Goldfish Swim School opens in Sherwood

Kids can now learn to swim indoors at a new location right here in Sherwood.

Goldfish Swim School for local infants and children is now open at 21558 S.W. Langer Farms Pkwy. The franchise celebrated its 200th location in North America with a ribbon-cutting on October 14. 

Kids from ages four months to 12 years old can take family-friendly swim lessons indoors and year-round in warm, 90-degree pools with Ellis & Associates lifeguard-certified instructors. There are safe, individual changing rooms instead of locker rooms and a hair-drying station.

The Sherwood swim school already has 400 students and employs 20 staffers, according to General Manager Holly Yeck.

Alex Tyler is the owner of the Sherwood swim school and five other locations, a former competitive swimmer, and a father of two.

“My mission is to ensure that all children have a safe, fun, and friendly place in their community to learn this life-saving skill,” Tyler said. “We are excited about the opportunity to welcome more and more families into our schools as we expand our reach and impact.”

Tyler started swimming competitively at age four, and eventually went to the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials. He taught swim lessons to kids during high school and college, when he attended Northwestern University.

"I love the water, I love all the memories I created growing up around water, and it's been a passion of mine all my life," Tyler said. "(Teaching) was something I was just passionate about, I was good at it, and it was second nature to me."

Goldfish Swim School was founded in 2006 in Birmingham, Michigan by spouses Chris and Jenny McCuiston. Tyler said their first swim school opened in his dad's building, so he was able to get an insider look at what Goldfish Swim School was all about.

"When I graduated, that was exactly what I wanted to do, so I bought a franchise," Tyler said. "I dove in head first, and never looked back. That was 13 years ago."

In Michigan, Tyler was looking to expand his team.

"I had a great team that was looking to go somewhere. I took a trip out to Portland, and I fell in love with it — it was the nature, the people, the communities that are here," Tyler said. "Sherwood is just a close, tight-knit, and family-oriented community, and that's very familiar to me and where I grew up, so it made a lot of sense."

McCuiston thanked the Chamber of Commerce, Tyler, and the community for the support the business has received so far in Sherwood.

“Reaching our 200th location is an incredible milestone that represents passionate franchisees like Tyler who share our mission of making every child a safer swimmer and was recently awarded the first-ever Goldfish Swim School Franchisee of the Year for his dedicated support for the brand,” McCuiston said. “We are eager to make local connections with you, and we just want to be a part of this community in any way we can."

The franchise has plans to develop 150 more locations, according to the brand.

"We have more of an experience than just a swim lesson," Tyler said. "We provide everything that's fun and tropically themed, and our facility is built for kids. Our instructors go through 40 hours of training, and we hire people who love kids. My passion is to build teams that find fulfillment in their day-to-day lives, and that's what we're doing."

Families are invited to join free Friday Night Family Swim sessions on October 17 and 24 from 6-7:15 p.m., and to enter a giveaway for five $200 gift cards by following the school on Facebook and Instagram.