Swimming enrolments for Infant, Learn to Swim and Squads are now open.
Please contact us on 02 712 9297 or use the form to book a free trial class.
IT’S ALL ABOUT REPUTATION
Bangkok Dolphins has been teaching children to swim in Bangkok since 1997 and is accredited by the Thai Ministry of Education. Our Internationally recognised training through SWIM AUSTRALIA, AUSTSWIM and the STA has taught over 10,000 children to swim from the ages of 3 months to elite level at 5 locations in greater Bangkok. Our aim is to provide a fun, friendly and safe environment where children feel comfortable to develop the skills required to safely enjoy all aspects of participation in water sports.
Bangkok Dolphins Coaches also undergo a very comprehensive in-house training course, to ensure that all coaching is in line with our International Syllabus and Curriculum. All our coaches have also undergone training through Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia (SCTA) through our founder and owner, Gordon Ellard, who is an Approved Course Presenter with SCTA and holds Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
We teach children in 3 distinct programmes INFANT, LEARN TO SWIM and SQUADS and more about each is detailed in the Swim section of this website.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Gordon Ellard was born to English parents in the south of Thailand and was an avid sportsman from a young age. After completing University in the UK, he returned home to Thailand in 1997 and nervously instructed his first swimming class with 5 clients. Since then Gordon guesses he has personally taught over 5,000 students. Although Gordon gets immense joy from teaching, obsession with great swim programs and developing the best swimming coaches has lead him to becoming an educator.
As an educator and instructor he has a passion for all things swimming and knows the importance of individual learning paths, motivation, reward and recognition and techniques to bring out the best in all types of learners.
Gordon is extremely competent in delivering multiple disciplines including all levels of Swimming Teaching, all levels of Swim Course presenting, Pool Lifeguarding presenting and First Aid and CPR presenting. Gordon runs courses under the SCTA (Australia) in both Melbourne and Thailand and you can contact him via Swim Yoda.
A QUICK VIDEO LOOK AT INFANT CLASSES
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“Bangkok Dolphins success has been the training and development of our swimming coaches across all our locations and supporting them to continuously upgrade their skills in line with latest thinking.
Bangkok Dolphins has always specialised in swim programs for 3 months to 18 years old where we give children a love of the sport, a lot of confidence and encourage skills that propel them forward. Our joy of teaching, obsession with great swim programs and developing the best swimming coaches has been the reason we have built Bangkok Dolphins into a successful swim school and been accredited by the Thailand Ministry of Education.”
GORDON'S QUALIFICATIONS
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment - Australia
- Approved Course Presenter - ASCTA
- Swim Australia Teacher - ASCTA
- Swim Australia™ Teacher (SAT)
- Swimming Teachers Certificate STA (UK)
- Teacher of Babies and Toddlers - ASCTA
- Swim Australia™ Teacher of Babies & Toddlers (SAT B&T)
- Teacher of Babies and Toddlers - STA (UK)
- Teacher of Competitive Swimming - ASCTA
- Swim Australia™ Teacher of Competitive Swimming (SAT CS)
- Development Coach in Swimming - Swimming Australia
- Pool Lifeguard Certification - ASCTA
- Deaf and Visually Impaired Friendly Swimming - Institute of Swimming (UK)
- CPR and First Aid
Elizabeth Ellard
Elizabeth has been working with Bangkok Dolphins for over 20 years. Originally from Melbourne, Australia she came to work in Thailand in an advertising agency before joining Bangkok Dolphins.
She brings her background in advertising, marketing and branding and most days she is busy working with the administration department answering client enquiries and general day to day fun stuff.
She loves travelling and working in a dynamic healthy family business and looking after 2 busy teenagers. Elizabeth is married to Gordon.
Michael Belmes
Coach Mike grew up in California, the #1 competitive swimming spot in the world and swam for Hall of Fame Coach Nort Thornton as well as former Arizona State University Coach Michael Chasson. He was a CCS Triple Gold Medalist for Bellarmine College, one of the top swimming high schools in the USA.
Mike was a Top-10 Nationally Ranked Age-Group Swimmer numerous times in Breaststroke and IM and swam the Breaststroke leg of a National Record setting 13/14 Medley Relay. In High School, Mike was a 6-Time All-American even though he graduated one year early.
Bangkok Dolphins Timeline - Since 1997
Bangkok Dolphins opens with its first swim class at the Novotel on Soi 33.
The office opens at the Soi Klang Racquet Club.
James joins Bangkok Dolphins.
Political unrest in Thailand forces the closure of the airports - we keep swimming.
Floods hit Bangkok - the infant centre gets sandbagged and survives the waters - we keep swimming.
The new pool and office is opened at the Soi Klang Racquet Club.
Bangkok Dolphins is forced to close due to COVID19, only the second time in 23 years.
1997
1998
1999
2003
2005
2006
2008
2010
2011
2017
2019
2019
2020
Bangkok Dolphins first Summer Camp is held.
Gordon marries Liz in Melbourne, Australia.
The first Infant Centre opens on Soi 39.
Yenakart Swim Centre opens.
Politcal protests in Sukhmvit eventually force Bangkok Dolphins to close temporarily for the first time since 1997.
Politcal protests in Sukhmvit eventually force Bangkok Dolphins to close temporarily for the first time since 1997.
The first franchise of Bangkok Dolphins is opened by husband & wife team Jenny & Kim at Udomsuk.
Our first swimmer competes at the Thailand National Championships.
My daughter has loved her swimming classes with Tom on a Saturday at the Infant Centre. She has been going now for a year and started at 3 months of age. It is definitely the best thing we have done for her in Bangkok. She is so confident in the water now and she loves Tom's singing and games and also made some lots of little friends there. So just want to say a big thank you to Bangkok Dolphins and especially Teacher Tom.
Samantha L
Bangkok Dolphins is incredible. My daughter is now 6 months, she started when she was 3 and she loves swimming. They also taught us as parents how to teach our children how to swim! Totally worth the investment! We highly recommend it.
Prataporn T
I just wanted to say thank you to your teachers at Bangkok Dolphins. They have been amazing with our children. They have great personalities in leading their classes and make it a positive, fun step with learning to swim.
Max H.
I started my little boy swimming this term having checked all the swim schools in Bangkok. By far the most professional with a great program for starters. My expectations have been exceeded. Thank you.
Nicola E.
Sincere thanks for the patience, care and skill that you put into coaching my 2 children, Prae and Prim. Thank you for taking the time to get to know them, find what motivated them and build a perfect coach relationship. Their swimming has improved incredibly. As a Mum it was beautiful to see their development and confidence grow.
Helena C.