Helping children become safe, confident swimmers
We focus on comfort, confidence, and skill-building in the water. Our approach prioritizes safety while helping children build trust and independence—giving parents confidence in real progress.
Meet the Instructors
Our coaches bring deep experience and a high standard of instruction, ensuring every swimmer is supported while building lifelong water safety skills.
Coach Michael
The son of two swim coaches, Michael brings over 17 years of competitive swimming experience, including Division I swimming at the University of Louisville, qualification for the 2012 Olympic Trials, and induction into the 2025 Arkansas Swimming Hall of Fame. He founded Hughston Swim Ranch in 2024 to deliver focused, high-quality swim instruction for young children in a calm, neighborhood setting. Michael also founded Neighbors of Hughston, a city-recognized group supporting community connection. He lives in the Hughston neighborhood with his family.
Coach Rachel
A former competitive swimmer and Division I athlete, Rachel rowed at the University of Oklahoma and contributed to two Big XII championship wins. Her first job was teaching swim lessons, and she now leads Mommy & Me classes at Hughston Swim Ranch, helping young children build comfort, safety, and strong foundational water skills. Rachel lives in Anna with her husband and three children and is deeply committed to early confidence-building in the water.
Coach Eve
Coach Eve began swimming competitively at age 7 and competed through high school, qualifying for the state meet with her relay team. For the past three years, she has helped children ages 2–10 build confidence, coordination, and comfort in the water. With plans to study kinesiology and become a physical therapist, Eve brings a strong understanding of movement and body awareness to her coaching. She creates a focused, supportive environment where swimmers feel capable and confident.
Coach Hazel
Coach Hazel began swimming competitively in high school, earning a varsity spot through dedication and discipline. With several years of teaching experience, she helps swimmers of all ages build confidence and measurable skill progress. As a black belt in Taekwondo, Hazel brings focus, body control, and consistency to every lesson. She is currently studying Business Administration and is committed to helping students grow through structured, encouraging instruction.
Classes by Skill Level
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Parent and Me
Ages 2-3
This parent-and-child class introduces toddlers to the water in a calm, supportive setting. Through guided activities, children begin building comfort, breath awareness, and foundational water skills while parents learn how to reinforce safety and confidence outside of class.
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Level 1
Ages 3–4
Level 1 focuses on building comfort and trust in the water. Swimmers practice floating, gliding, kicking, and pulling with hands-on support that gradually decreases as confidence grows. The goal is steady progress toward independence and foundational water safety skills.
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Level 2
Ages 4–7
Level 2 builds stronger water safety skills and growing independence. Swimmers refine earlier skills with improved control, coordination, and endurance while practicing safe movement and recovery in the water. This level prepares swimmers for more advanced skill development as confidence increases.
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Level 3
Ages 5 - 12
Level 3 focuses on stroke development and efficiency for swimmers who are already comfortable and independent in the water. Swimmers refine freestyle and backstroke fundamentals while building coordination, endurance, and body awareness in a small-group setting.
Water safety requires consistency, clarity, and reliable skill execution.
“This was our second summer with Coach Michael. Coach Michael is an amazing swim coach who provides thorough lessons for kids of varying ages.
My kids went from being scared to put their heads underwater to confidently retrieving dive toys within one session.
We’ve tried other swim lessons (swim schools, city lessons), and nothing else compares. Highly recommend!!”
-Ami Burgdorf
FAQs
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Hughston Swim Ranch serves children ages 2–12.
We offer Parent-and-Me classes for ages 2–3 and small-group lessons for ages 3–12, with class levels structured by both age and skill to support safe, appropriate progression. -
Yes. Our program is especially effective for children who are hesitant or anxious in the water.
Small class sizes, consistent coaching, and a calm backyard environment help reduce overstimulation and allow trust and confidence to build quickly. Many families come to us after trying other programs without success. -
Hughston Swim Ranch operates as a short, intensive summer program rather than a year-round, once-a-week model.
Swimmers attend six classes over two weeks, allowing repetition and frequency to work together so skills develop faster and stick more reliably. -
Each lesson is 30 minutes long.
Class sizes are intentionally kept small to allow focused coaching and repeated practice. Group lessons are capped at a maximum 3:1 swimmer-to-coach ratio, with some levels capped at 2:1 to support higher-skill development. -
Yes. Parents are welcome to observe lessons from our sunroom viewing area.
This allows full visibility and transparency while giving swimmers the space they need to focus during instruction. -
All group lessons are led by Head Instructor Coach Michael, a Division I swimmer and Olympic Trials qualifier with over 17 years of competitive experience.
Our coaching team is made up of experienced, high-level athletes who share a consistent approach to instruction, safety, and child development. -
Many swimmers enroll to refine technique, build endurance, and develop stronger stroke fundamentals.
Our small-group setting allows coaches to meet swimmers at their current level and support continued progress rather than repeating skills they’ve already mastered. -
Swimmers should bring a swimsuit, towel, goggles, and hair ties for long hair.
If your child has any specific needs, such as ear protection, please let us know so we can help them feel comfortable and supported. -
Lessons take place in an outdoor pool, and weather conditions are assessed at the scheduled start time due to unpredictability. Lessons are not canceled in advance.
There are no refunds for missed classes. If a lesson is missed for any reason, families may coordinate directly with Coach Michael to schedule a private make-up lesson for a $25 fee, based on availability.
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No. Hughston Swim Ranch operates as a summer-only intensive program.
Our seasonal structure is intentional and designed to deliver focused progress within a defined window rather than spreading lessons over many months. -
Families can view current availability and register directly through our website.
Because class sizes are limited and sessions fill quickly, availability may change throughout the season. -
At this time, we focus exclusively on early swim development and stroke progression for children.
Families interested in future offerings are encouraged to join our email list for updates.
