We came to Beth to help David accomplish his swimming goals. We had the good fortune to see Beth in action, as David and Marc took lessons with another instructor who shared the pool with Beth. Also, we knew swimmers on the Mesa Swim Team who had trained with Beth, so we were able to personally observe their improvement.

When David first started swimming competitively, it didn't take him long to be successful: he is strong and has a gifted kick. But, he lacked a "feel for the water" and was held back by a forced technique, especially in butterfly. When we came to Beth, David had been swimming in BVSSL for two summers. He was one of the stronger swimmers in his age group, but was unable to fully reach his potential. He became enamored of butterfly, but he was unable to attain the proper fluidity, requiring him to "muscle" the turnover of his arms in a very inefficient manner.

With Beth's help, David has developed a very good feel for the water that has benefited all of his swimming strokes. What distinguishes her from the other coaches we've had is her depth of knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge in her lessons. She observes well and can provide meaningful on-the-spot feedback.

David's swimming progress under Beth's tutelage has been impressive. He improved his times in every stroke at a much higher rate than expected. Last summer, David set Mesa team records and the BVSSL Championship 50-yd Butterfly record! He also won the 100-yd IM at the BVSSL Championships last summer. Before, he was a good summer swimmer. Now, he is a strong candidate for any year-round team.

— Ruth Marizza and Roger Krimstock

Dear Beth,

We are writing to thank you and to compliment you for the superb swim instruction that you have given to our son Daniel. His improvement during the first six months or so of weekly stroke lessons with you is nothing short of remarkable. His butterfly and breaststroke has improved from marginally legal to competitive, and his times in all strokes are greatly improved.

In 2001, Daniel qualified for the finals in the Boulder Valley Summer Swim League Championship meet in only one event and he finished in 16th place. In 2002 he placed 7th, 8th, and 12th in the back, IM, and butterfly events, respectively. He also swam on the team's 200 free relay. This year he and his coaches had to choose his most competitive events for the league finals, not just the ones in which he might be able to qualify. During the summer at our weekly swim meets, Daniel and we received many compliments on his performances, but the ultimate recognition was when he received an award from the Mesa team coaches at the annual team award ceremony as the team's most improved 11-12 year-old swimmer. His improved swimming has also increased his self-esteem and enthusiasm for swimming. He enjoyed the team practices. His coaches have commented that he is more involved and attentive at practice. His new success has given him motivation to continue and improve.

We want you to know that we attribute Daniel's amazing transformation as a swimmer to your excellent instruction as a specialist in stroke techniques. There is no doubt in our minds that your work with him accounts for the improvement in his performance. We look forward to continuing with you as he enters high school next year and begins competing on that level. Please feel free to use us as references if you ever have parents who want to speak to previous or present clients. We promise an honest and enthusiastic report!

Sincerely,

Carleton Howard and Veronica Bierbaum