Hot Stuff: Meet the dean of London swimming instructors

Got a suggestion for a Hot Stuff story about a person or thing that makes summer special in Southwestern Ontario? Email us at curiouslondon@postmedia.com The first victory in Maxwell Burton’s pool is rarely a lap. Sometimes it is a child letting go of the wall, putting a face beneath the surface or trusting that the person beside [...]

The first victory in Maxwell Burton’s pool is rarely a lap. Sometimes it is a child letting go of the wall, putting a face beneath the surface or trusting that the person beside them will not let them sink. At Finan Swim School’s Berkshire Drive pool, Burton experiences those smaller victories with plenty of London’s families in a place that has become nearly as familiar to him as dry land.

Many Londoners have learned a first kick, float or stroke under Burton’s watch. After nearly a decade of instruction, from private lessons to competitive coaching, even he has trouble keeping count. “Hundreds, for sure.

Absolutely,” said the 23-year-old facility manager at Finan. Burton began helping with lessons at 13 and most often teaches children between four and 11. He recalled starting swimming at seven in Dunedin, New Zealand, before moving to north London in his early teens and completing his lessons through the city.

He moved through lifeguarding courses, joined the London Aquatic Club and discovered quickly that he preferred teaching to racing. While studying history and political science at Huron University College, Burton worked at Finan and coached with the London Aquatic Club and London Silver Dolphins. “I’ve always just felt so naturally comfortable in the water,” he said.

“There was a moment where I kind of realized that a lot of people don’t have that,” Burton said. Soon enough, the pool deck would change around him. A kickboard once might have been an instructor’s main tool.

Modern lessons can involve equipment such as safety belts or progressive arm floats. “The idea is trying to build technique before we throw them in the deep end,” Burton said. “Then we can gradually remove the equipment and they can swim really beautifully.”

The equipment is meant to replace the old “sink or swim” approach with smaller, controlled steps. Lessons also have become more energetic as instructors work harder to hold children’s attention and pull them away from screens. Still, no belt, float or carefully planned drill can guarantee quick results.

“I think a lot of people want to put a very specific timeline on how long it takes them to learn to swim,” Burton said. Some children may cross a pool within days. Others take much longer to put their face in the water or float without help.

Adults can arrive overestimating their ability, only to discover how much endurance swimming demands from the legs, arms and lungs at once. Burton’s advice is plain: Practise consistently, swim with a buddy, tell someone where you are going and choose a lifeguarded beach when possible. Swimmers also should watch the conditions and judge their ability honestly before entering open water.

That warning carries weight in London, a city within driving distance of Lake Huron and Lake Erie, where drownings are frequent. “If it’s windy and the waves kick up, even an experienced swimmer can really struggle,” Burton said. Burton now works full-time at Finan while keeping a few hours with the London Aquatic Club.

He helping run Finan’s third London pool at ActivityPlex on Commissioners Road East, where classes began July 15. But some of his most meaningful work still happens in the smallest movements, particularly with adults and seniors who have spent years afraid of water. Before they can swim with grandchildren or join friends at the beach, they first have to lift their feet from the bottom and believe someone will be there.

“They have to trust you that you’re going to be there and you’ll be there to help them,” Burton said.