My Biz: Get in the swim with Cedar Rapids club’s new owner

CEDAR RAPIDS - In the past year, Megan Oesting took over ownership of the Cedar Rapids Aquatics Association Swim School and the Eastern Iowa Swim Federation, both of which have been around for some 25 years but recently transitioned from a not-for-profit to for-profit entity.

'Our swim school is the entry level for all things swimming in the Corridor, and the business really expands as you go up” to more advanced levels, Oesting said.

With 30 years experience, she is an international gold medal swimmer and the former head coach at Iowa Flyers Swim Club, operated by the University of Iowa's Recreational Services.

She noted that the program offers group and private swim lessons to children ages three to 12.

'What's really special about our lessons is the fact that there is a one to three instructor-swimmer ratio,” she said. 'And that gives us flexibility to get each kid what they need.”

The Swim School stays fairly busy year-round, she said. It now also offers advanced lessons and is a good introduction to the Eastern Iowa Swimming Federation Swim Team, Oesting added.

'Eastern Iowa Swim Federation doubled in size in the last year,” she said. 'So we've added a new training group and are reassessing the pathway that the kids take through the program.

'Some kids want to go to the Olympics. Some kids just want to stay in shape for high school. Some people just want to stay fit and healthy and have swimming be a lifelong activity.”

Both the Swim School and swim team use the pool at Coe College as home base, but Oesting said they use other pools around Cedar Rapids, Marion and Iowa City.

The programs have upward of 1,500 participants in a given year, with the swim team boasting 150 swimmers. Overall there are 35 employees.

'This is a highly technical program,” Oesting said, noting it's her personal background and passion. 'We teach kids to swim not harder but better, and that technique-teaching-based curriculum is popular in the swimming world ...

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'Swimming is our tool to ignite and propel these young people,” she said. 'What I'm trying to show them is that they are capable of dreaming and pursuing something with passion. Yes, we are doing swimming stuff and I will make them fast in the pool, but it's so they can have this experience with confidence and develop the skills they will need in any walk of life.

'When you are behind the blocks, you are super nervous, just like when you are in job interview you are super nervous. All these things are ways to help them step out of their comfort zone, to be OK with uncertainty and try anyway.”

AT A GLANCE

Owner: Megan Oesting

Company: Eastern Iowa Swimming Federation

Phone: (319) 382-2722

Website: http://smgs.us/3kc0

l If you know a business that would be a great 'My Biz” subject, let us know at michaelchevy.castranova@thegazette.com