center (NY)

  • 13 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

Services

  • Adults, Kids, Teenagers

  • Open Water, Distance Freestyle, Sprint Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Individual Medley

  • Starts, Sprinting, Relays, Pulling, Pacing, Open Turns, Kicking, Flip Turns, Technique

More About Coach James

I am an American Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructor, Former Competitive Swimmer and Coach for United Stated Sports Camps. I have decade of experience teaching children as young as 18 months old to the adult levels. I have coached at varying levels of instruction, from non-swimmer beginners to advanced and competitive swimming.

I have developed a teaching style that tailors to each individual swimmer's specific needs. I work creatively, and meticulously to progress the swimmer's skills in a precise yet holistic approach. Working with a philosophy of building strong foundations, introducing water principle then working towards manageable goals in a progressive manner, has helped me reach consistent success for my clients. The passion that I exhibit for sharing the enjoyment of the water safely as well as fitness through swimming resonates through my lessons.

I grew up in Little Neck, NY, where I have trained from the age of 5 for my future swimming career. I have competed successfully in national competitions for mid-distance and distance freestyle. I have swam for the CIY Barracudas as well as the Chaminade HS Flyers, becoming captain of my team earning the MVP award in 1998.

After swimming competitively, I carried over my experience as a swimmer to coaching as I became an associate coach for the nationally acclaimed competitive swim camp, United States Sports Camps. My experience as a coach for the most competitive swim camp in the nation has helped me develop a critical eye for all four competitive strokes as well as encourage the acute regulations for competitive swimming.

Working alongside the aquatic director of Queensborough Community College teaching swim classes of all ages and levels and through an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor program, I have acquired the experience needed to teach aquatics efficiently and effectively. I have worked as a Water Safety Instructor at Tribeca Park Swim and Health Club since 2005 , and have taught at New York Health and Racquet and look forward to helping more individuals begin to enjoy the water for fun and fitness.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Queens College in 2008, graduating Summa Cum Laude from SUNY Downstate in 2022 with a degree in Health Sciences and Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. I received the Samuel B. Feitelberg Award for Academic and Clinical Excellence. I am currently working as a staff physical therapist at Montefiore Medical Center.

I work with my clients towards their individual goals, and you can expect to have a fun, challenging but rewarding experience while looking forward to moving on to the next level.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What should I bring to my first session?
Goggles, cap, swimsuit, towel, combination lock, and a pair if short fins(like the Z2 zoomers by Finis which can be purchased through Amazon)

Why are the fins necessary?
The fins help with providing feedback to the swimmer about their leg angle and position, and with the kick being one of the most important aspects of a swimmer's stroke, will help tremendously shorten the time learning the skills.

Can I pay in cash?
I only accept payments through the CoachUp site.

Where do you teach?
The client must provide pool access as well as obtain permission from pool to conduct swim lessons prior to session.

******Please note, I require at least a 24 hour cancellation notice to not be charged for a completed session. I reserve the right to cancel sessions due to inclement weather.

Action Photos

Client Reviews

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James Is an amazing, attentive and kind swim coach. My son 15 yrs old, varsity and swim club swimmer had a great experience on his 1st lesson and learned a lot particularly on the technical of his break stroke lesson.

He’s patient and go out of his way to teach my son the proper techniques and corrected all his bad habits of his swim so he can decrease his time.

We will definitely continue our lessons and highly recommend him to anyone.

Great experience with James. Just booked 5 more sessions with him.

James is a fantastic coach! From the moment our first session started he was easy to talk to, Incredibly thorough, patient and so helpful with the exercises he taught me. I highly recommend James as a coach and look forward to continuing to work with him!

Had a good lesson about foundation of swimming.

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James is a great coach. He is super patient and really helps you get the technical aspects of swimming and why they are important to master. I feel like I’m getting the theory and the practical at each session and that definitely helps me to wrap my brain around everything.

Great first lesson!

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I'm 50+ yrs old, and never able to swim laps from one end to the other without taking break to catch my breath. I wanted a better workout, so I reached out to Coach James to see what we can do about it.
In the first session, James showed me how to breath properly, and that immediate helped me to avoid swallow too much water, and that in turn helped me to be able to relax in the water without fighting for air all the time.
In the next couple of sessions, we moved on to some kicking techniques, and in case if I'm having trouble to do it properly, James will always jump into the water to show me how it looks like if done properly, and made sure I was engaging the correct muscle group to perform the action. Then we moved on to arm pulling, body rotation... etc.
By the time I finish my package of sessions with Coach James, I was able to swim 100 meters continuously without feeling exhausted, cause I've learned the techniques, and a lot more relax in the water now.
Like any other training, it will take time and practices, but if you're committed to improve your swimming techniques, Coach James is a great resource to teach you what you need to know, and how to get it done properly.
Highly recommended!

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James is an excellent coach and super pacient with beginger swimmers, he has been a trumendous help in reaching my goal which is competing in a triathlon this summer!

James was amazing. I thought she had a pretty good stroke and was amazed to watch him break down each part, finesse the technique, and put it back together again. My daughter showed tremendous improvement in just one session. James even followed up with helpful videos. I can't wait to see where we can go after future lessons.

Booked a few lessons for my sons (ages 9 and 12) and couldn’t be happier with James as a coach. James is a great communicator which is so important when teaching kids this age and he really connects with them. Swimming is such a technical sport and James does a wonderful job explaining each aspect of the stroke. I love that he employs a socratic method rather than simply dictating instructions which makes your child think and understand the lessons that are being imparted. James is also very hands on. Often swim coaching for kids at these ages are all done above the water but James has no qualms about jumping in the pool which I think is very beneficial. By being in the water, he can provide constructive feedback on what the swimmer is doing under the water and and teach proper technique through demonstration. Another big positive is that the lesson doesn’t end after the pool session because James takes the time to follow up with tips and provide links to videos on technique to reinforce what he was teaching in the pool. I would highly recommend James as a coach.

Only had one lesson so far for my son but James seems to know what he's doing and has a very good approach to explaining things.

Update: A few lessons in and now I'm sure that James is really an excellent swim coach. My son starting swimming on a team relatively late for his age (14) and had developed some bad habits over the years. James has an amazing talent for breaking down and identifying all the issues, some small and some big, and working with my son to improve them. I noticed a dramatic improvement at his team practices this weekend. Highly recommended!!!

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James is a very patient and attentive instructor! He aligns your objectives and works hard in helping you meet your goals. I am a beginner in swimming and he makes me feel more comfortable in the water!

He was good

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James is an excellent coach! He is patient, methodical and detail oriented. My son, who is a competitive swimmer, started working with James to enhance his techniques; James’ approach is both wholistic and exacting, which truly lends to a complete refinement. James “fine tuned” the entire approach to each stroke from beginning to end with emphasis on the whole body movement and placement. He further enhanced the learning experience with differentiating the changes between sprint, mid-range and distance swimming style applications. He takes the time to answer questions and run drills to ensure my son feels confident. James further develops the lesson with email updates including videos that reviews the lesson. Aside from his methodical approach/personality, he instructs both visually and communicatively; James communicates the instructions and will also swim the proper movement/techniques in the pool which is great for both visual and cerebral comprehension. James is very personable and affable! We highly recommend James and my son truly looks forward to each session!

James is a good coach , he is vary patient .James start from theoretical swimming physics and make sure you understand what you are doing prior actually test it in the water , later he make sure that theory will be implemented into a training , so during an hour session in between workouts he give you all the feedback and theory ...In my case I have 40+ years of wrong swimming technique or none. I never got a formal swimming training , so I'm a challenging subject for James ....

Coach James was great! My son looks forward to continuing training and learning from him
Going to book more lessons now!

Coach James was very helpful with our 9 year old daughter improving her swimming technique and has a very friendly manner and is very professional

Coach James is an excellent coach. After 2 sessions with Coach James, my son improved a lot regarding his technique and speed. Coach James is patient, knowledgeable, fun and professional. He knows his student well and point out what has been done well and what needs to improve, and he tailored his coaching to each individual's needs, so his student can improve fast under his guidance. He communicates well with parents. I am lucky to find James as my son's coach. I will recommend him to anyone who wants to learn to swim or improve his/her swimming skills.

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I'm an adult returning to the pool for workout. Coach James is helping me to improve my form, breathing and endurance. I'm also looking forward to learning some new styles/strokes. I highly recommend Coach James!
He is very professional, knowledgeable and patient.

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Great coach

James is an excellent coach. I am an adult student (37) getting ready for my first triathlon swim and he really helped me focus on the skills I would need, specifically, for that type of swim. He has an in depth knowledge of swimming technique and training. James always made me feel like I was getting my money's worth. He always made a point to stick with me in the lesson even if we ran a little over time. I would highly recommend James. Thanks a lot James.

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Coach James was really great with my 10 year old swimmer. looking forward to working with coach james again.

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Coach James has been wonderful helping my teenage daughter perfect some of her swimming skills and techniques to make her a better swimmer. She swims on a team but doesn't get a lot of personalized coaching. Coach James was able to focus in on some areas where she needed to improve in order to become a better swimmer. He is kind, patient, and good at explaining himself. My daughter has been very happy with her sessions.

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I've been trying to learn the butterfly for years. I just couldn't put the arm movement with the dolphin kick together. After one session with James, I was amazed that I had the basic technique down. James explains really well and he demonstrates too. Next session already book.

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Very professional and good teacher.

I had the best lesson of my life! James was really great with teaching and talking to me about the basics and the reason behind the techniques. Which makes it easier to apply. What I liked most is that James get's in the water with you and guides you. I'm already going back.

When our son started private lessons with Coach James, he was already a club and competitive swimmer but we wanted work on refining and improving overall swim skills. Coach James immediately set to work to work on his kicks and the catch for his pulls, breaststroke kick and turns, focus on freestyle technique, efficiency during longer swims, lengthening stroke, hips and kicks in harmony with upper body, identify the three different freestyle strokes and when to apply them; technique for distance freestyle, backstroke, flip/open turns. timing of his recovery/pull for his back/free, the mechanics for his kicks for all the strokes, as well as the timing of the hip motion in his breast/fly. We’ve worked on all the different strokes.

Coach James is a good teacher. He is patient, very focused and detail oriented. He explains the technique and concept and by engaging and asking questions to ensure the drill or technique is clear and understood by our son, further solidifying by providing demonstration in and out of the pool. Coach James is very passionate and is a good teacher. He always provides positive feedback and reinforces what he teaches.

Our son swims for a swim club and is competitive swimmer but Coach James provides the 1:1 personal training and coaching that has helped him tremendously, not only to improve his swimming time, but also developed his knowledge and confidence. Our son’s strokes look much smoother, he’s more confident and looks much stronger. Our son is a High School Division and County Finalists, local LSA champion, achieving AAAA cut. He has steadily improved since we began with Coach James, I would highly recommend Coach James to any level swimmer.

Coach James is awesome! He pays close attention to proper breathing and technique. In 2 lessons, my daughter has improved on her strokes and flip turns. He also takes time out of the pool, to make sure the student is using their core muscles and doing proper movements. I would recommend him highly.

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Coach James is very knowledgeable on and particular about the science, techniques, and bio-mechanics behind what makes a good swimmer.

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Coach James was very focused on technique which was just what my son needed. He is excellent, and I highly recommend him.

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Coach James was a great coach. My daughter had a session with him and really enjoyed. He was very focused on her technique and really gave her some great pointers. He had her constantly in the pool and analyzing her various strokes.
Great experience overall.

Coach James is great. My 7 year old hot so much from him with just an hour session. James was not in rush and explained everything well. I recommend James to all no matter what the expertise level is, James can always help you improve.

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James is awesome. He explains everything in detail and is great at identifying issues fast and showing how to fix them.

I'm 52 years old and taking my first swim coaching since age 7 because I started competitively swimming as part of becoming a triathlete. James provided very comprehensive instruction and he was very perceptive in identifying my deficiencies and helping me to correct them. I feel like I've had good improvement in the six months that he has been coaching me.

James is an excellent coach and teacher, I'm a beginner with a high demand in improvement and after two sessions I already feel I have improved drastically. I would recommend him to anyone looking for swim lessons.

I have been extremely happy with the job Coach James has done so far. He is patient, dedicated, professional and very encouraging. He worked with me specifically on my technique and critiqued me really well while giving specifics about what I need to focus on. He can analyze the cause of my stroke problems, then offer well thought out drills to fix my problems. My freestyle has been improved a lot, as well as my other strokes.
Recently I had a minor shoulder injury. Coach James gave me some really helpful tips for preventing and dealing with shoulder injuries. He also modified the workouts so I could still swim during my shoulder recovery. I will continue to train with him as times allows. I highly recommend James.

Coach James is an exemplary coach. After the first session with my son, I knew he was a keeper. My son has mild autism and ADHD and James is wonderful and patient with him. I am very surprised and impressed with the progress my son made with only after 3 sessions...it blew me away...His techniques and skills are amazing, he is without a doubt the best coach my son's ever had. I would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking for a swim coach.

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Very professional! My daughter felt very comfortable working with James.

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Persistent. Patient. Attentive. Professional. Didactic. Just phenomenal.

Coach James is beyond 5 stars!! This is the first coach that actually explained to my 9 year old why she needed to do what he was suggesting. He carries out the perfect balance between modeling and observing. He can break down the sport into its essential elements (mini-physics lessons included) and put it all together. Beyond impressed! Saw my daughters eyes light up when he brought to light the differences. She will definitely make strides on her team this year! Glad I tried James!

He is an excellent coach. I never knew those details about swimming , I am going to take more sessions. I believe he is the coach who can make me a real swimmer

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I’m a 27 year old adult learner. Before I have tried to learn with two different tutors in a group setting, but still couldn’t swim , and even developed some kind of discomfort due to multiple instances of choking on water when learning swimming. Classes with James totally changed my relationship with water. I’ve had about 6 sessions with him and with a little more practice, I would say I’m not only able to swim, but have the potential to become a really good swimmer. For every one-hour session, he stands in the water with me and moves along with me all the time, which greatly helps me to overcome my water-phobia. He explains technical terms with great patience and details, and make them very easy for me to apply. He knows when to let me practice, gives me the authority to take control of my own learning pace, but also knows to move on to next so I have time to grasp each movement and meanwhile be challenged to move forward. I highly appreciate his approach of not only teaching me to swim, but also to swim well and correctly. He recognizes my potential and is highly encouraging, and points out and demonstrates relentlessly everything I should improve on. I feel like being treated as someone who learns to compete which greatly boost my confidence. I’ve been praised for my nice stroke at least twice by other swimmers when I practice swimming in other pools since I begin my classes with James. But most important of all, each class passed without me even noticing it, and I have discovered my new passion and joy in the water. I would highly recommend James to any of my friends.

I reached out to Coach James after my daughter expressed a desire to be a better swimmer. Coach James worked one-on-one with my daughter to perfect her skills. He always gave positive feedback even as he described strategies and techniques my daughter could use to improve. I truly believe that as much as Coach James worked to improve my daughters swim skills he also improved her self-confidence. As a result of his training, my daughter made it on to a very rigorous swim team. I am grateful to Coach James for his assistance. I plan on having my daughter take more sessions with Coach James in the future. I highly recommend that you contact Coach James if you or your child want to be better swimmers. He is truly a 5-Star Coach!

James is very thoughtful and attentive. He is friendly and engaging, as well as a very skilled teacher and coach. My children have had numerous swim classes and lessons over the years and never managed to either be especially comfortable in the water nor to develop really strong technique. They made dramatic strides with James after a couple of hours. Perhaps most impressive of all, after two lessons, my son declared that he "loves to be in the water," after being incredibly anxious and uncertain about his swimming ability before. I am awed by how fast they are learning and how much they love it.

My daughter has been receiving coaching from Coach James for over a year. Coach James is patient and precise in his instructions. He quickly established a good rapport with my daughter. Each coaching session starts with James checking in with my daughter to see what she wants to improve on. Over the last year he has helped her become a better swimmer and stronger competitor. Coach James has also taught my younger son. James is a great coach for all ages and levels.

Coach James is an amazing coach. He has an amazing eye for detail. He is extremely patient and kind. He explains things thoroughly so that my 11 year old daughter understands. He takes the time to describe what she is doing wrong and how she can fix it. He followed up with a review of what he taught my daughter and what she needs to work on during her regular swim practice. My daughter can not wait to go back for another session. She wishes that James was her swim coach. I highly recommend James.

Please disregard the previous review it was submitted in an error.
James has been a great coach for my daughter. He is very patient and I saw a great improvement with her swimming techniques.

5-star.

Coach James knows what he has to give instruction. Very satisfying.

Excellent coach, great instruction and very patient. Highly recommended.

My 7 year old son had a great session with James. I am simply amazed with how much my son learned from 1 session after attending countless stroke clinics, private lessons, swim schools from some of the best on Long Island! Thank you !

James was great with my daughter and her free style went to a different level. She was only 7, but James kept her attention the entire time, She cant wait until her next session!

Extremely patient, thorough, always excited and a great communicator - all these personal traits combined with his own experience training for competitive swimming make James an exceptional coach. After two unsuccessful attempts to learn how to swim in group sessions, I am very glad I have decided to try out 1:1 coaching. In the beginning of every class, we'll discuss what we'd like to focus on based on previous session's progress and start out with appropriate drills to build up to the skill I'm trying to hone in. Even during the most repetitive drills, he would always notice something I can improve on, break down the why's behind it and very effectively communicate how to make the change by demonstration. I felt like I was learning something new after each and every lap. It was an amazing learning experience when all these practices and lessons then helped me gradually become a stronger swimmer throughout the months, both by acquiring new techniques and developing new muscles. While having lots of fun every time too! I highly recommend Coach James to swimmers of all levels.

Coach James' expertise, positive and patient demeanor, and effective communication skills make him a triple threat. He has this bizarre (but amazing) ability to precisely diagnose the weaknesses in my form and suggest helpful adjustments. Beyond his encyclopedic knowledge of technique, I most appreciate his willingness to communicate on my terms and in the ways that help me best learn, whether that means using analogies I understand, finding the right drills for me, or jumping in the water to demonstrate the differences in strokes. As a runner and a cyclist who struggles with the swim, I would unreservedly recommend him to any beginning swimmer or aspiring triathlete. Thanks, Coach James!

Coach James is an excellent coach, who has a very clear and step-by-step method for teaching the fundamentals. His manner is easy-going, and so the hour goes by quickly. But, when it is over, its hard to believe how much I've learned and how much progress I've made.

This was my first ever swimming class and I am glad James was the coach. Growing up I am always scared of water but James was patient with me and made me feel comfortable in the water. His instruction was very detailed and clear, I made progress on my breathing, kicking and floating skills by the end of the first session. Never imagined I could even put my face under water, by now I am more confident in the water thanks to James.

James is an amazing coach!

Excellent! He is knowledgeable and helped me with my goals.

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Coach James has become my son's swim coach. He is very informative with my son's progress. He loves the class and looks forward to going👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

Coach James is one of the best coaches I've ever had! With his advice, I have been able to drop several seconds in all of my events. If you are looking to improve your competition times, Coach James is the coach for you!

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Coach James is just awesome! I am very lucky to have found him! For the first time in my life, I feel that I might learn how to swim! :)

Coach James is a very dedicated Coach. My kid got a great deal of help from him. He is flexible, and always encouraging.

James is a cut above. I have had a number of coaches and personal trainers. James is the only instructor who has emphasized the importance aligning mindset and movement, and for me, after a single session, that has made a world of difference. I recommend him without reservation.

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Really appreciate his attention to detail and support

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Coach James was great. Very patient and positive. He gave me excellent tips on improving my freestyle. I would highly recommend him!

He was great coaching my son. He was in the pool with him and showed him stuff. Most coaches stand dry. The one-on-one helped a lot.

Coach James is such an amazing teacher - he knows just how to explain things and is very patient. I look forward to more sessions with him.

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James was very patient with my nearly 8 year old daughter, and kept her focused. She really enjoyed their session.

Coach James is a very patient, fun and smart coach. He swam in the pool with my daughter to show her how to improve her strokes. He explained in details on the principles of good swimming techniques. My daughter enjoyed the session with Coach James and and she has learned a great deal in just one session. We will return for more sessions.

Coach James is a great coach. I am an adult beginner swimmer and James is extremely patient and tailors the lessons to suit individual needs. His techniques are very effective and I would recommend coach James to anyone.

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Very attentive and patience. A relaxed style of coaching, with great emphasis on the basics. Highly recommended for any level of swim lesson.

Coach James is a wonderful coach! Even after one session, I saw great improvement in my strokes. James is very patient and does a great job individualizing sessions. I would recommend him to anyone from beginner to advanced. Thanks, Coach James!

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Coach James is simply great!! After only one sessions i started to feel much more comfortable and relaxed in the water. His techniques are just amazing. Would recommend anyone to take lessons by him.

I read the reviews on Coach James before signing up. He did not disappoint. He is a phenomenal coach. That was evident from the first session . My son learned so much in just one session. We look forward to working with him over the summer.

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James is a great coach

James was fantastic, extremely patient and explained everything. I felt very comfortable throughout the entire processes. I look forward to more classes!

In our very first lesson with James, my daughter made a breakthrough with her stroke that increased her speed to the point that fellow parents on the swim team expressed bewilderment at the improvement (from one practice to the next). James is a gifted instructor, not only for his considerable acumen of the sport of swimming, but for his determination and ability to connect with children. Our daughter has had many swim lessons in the past, but never has she had them from anyone as attuned and engaged as James. One of the more telling moments came in our third lesson together, wherein our daughter asked James whether he was going to get into the pool with her (which he does 90% of the time) as he was providing her with instructions poolside. His answer ‘yes of course’ brought a big smile to her face. Clearly the investment James has made in their time together is as apparent to her as it is to me and that has made a world of difference.

As an educator myself, I was truly impressed with James' approach to coaching my 11 year old. He was extremely detail-oriented, not only talking her through the mechanics and principles behind the stroke but also demonstrating how it should be done. He's extremely relatable and very effective. I expect her to make great progress working with him.

James has been my son's guide in so many areas of swimming competition. His feedback is instrumental in technique development, turns and starts. He has valuable knowledge as an experienced competitive swimmer himself and he is changing the way my son swims… His times have decreased and is still gaining speed! James has a wonderful rapport and this has been key in motivating a sometimes reluctant swimmer- he has created a confidence that is thriving…At the high school level, technique is critical and you just don't get the individual attention from a coach who has 30+ team members…Sessions with James' invaluable instruction have made all the difference!

Excellent is not enough to express James' expertise, patience and knowledge.

Excellent is not enough to express James' expertise, patience and knowledge. In just one session I learned how to breath better, stoke better, flip against the wall--mind you I am already a swimmer but I never had a swim coach. James is awesome.

James has been a great coach; he
used appropriate communication methods to help my understanding of movement & skills & technique.

I am learning to swim as an adult and it can be intimidating. James is a superb instructor who spends time making sure you learn proper techniques and the physics of swimming prior to moving on the next stroke. As a result of working with James, I made significant improvements in my freestyle and backstroke while learning strokes that were previously difficult. I am much more confident in the water and look forward to lifelong participation in the pool. I wholeheartly recommend James and look forward to many more lessons for myself in the near future.
James has got swimming down to a science. As long as you put in the effort, James will lay the groundwork for you to accomplish your goals. In just three lessons with James, I've learned more about swimming than ever before and am on my way to being a proficient swimmer.
James is an incredibly patient and thorough instructor. I appreciate his positive reinforcements and that when he's giving corrective advice it's always from a "you can do it" perspective. As someone who can be really hard on myself it's refreshing to have somone tell me not to worry and that if I relax and keep going things will get better. I really like the fact that he builds a solid foundation to build on. He's teaching me the right way to do things so I can be the best swimmer I can be. I think he's an all around great person to have lessons with. Anyone considering taking swimming lessons go ahead and call or email James to set up a lesson. He's great!
James is a kind and patient teacher. I am now a stronger swimmer and a more relaxed one! His breathing techniques are so helpful and I love his gentle teaching style.
I took swimming lessons when I was younger and again a few years ago but, never made any real progress. I decided to give it another try and found James' website. James is a very patient and encouraging instructor. There is no pressure or rush to move on to the next thing. He breaks everything down so you can understand it and then builds up on top of it as you progress. I feel like I'm not only learning how to swim, but how to swim correctly with the right technique. The lessons are great, a high point of my week. If you have never taken a lesson before or want to improve your technique you should definitely take a class with James.
Although I had lessons prior to working with James, they were in group settings and often felt rushed. I felt no more comfortable in the water with lessons than I did without them. With James' patient and loose teaching methods I felt like I was actually making progress and more importantly felt comfortable in the water sooner than I imagined it would happen. Now, have have no fear of the water and am very confident in my growing skills as a swimmer.
Hi All, I am 29 years old and James taught me how to swim. I didn’t know how to swim (complete ignoramus about swimming and feared water in general) before taking lessons with James. James was extremely patient with me and paid attention to details of my learning progress through out the lessons. His attention to details was right away a sign to me that I made a right choice in finding the best instructor. Thanks to him, now, I know how to swim. Some of his breathing techniques have helped me relax in my regular life as well (a huge plus!). I can honestly say this is probably one of the best investments I’ve made in my life. I highly recommend taking lessons with James, especially if you are a complete beginner (with a little bit of water fear) like myself. Thanks James!
If watching toddlers valiantly swim past you almost brings tears to your eyes in frustration, then swimming with James is your answer. I started out with a slight phobia of water. I had never learned to swim and had barely interacted with water growing up. For most of my life, I had resolved that I would be the chick that couldn't swim, especially since I'm in my mid-twenties. So, it was a given that I needed someone with infinite patience. Some instructors can be great swimmers but not the best at teaching or empathizing with their students. James re-channeled and diagnosed my fear as "fear of the unknown". He was excellent in making me feel secure, relaxed, informed, and empowered. He is very hands-on and motivating. Because of these lessons, swimming has gone from a Guantanamo Bay torture session to one of the most adventure-filled parts of my week. As a runner, I already have enough spontaneous injuries as it is. Through James' guided practice, I have learned the most efficient techniques, which I found even aiding my injuries to recovery. Thus, I am truly thankful that I found James. For twenty-something years, I had no idea swimming could be so much fun! There's no way you could regret working with him!!!
I am an adult with no swimming experience. After 7 lessons with James, I now know the basics of swimming. Though I am not yet a proficient swimmer (it's all about practice now), I thank James for his patience and guidance in helping me to learn the basics. James is a great teacher with a positive, encouraging attitude, and great insight on what, where, and how I could improve my various skills. He can look at my legs at the beginning of the lesson and tell if I've been running and my hamstrings are too tight! Overall, a great teacher that I would highly recommend.
Looking for a swimming instructor that makes you feel safe, explains each technique thoroughly and makes each session lots of fun? Then you need to hire James Cha. Why? He simply explains each swimming technique so that you will do them correctly each and every time. He makes every move safe so that you will swim without injury. He makes each session fun because swimming is suppose to be a wonderful experience each and every time you get into the water. This is why I continue to hire James. He's professional, has a great attitude and your confidence grows each time you visit him. I couldn't ask for anything more.
I have been working with James for about a year. I started out as a beginner, and James has been equally diligent and patient with me as I made progress. He is an excellent teacher – he communicates instructions very clearly and intuitively and always provides positive reinforcement. My goals have changed since I started learning how to swim, and James has been flexible and has tailored our sessions to my changing goals. Overall, I would highly recommend James to anyone who is interested in swimming – from beginners to advanced swimmers
As an adult it has always been my goal to learn how to swim. Within 3 lessons I couldn't believe what James had taught me. He's patient and really works hard to make sure you improve. Now I'm at the pool often practicing the skills he taught me instead of being the one always siting on the bench or shore watching others enjoy the water. Even my husband who is an excellent swimmer was impressed with what he saw! Thank you James for teaching me how to swim!
James was able to help me dramatically improve my swimming ability in a matter of a few lessons. I was a very poor swimmer before and had difficulty improving on my own as I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong. Friends also seemed to be of limited help, as most weren't quite able to pinpoint the exact deficiencies in my technique. However, James easily identified my shortcomings and provided drills for me to work on to overcome each of them. He was also very patient and accommodating. I can see how he would be very good with children, as well. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking to learn or simply improve their technique.
My friend and I had private lessons with James together. We were adults learning to swim. James was very patient. He allowed us to learn at our own speeds while challenging us to do more than we thought we could. I am proud to say that we were able to swim at the conclusion of our lessons.
James was the swim coach to our 7 year old for a year. During that time James diligently and patiently taught various swimming techniques to our daughter . He was very professional and connected with our daughter very well. We found him to be a very good coach and our daughter showed steady progress, had fun and looked forward to the weekly lessons. We are moving out of NYC but if we were to stay on, we would have definitely continued the lessons with James. I would highly recommend James as a swim coach to anybody.
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