Shanklin Pool — Local services in Goshen

Deeply Disappointed – Unsafe and Unfair Swim Lessons Experience

I will not be returning to Shanklin Pool for swim lessons, and I strongly urge other parents to reconsider before enrolling their children.

We pay $165 biweekly ($330/ month) with the expectation that our children will be taught, supported, and, most importantly, kept safe. That is not what we experienced.

My youngest child, enrolled in Lesson 1, received almost no assistance throughout her sessions. On one occasion, she was left entirely on her own in the water while the instructors turned their backs—something I observed firsthand. This lack of support did not happen with any of the other children. My daughter even said, “They never help me.” For a 7-year-old to recognize and verbalize this says a lot about the unfair treatment she received.

She was also left to struggle alone while trying to reach the wall with no help, and was the only one not assisted with putting on her life vest. That same day, during an activity on the diving board in the 12-foot section, she was visibly scared and required support. Instead, the instructor threw her into the water. A nearby male lifeguard laughed and mimicked the motion of her being thrown. None of the other children were treated this way. With only six children in the class and two instructors present, there is no excuse for such negligence.

When I raised concerns, I was told this by a supervisor quoting one of the instructors:

“Hello, I just spoke to one of the instructors and she shared with me that they have multiple kids going at a time so they can get through everything and didn’t feel like they were leaving anyone out. She said they have tried to make more of an effort the last few days to give more attention to her. She does feel like she is a bit more advanced, so we suggested splitting the class up tomorrow and see if that will help some.”

This response completely misses the point. It attempts to justify ignoring a child and offers no accountability for the unsafe practices or the lack of individual attention that every child deserves—especially in the water.

My older child, in Lesson 3, had a similarly disturbing experience. After jumping from the diving board, her instructor was not in the water ready to assist. She was terrified and crying, telling me no one was there to help her. Finally, an instructor asked if she needed help. That could have ended in tragedy.

These are serious safety and fairness concerns. The instructors are not providing the guidance or supervision parents are paying for. When I spoke directly with the swim supervisor and the director of the parks and recreation department, both were dismissive. It became clear they preferred to excuse the issues rather than address them meaningfully.

For the price being charged, we expect attentive instructors, equal treatment, and a safe environment. Instead, what we experienced was inconsistent care and poor communication.

Parents, please be cautious. This is not just about swimming—it’s about protecting your children.

– A...

2 stars for a decent clean pool with slide, diving board, and clean bathrooms. They do enforce a bunch of ridiculous rules and make it almost impossible to have fun. I was told only clear water bottles and had to check my steel water bottle at the counter. (How are you supposed to keep water cold for 2 hours in the sun in a clear water bottle?) Also only mesh bags allowed, even though I showed them my bag only had towels and sunscreen in it, I still had to leave the bag at the counter and carry the stuff separately. I always have to go to the counter a hundred times every time I need something from my purse. The lifeguards are pretty much looking for you to do something wrong the whole time. I was stepping down the stairs into the pool, paused to say something to my husband and the life guard seriously told me I needed to hurry up and not stand on the steps. Nobody else was even around so I wasn't in anyone's way. My husband got the whistle for letting our daughter ride on his back, and my daughter got the whistle because she and her friends were pulling each other along in the water. No "street clothes" so if you plan to sit on the side and watch your kids swim you better wear a swim suit anyway. (Although I do see people in street clothes every so often so it seems the rule is only enforced randomly). White t-shirts are allowed except they confiscated our friend's white t-shirt for some reason. Basically I feel uncomfortable the whole time and there's a good chance you're breaking a rule at some point because there are so many! Other than that the facility itself is nice and some of the young people who work there are nice and the rules really aren't their fault. P.s. forgot to mention the raunchy music they play loudly that is totally not...

There is a borderline difference between ensuring ones safety, and being a total jerk. Before you go here, they restrict bags. (This means purses or basic grocery bags). And colored shirts. They also restrict what they call "street shoes". I was carrying all my stuff up to the front gate. And they saw my bag with towels and goggles inside, so I had to go back to my car and carry all my things separately. They also charge extra if you're not a resident. I also found it hard to have fun here because the lifeguards just stare at you waiting for you to do something and I became extremely...