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Swimming lessons in Durban

About Us

PISCES SWIMMING ACADEMY celebrates 26 years of dedication, sweat and hard bargaining to maintain a vehicle commissioned to serve the children in the area of aquatic safety and development.

The birth of Pisces in 1976 was not without pain.  Racial laws of the time, political strife, obstructionist tactics, economic depression and drought are some of the difficulties experienced during this era.  These difficulties converted to challenges, set a “dreamer” with a vision to develop a plan.

THE DREAM:  a heated swimming pool where children would learn to swim, train, play and splash to their hearts content, a place where parents would become friends, relaxing while the children to through their paces, an Academy where swimming will be a way of life and meeting “stars” will become a natural occurrence.

Pisces Swimming Academy has a staff of four Swimming Instructors with a Head Coach.  It services twenty pre-primary schools and seven primary schools.  The Academy provides transport to and from the swimming pool where the lesions are conducted.  Pisces offers the community a 20m heated swimming pool with a very spacious entertainment/lecture room area and a reception facility.

The services of the Academy have been extended to communities and schools which have their own facilities as well as those who previously has no access to aquatic facilities and information.  The Academy trains Instructors and conducts learn to swim campaigns wherever there is a willingness to learn and promote the art of survival in water.

Pisces Swimming Academy has a competitive division, the Pisces Swimming Club which is affiliated to KwaZulu Natal Aquatics Association.  This club has become “home” to many competitors who participate at the Kings Park Swimming Pool.  These budding “stars” attend training session at 05h00 and 16h00 from Monday to Friday throughout the year.

During winter the Club swimmers are engaged in beach training and surf safety programmes.  The initiative has been also extended to the Township-based Clubs.

Pisces Swimming Academy can boast many “firsts”:

  • Easlyn Fredericks was the first President of the unified Aquatics Association in KwaZulu Natal and also the first women from the Province to serve on the National Olympic Committee of South Africa.

 

  • Eddie Meth was the first Black Coach with a swimmer winning a Gold Medal at National Championship level.

  • Merlin Fredericks was the first Black swimmer to receive a scholarship to study and train in the United States of America.

 

The Pisces continues with its contribution to the transformation of swimming in South Africa and KwaZulu Natal. Some of the achievements are:

  • Representing the case for unifying strategy in swimming in South Africa.

  • Part of a delegation to represent South Africa’s case to FINA, the World Swimming Federation.

  • Convened and chaired the first unified Aquatic Development Conference in Kimberley in 1990.

  • Coach, Eddie Meth, was sent with a delegation to investigate the Australian aquatic development models and strategies.

  • Eddie served as Assistant Coach to the South African Team at the Pan Pacific Games in Japan in 1995.

  • Persistent in its lobby to get Swimming South Africa and sponsors to adopt “learn to swim” as a national project.

  • Provided South Africa with its first National Aquatic Development Co-ordinator.

 

Pisces Swimming Academy probably has the most extensive “learn to swim” programme, in the country, that is co-ordinated by one Club.  There are approximately 800 pupils currently having swimming lessons.

After fifteen years of working weekends, Eddie with the assistance of a parent Tyron Adams, developed an aquatic centre that the members of the Academy can enjoy and be proud of.  Parents and children, amazingly, visit the Academy for a social swim on weekends and public holidays.  This venue has become popular for celebrating functions, fundraising ventures and it even hosted a pre-comrades pasta evening.

This occasion presents a special moment to reflect on, those who have gone on to eternal rest, how their lives and input added value to the development of the Pisces Swimming Academy.  We call to remembrance the late:

  • Dr Ashok Patel

  • Dr M.T. Kadwa

  • Mr Thabo Elias Sekgobela

  • Swimmers to whom we bid farewell through tragic circumstances

We extend heartfelt gratitude and thanks to parents, well wishes and sponsors who so readily, over the years have contributed so generously.

As a community we owe a debt of gratitude, and so much more, too difficult to quantify, to Eddie Meth, Head Coach of Pisces Swimming Academy.  The “Dreamer” who has this vision and also the courage to follow his dream.  One who has given his all so that our children can have it all.  He has given up his time, his resources, his energy and his sleep, all to improve the quality of life for those who desire it for themselves and their children.  So much and so much more and he continues to dream on…

Pisces Swimming Academy is a dream that is unfolding and we will wait with faith and patience for the day to dawn, when the revelation is compete.  Eddie, thank you for being the hero you live to be.