Meet Team Thaggard
Get to know Leah better and her amazing team of instructors and certified lifeguards. These wonderful people are responsible for your children how to swim this summer!
Meet Leah Thaggard
Hello, I have been an educator for over twenty years. Over my career, I have been an elementary teacher in the classroom for 18 years and currently serve as a parent educator with the Lamar County School District. During the summers, I am passionate about teaching children swimming and safety lessons. These lessons are essential to me because of our friend, two-year-old Gracie.
Some children never whimper or cry during lessons, but others do because of their personalities. Someone must participate if your child is under four, and someone will need to review the concepts after lessons. We all learn through repetition. I will teach caregivers for the three and under classes how to continue to work with your child, and you will be amazed by the end of the summer. If you bring a young child to lessons, put a flotation device back on them and never practice; they will forget. Children that are upset will usually “give it up” by Wednesday. I have done this for over 25 years, and it’s something about Wednesday. Around 90% are successful after lessons, but those strong-willed children sometimes need two weeks.
I usually have a few parents who quit for strong-willed children who don’t like the water to get their faces wet. I am old school, and if the child wants to stop, who is the authority? All you have to say is that it is not your decision, but it will be so much fun if you know water safety. You all, we are not talking about learning to ride a bike. If the children acted the same on Monday and Friday, I would save my time and your money. If you are not sure your child could survive after falling into the water, know how to escape if someone gets on their back, or know what to do if they see another child drowning, I recommend these lessons!
Meet The Dream Team
Kat Thaggard
Instructor
My name is Kat Thaggard, and I just graduated from The University of Alabama with a degree in psychology and pre-med. At UA, I served as the university’s official ambassador and worked for the President’s Office. I have taught swimming lessons since I was eight years old. My mom taught me herself, so it has always felt natural for me to lead by her method. I’ve loved teaching children to swim since I was a little girl. Water safety is so important because every child can learn to swim. In all the years I have taught with my mother, I haven’t seen a child who couldn’t swim on the fifth day. I am excited to return with my family this summer before pursuing my studies.
Brand Thaggard
Instructor
Hello, I am Brand Thaggard, and I am a recent graduate University of Alabama. Currently, I am working on my master’s. Growing up with a pool and lake in our backyard has always made me mindful of water safety. My mother had me swimming before I can remember. She has taught me the value of learning to swim at an early age. Swimming is a great activity, but safety should never become overlooked with any fun activity. We strive to teach children to swim and how to survive. I’m excited to be home for the summer working with my family, as well as at McDonald’s in Oak Grove.
Olivia Breazeale
Instructor
My name is Olivia Breazeale. I’m a student in the Lamar County School District where I attend Sumrall. A few of my favorite things are volleyball, cheering and swimming. I’ve loved swimming since first learning from Mrs. Leah years ago. I’m very excited to be able to help other kids learn to swim this summer!
Parent Testimonies
Click any of the names below to read about their experiences with our swimming lessons.
Julie Breazeale
“We have 3 children, now ages 18, 15, & 13. When they were all toddlers we knew they had to know how to swim. I did some research and Leah seemed to be a good fit for our needs. We started with Barrett and he learned to swim on only a few short days, as did the other two. Fast forward many, many years and the kids will still randomly shout out “push the water behind you” and they recall exactly why they know that! Leah is dedicated to teaching students how to swim and water safety so if you are looking for an instructor she is excellent.”
Rhyan Davis
“We highly recommend Mrs. Leah for swim lessons! I’ve known her for almost 15 years, and our pediatrician refers all his patients to her. We took our son to swim lessons when he was only four months old and were amazed at how much he learned from Mrs. Leah at such a young age. Mrs. Leah has a structured but age-appropriate curriculum for each day, and we felt like we bonded with our son by being in the water with him. She cared for each child so well and worked with them individually, whether they were afraid to get into the pool or eager to jump into the deep end. We have continued to use the techniques Mrs. Leah taught, and we can’t wait to bring our son back again this summer.”
Kaylynn Johnson
“I would love to recommend Leah and her team to everyone. Our child was terrified of the water and almost drowned before these lessons. Everyone was so patient and kind that we felt these lessons answered prayer!”
Terell Alford
This was our third place to try swim lessons for our seven-year-old. I added in our three-year-old with low expectations, and I’ve been blown away by our boys’ growth! Now, they both swim like a fish. Thank you, Leah, Brand, and Kat! Don’t waste your money anywhere else!
Leigh Ann Bass
We have been taking our grandchildren to Leah’s since 2015. Thanks to Ms. Leah and her caring instructors for helping them overcome their timidness about swimming in a big pool. Last year they were so patient with the younger one as her swimming abilities grew. Our family appreciates all that you do by not just teaching them to swim but also how to be safe around the water!