We match the kids by age and ability level. Start by choosing a class that fits with your child’s ability. We avoid class level classification because we believe a strong social learning environment proves beneficial and fun in a learn-to-swim environment. If you have any questions regarding the best class fit for you or your child, just email or call us.
FOSTERING A LIFELONG LOVE OF WATER
Sweet Blue Swim Academy was founded by Cristina Teuscher, a two-time Olympian and Gold and Bronze medalist as well as six-time national champion, and by her husband, Amerigo Fabbri, former Dean and Lecturer at Yale University.
Located in Stamford, CT, Sweet Blue Swim Academy offers the finest education in swimming based on knowledge of and experience in the highest divisions of the swimming world. The distinctive feature that sets Sweet Blue Swim Academy apart from other institutions is its meticulous focus on mastering impeccable technique for all four strokes. Our programming brings learn-to-swim classes to children starting from 4 months of age up to adults. Finally, we offer Competitive Clinics as well as Adult Stroke Analysis classes for both competitive swimmers and Master Swimmers/Triathletes.
Sweet Blue cultivates excellence in the water to advance self-knowledge, confidence and resilience regardless of age. We also wish to present our students an opportunity to create, within the boundaries of the pool’s walls, their own safe space for learning and reflection. Finally, it is our desire to provide an outstanding service to our community while fostering a lifelong love of water.
We welcome you to learn to swim, develop your stroke, or refine your technique. To learn more about our available baby swimming classes or our other swimming lessons please feel free to contact us today. Our team is proud to include families from Darien, New Canaan, Greenwich & Stamford, CT, as well as from the larger Westchester County, including Rye, NY.
Hours of Operation:
STAMFORD (75 Third Street, Stamford, CT 06905):
- Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM / 1:45 PM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM / 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Spring SEMESTER 2024 HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
- Spring CLASSES begin and end:
- Spring Semester 2024: Friday, January 5th — Friday, May 24th
- Spring SEMESTER 2024 HOLIDAYS – Sweet Blue classes closed:
- January 15th
- February 12th – 19th
- March 29th – 31st
- April 15th – 22nd
- SUMMER INTENSIVES 2024:
- Info will be released shortly into the Spring Semester.
SWEET BLUE TEAM
Cristina Teuscher swam on the United States National Team for eight years, representing the USA in two Olympic Games (’96 and ’00), winning a Gold and Bronze medal, and captaining the National Team for three years (1999-01). Cristina is a six-time National Champion, never lost an individual race during her collegiate career, including four NCAA titles, and is a former American and Olympic record holder.
She has coached both beginners, tri-athletes, and national elite level athletes. As the Robert H. Kiphuth head coach of Yale University Women’s Swimming and Diving Team, she has coached NCAA Division I Collegiate swimmers, and has collaborated with the most distinguished athletic programs in the country.
In the business world, Cristina has worked in Human Resources roles in both the finance and education sectors, focusing on coaching employees, mentoring new managers, developing talent and managing conflict resolution. Most recently, Cristina began her own executive coaching practice focused on coaching, mentorship and transition.
Cristina holds a BA from Columbia University, an MBA from INSEAD and a Coaching Certification with Columbia University, Teachers College. Outside of work, she is a 500-hour certified yoga instructor. She is the proud mother of her daughter Ophelia and German Shepherd, Teo together with her husband, Amerigo.
Amerigo Fabbri graduated Summa cum Laude in Linguistics from the University of Pisa, Italy, in 1992. He earned his doctoral degree from the Department of Italian Language and Literature at Yale University in May 2004. His scholarly work focuses on Modernism and Modernity, with particular emphasis on Avant-Garde movements, including Cubism and Futurism.
Dr. Fabbri has won numerous prizes and awards, including the Yale College Prize for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching, one of twelve recipients university-wide. From 2004 to 2005, he has collaborated with the Whitney Humanities Center in the organization of cultural events, while being on the faculty of the Directed Studies program, a selective series of seminars designed for first-year students on the Western canon and taught by distinguished faculty.
From July 2005 to July 2016, he was Dean of Pierson College at Yale University, overseeing the operation of the college with the Head. As Dean and chief academic officer of the college, Dr. Fabbri provided academic and personal counseling to over 500 undergraduates; administered and participated in residential college functions, served on Yale College Committees and taught one to two classes per year. His class “Futurism: The Shock of the New” was one of the most popular seminar courses offered in Yale College during his tenure.
Amerigo’s most memorable learning experience with swimming happened in Italy, when, as a young boy, he was too scared to jump from the five-meter diving board. His swim instructor promptly climbed the diving board, picked him up and dropped him in the water. He loved it so much, he got out and jumped in a few more times on his own that day. He is proud to say, Sweet Blue has more refined techniques than these to foster a love of the water in our swimmers.
She was born and raised in Cos Cob, Connecticut and loves to experience new places and people. With a Bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Psychology she makes for an excellent communicator, a great listener and a wonderful person to talk to if you’re having a bad day. Before she was our Assistant Director of Administrative Operations she was a lifeguard and swim instructor for 8 years. She has a deep love for the water and a passion for aquatic safety. She’s also a huge movie buff and a travel fanatic!
Gabriel grew up in Flatbush Brooklyn, NY, where he learned how to swim!
Both of Gabriel’s parents were lifeguards and competitive swimmers so his childhood experience with swimming was very rewarding. Gabriel learned how to swim at an early age and began competing as soon as he was old enough. He remembers a lot of hard work and long training hours which in the end, helped Gabriel with a powerful skill that has opened many doors for him, and believes it will continue to do so.
Gabriel first got into competitive swimming with a youth organization in his home town and he would have weekend swim practice and meets every other week. Competitive swimming runs in his family so his parents started him as soon as they could!
“Swimming has been a huge part of my life and helped shape me. I’ve learned to be a part of a team as well as an effective leader. I’ve gained the strength to push myself mentally and physically while gaining confidence.”
I have been a competitive swimmer since age 5 when I learned to swim in Long Island Sound.
Since college I have been competing in Marathon Open Water Swim Races around the world ranging in distances from 3 miles to 36 miles, volunteer-coaching aspiring triathletes with no swimming capabilities, being a Swim Angel for and supporter of Challenged Athletes Foundation, volunteering Swim Angel and supporter of the Westchester and Sleepy Hollow Triathlons, volunteering kayaker and observer for marathon swimmers, and being a committee member/supporter of Swim Across America-Larchmont.
In 2021, I became associated with Sweet Blue Swim Academy as a part time instructor. This has brought a special joy into my life teaching and sharing with young Mer-People my personal experiences and love for all things aquatic. I especially appreciate the way they energize the pool with their exuberance in the process of learning to swim. I’ve often commented to Cristina, when in a marathon race, how, just when I think I’ve reached my limit and cannot swim another meter, (when there are still several miles to go) I will channel my Sweet Blue Students’ Energy to power me through to the finish.
I look forward to Thursdays in the pool, watching how each student processes their individual learning experience. Developing motor skills in stroke, kicking and body position, the aha moments that bring smiles to their faces and ultimately from fear and trepidation to joy and happiness in the water.
Mia grew up in Norwalk, CT and was in swim classes before she could walk! Both of Mia’s parents were athletes and they always pushed her to be the best she could be in whatever situation she was put in. She remembers sitting in the tub at four years old asking her dad to put her on the swim team and soon as she turned five, he did. She continued on to compete until the end of her sophomore year of high school. Mia has always been more comfortable in the water than she has on land, always being the first person in the pool or ocean when on vacation. Swimming taught Mia the importance of hard work and dedication – that it always pays off in the end even if you can’t see it right away. It taught her how to be a productive team member and proud leader of every community she joins. She loves seeing the progress in her students as they get more comfortable in the water and start becoming independent swimmers.
I was born and raised in Manhattan, NY and I have been involved in aquatics for as long as I can remember. I learned how to swim as a young child and started swimming competitively at the age of 7. I moved to Newtown, CT and joined their town team which I participated in all the way through high school. This was also when I became a lifeguard and swim instructor at the age of 15. I was Team Captain in my senior year and was awarded an Athletic Leadership scholarship for my passion towards the water and aquatics community. I then went on to swim at the University of Delaware club swim team for 2 years while studying Physical Therapy, before transferring home to the University of Connecticut to study Cognitive Science.Since then I’ve had an array of aquatic positions in both CT & NY. It has been a wonderful thing blending my love for aquatics and mental health to teach both children and adults with a wide range of intellectual and physical abilities.The water is my happy place and I hope to inspire all of my students to grow the same love for the water. Swimming has impacted and shaped my life in such a positive way and I hope to encourage all to enjoy it, whether it be as simple as just learning how to swim, or creating a life long hobby.
Alberto grew up in Río Piedras Puerto Rico where he spent most of his life. He started swimming there when he was 10 years old and competitively at 12 years old in the Association of Puerto Rico, which took place at the northern part of the island. His swimming times were getting better, and he dominated freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke rapidly. He moved on to the Swimming Federation of Puerto Rico, where he had the opportunity to train with an Olympic level coach, Sanoni and Olympic swimmer Vanessa Garcia Vega . Thanks to them, he mastered butterfly stroke in 3 and half months and immediately started competing. The coach saw talent in him, but unfortunately, due to the economy and crisis of the country, he moved to the United States at 16 years old during Christmas and stopped swimming for months. During high school, he joined the swim team which got him back on track. The events that he swam were 200 IM relay, 400 relay freestyle, 50 freestyle, 100 fly, and 100 breaststroke.
In college he became a lifeguard and his first experience as a swim instructor began in Norwalk, where he taught basic, intermediate, advanced, swim team and adult lessons for 4 and a half years.
“Swimming has basically shaped my life to what it is today, working at Swim Blue and the other previous jobs that are all related to the water.”
Grace grew up in Darien, Connecticut but moved to Woodside, California (Bay Area) when she was 13. Grace grew up in the water. She started swimming at 5 and then started diving and playing water polo at 8 on summer teams. Grace then started diving year round with Whirlwind, a club team at the age of 10. After the move to California she started diving with the Stanford club team at Stanford University.
Grace decided to come back to the East Coast in 2015 to study at Marist College, where she majored in sports communications and advertising. She was a four year member of the Marist Women’s Diving Team, which was a division 1 program. She was also very involved in the athletic program and a member of the L.E.A.P Council. It was an amazing experience being able to help other female athletes grow in many different ways. While at Marist she was also very involved in the athletic department as a whole. Grace was a member of the L.E.A.P (Ladies Empowering Athletic Program) council.
My name is William Crecca however, I like to be called Liam! I have been swimming for as long as I can remember. Growing up with a pool in my backyard, water safety has always been important to me and my family. I have been swimming competitively for 13 years. So far in my collegiate career I was a NCAA Division 3 Conference Champion in the 50 yard freestyle. I am currently striving to share the importance of water safety through my teaching, while continuing to train in hopes of representing a NCAA Division 1 swim team in the future.
FAQs
Sweet Blue Classes
How do I determine what class is best for my child?
How long are your swim classes?
Our weekly Learn-to-Swim, Parent & Child and Stroke Excellence classes are 30 minutes long. Summer Intensives and Competitive Clinics classes are one hour-long classes.
Do I need to commit to a set number of classes or weeks?
Once you commit to a class, you will be entered in perpetual enrollment for that class where you will be charged on the first of each month for the classes in that month. You can select a drop date by emailing us at hello@sweetblueswim.com with at least 30 days advance notice.
How many children are in a class?
Our Learn-to-Swim and Stroke Excellence classes are at a low 1:3 teacher to student ratio. Parent & Child classes have a 1:4 ratio. Competitive Clinics has a 1:4 ratio. We are focused on offering quality instruction in a safe and fun environment.
Do you offer private lessons?
We firmly believe that children and adults learn best in a social environment, which is why we group our students by age and general ability. Generally speaking, we do not offer private lessons, with the occasional exception of stroke refinement one-off classes for high-level competitive athletes or one-on-one classes for clients with special abilities. Please inquire at hello@sweetblueswim.com or 475-359-3528.
Should my child swim more than once a week?
Swimming is a sport and skill that grows with time, therefore the more time dedicated, the faster the progression you will see. However, the student’s personality and experience should be taken into account before making this decision with the main focus being on fun and safety.
Do I need to be in the water with my child(ren)?
All children under the age of three will be in Parent & Child classes; therefore, a guardian will need to accompany the child in the water. We firmly believe the parent is the child’s first teacher and in our Parent and Child classes, the swim instructor works closely with the parents to help build their child’s confidence and skills in the water. It is one of the most natural and rewarding bonding experiences for parent and child.
What are the criteria for putting together students in a class?
At Sweet Blue, we look to group students in classes where they will receive quality instruction in a fun socially interactive environment. We look to group based on skill and age level while keeping safety as a top priority.
Does Sweet Blue offer swim lessons for adults?
We offer Learn-to-Swim and Stroke Analysis classes for adults. If you are learning freestyle or backstroke, you would opt for an Adult Learn-to-Swim class. If you are refining your technique, be it for exercise or competition, choose an Adult Stroke Analysis class.
Does Sweet Blue have a swim team?
At this time, we do not have a swim team, but we do work on a regular basis with many competitive swimmers around the New York and Connecticut area.
Registration & Enrollment
Can I enroll in your swim classes at any time?
Yes, you can enroll in a class at any time, as long as there is space and the age and skill level are appropriate for the student.
Do you have a registration fee?
We have an annual $25 registration fee per swimmer.
Can I request to enroll in a class that is already full?
If the class you are interested in registering in is full, please waitlist for that class through your online account here https://app.iclasspro.com/portal/sweetblue. You waitlists for classes the same way your would enroll in a class. Add the class to your cart and check out (there is no charge for waitlisting).
Do you have a waiting list?
Yes, if you are interested in a class that is full, simply waitlist for that class through your online account here https://app.iclasspro.com/portal/sweetblue. You can sign up for as many waitlists as you want at a time. When a spot opens up and you’re next on the list we will contact you to offer you the opening.
My child is enrolled in the Winter Session: do I need to re-enroll him/her if I want him/her to continue through the spring?
All winter and spring classes are the same, so if you would like your child to continue through the spring, there’s no need to do anything. The classes run on perpetual enrollment and you should only notify our staff via email at hello@sweetblueswim.com if you would like to discontinue classes. Please allow for thirty days in advance to cancel your enrollment. Please note that Summer Session is a separate enrollment altogether and if you wish to continue classes, please let our staff know via email so we can accommodate your schedule.
Is there a specific process to drop a class?
If you wish to drop a class, please allow thirty days advance notice to do so. To drop a class through our portal, please login into our parent portal, and click on “Enrollments” on the left hand side of the screen. You will see the class(es) your child(ren)’s is/are enrolled in. Click on “View Enrollment”. You will then be able to select the option “Drop” to drop that class.
Otherwise, you can also send an email to hello@sweetblueswim.com to confirm or request your drop date.
What happens in the event of a medical emergency and my child will be forced out of the water for some time?
Medical emergencies are unfortunate and not planned incidences. Therefore, we offer the ability to put your enrollment on hold should such a situation occur. We ask that you please notify us immediately of the situation with expected absences. We reserve the right to request a doctor’s notice to place a hold on your account.
Dropping a Class
How do I discontinue my child’s enrollment?
To drop a class through our portal, please login into our parent portal, and click on “Enrollments” on the left hand side of the screen. You will see the class(es) your child(ren)’s is/are enrolled in. Click on “View Enrollment”. You will then be able to select the option “Drop” to drop that class.
Otherwise, you can send a written notice via email to: hello@sweetblueswim.com. This serves to protect families so they can show date of discontinuation request, as monthly billing is directly linked to discontinuation request date. Without proof of discontinuation in email, credits/refunds will not be given.
What happens in the event of a medical emergency?
In the unfortunate event of a medical emergency, we offer the ability to put your enrollment on hold should such a situation occur. We ask that you please notify us immediately of the situation with expected absences. We reserve the right to request a doctor’s notice to place a hold on your account. Please note that in some circumstances a class change may make most sense for a student as the class continues to progress while the child is absent. However, we do not credit for missed classes due to minor illness nor flu.
Is it possible for my child to take a break from swim lessons?
Your child can certainly take a break from swim classes. Please allow for thirty days (30) advance notice to drop a class. Also, it should be noted that we do not reserve class spaces, they are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, so we cannot guarantee your child will be able to return to the same class.
Make-up Policy
What is your make-up policy?
Because of our strict student to teacher ratio, missed classes will not result in make-up classes, prorated tuition or refunds. No refunds for classes missed, including scheduled holidays.
However, we understand that perfect storms of situations can happen, so we are willing to offer a one make-up class per session (winter, spring or summer). Make-ups are based on availability and are not guaranteed. You are paying monthly tuition for your child’s spot in their weekly class. Please reserve these instances for true emergencies. Please honor the spirit of this privilege and use it only for serious illness or conflicts. We do not provide make-ups for missed make up lessons.
You are responsible for payment for your student’s classes whether of not your student attends class until the time you notify Sweet Blue via written notice. Please do not rely on your student to verbally let us know that he/she will no longer be attending classes. If a student stops coming to class without notification then that student’s account will be charged for the additional 30 days.
What is the rationale for your policy?
While we try to be flexible, it can be disruptive to the learning environment created in each class with overuse of rescheduling. It can negatively affect classes and your child’s progression.
Billing & Payment
How does Sweet Blue bill for classes?
Each month, you will receive email notification of estimated charges for the coming month of lessons. On the first of the month, the payment method you have chosen to keep on file with Sweet Blue will be charged.
Will I be charged immediately as I enroll through the portal?
When you actively enroll in a class at Sweet Blue, you will go through the checkout process and payment for the desired class will be charged to your credit card.
What are my payment options?
You can sign up for direct debit or credit card charge via your online account with Sweet Blue. We also accept payment by check or cash, but this method must be pre-approved by emailing hello@sweetblueswim.com.
Are absences from classes excused?
Missed classes will not result in make-up classes, prorated tuition or refunds. No refunds for classes missed, including scheduled holidays. Please read Make-up policy for more detailed information.
Do you have a refund policy?
We understand that at times you may not be happy with a service provided. At Sweet Blue, we strive to foster a community and meet our families’ needs to the best of our ability. If you are unhappy with the service provided, please email hello@sweetblueswim.com or call us at: 475-359-3528.
Diaper Policy
What is your diaper policy?
We follow the State Health Department recommendation and require double diapering: a re-usable swim diaper and a Happy Nappy to go over the swim diaper. This of course pertains to under the age of three or those who aren’t potty trained.
Please note that disposable diapers are not allowed as they come undone in the water, and are unable to prevent leaks.
Why should I use a re-usable diaper instead of a disposable one?
Unfortunately, disposable diapers to not provide a snug fit once they become wet, especially around the thighs, thus creating the likelihood of leaking should your child have an accident.
Am I required to use a Happy Nappy on top of a re-usable swim diaper?
The two re-usable diapers we require are a snug fitting diaper such as a Finis or iPlay of Charlie Banana swim diaper underneath and a Happy Nappy diaper on top.
Where can I buy swim diapers and Happy Nappies?
We find Finis and Happy Nappy swim diapers to be the best combination of protection. We sell them at retail pricing for your convenience.
Are you trying to increase your sales of swim diapers and Happy Nappies?
No, we follow the department of health recommendations for keeping the pool clean. We sell the diapers at retail pricing for your convenience, should you not have time to purchase your own or forget a diaper.
Is this really important? Is this often an issue?
Diaper accidents result in the cancellation of classes for a period of 24 hours, creating a disappointment for many families. Please be respectful of your fellow Sweet Blue family members and protect our water.
AFFILIATIONS
