The Swim and Fitness at the AIS Swim School program was announced as the national winner of the 2010 AUSTSWIM Swimming and Water Safety School of the Year at the National AUSTSWIM Awards held on the Gold Coast.

The AUSTSWIM Award is the premier award presented to individuals and recognised swim schools in Australia that achieve the highest standards of aquatic education excellence.

Swim and Fitness at the AIS was recognised for its initiatives, contribution towards making the community aware of water safety and its wide scope of providing water and safety programs for people of all ages, abilities and community groups.

In 2010 Swim School at the AIS recorded its highest participation rate in six years, attained an average retention rate of 95 per cent per term and also saw a 42 per cent increase in its Holiday Intensive Swimming Program, highlighting the popularity of the Swim School.

AIS Aquatic Centre Manager Ali Parvizi says the award was recognition of the hard work and expertise of all staff.

'We have created an environment at Swim and Fitness at the AIS that has fostered great community involvement and satisfaction,' Parvizi said.

'All of the staff have contributed to making the program one of excellence and this award is a reflection of their professionalism.'

The Swim School has been running for over a decade now and has taught thousands of people to swim in that time. The programs include:

• Infant aquatics — parents and infants (12–36 months) learn together in the pool
• Pre-school program — build on water confidence and safety skills
• School-aged programs — learn the four basic strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly
• Club aquatics — great for young swimmers looking to become competitive swimmers
• Junior Lifesaving Club — learn lifesaving and survival swimming skills
• Swim Fit — non-competitive swimming classes for more advanced swimmers
• Adult learn to swim — learn to swim with our patient and understanding swim instructors