We we're looking for a swim school close to home for our 7 month old to go learn the swim basics. We signed up through the app and attended our first lesson a few weeks ago. The instructors are patient and caring. My son has flourished in the class (he loves water). Will be coming here the next few months fir him to gain confidence in swimming. The facility is very well laid out with a changing area complete with hairdryers. read more

After being at a few different swim schools, we found Big Blue Dulles a few years ago and never looked back. The staff and instructors are friendly, positive and encouraging. They are always training and promoting and hiring responsible, encouraging and caring instructors. We always know exactly what our son is working on and can easily track it in the app. Our son is neurodiverse and can need a lot of patience and Eddie specifically has been one of the best instructors we've ever found. We are so impressed with his willingness to work with every swimmer and feel lucky that we found him. He has been the perfect match for our son and his needs! read more

Such a waste of time/effort. Not worth even considering this place for enrollment. No one is really present to guide you/your child to set right expectations. Looked at this place because it was highly raved about being kid friendly. But turns out they are friendly on a surface level rather than helping kids progress. read more

This place is a joke. They've got teenagers in here "teaching" that clearly have no understanding of how to actually instruct swimming lessons. Swim "school" consists of singing songs and then parents taking their kids around the pool to various stations to read about an aquatic skill that they end up having to explain to the kids. Save your money and avoid this place. It'll be out of business sooner than later if they don't hire competent and professional instructors. read more

Amazing school! We absolutely love coming here. Our daughter has learned so much from each teacher, specifically instructor Andres E. He's very enthusiastic, encouraging and passionate with the children. Highly recommend! read more

My kids have been taking lessons at Big Blue for a little over a year, and we have had a great experience! The coaches and site managers make an effort to get to know each kid, and adjust their teaching styles to the needs of each child. My oldest has made so much progress in her skills, and her confidence has grown as well. read more

Signed up to get my 3 year old to comfortable in the water. We are so impressed with the progress she is making. The instructors have been great as well. We really enjoy it here. read more

Unfortunately, this place has literally turned a great swim school (Tom Dolan) into a disaster. Teach quality is poor, lessons are even worse. My daughter told me tonight that she doesn't learn anything. I can see why when you have over 6 kids in a lane. I would never recommend this school to anyone. It is tragic as we were one of the biggest supporters of TD. read more

I'm a 27 year old man who took swimming lessons! Sounds a little strange to me, especially since I've been swimming my whole life. I needed lessons because I wanted to become a lifeguard. I work for a home of kids with Intellectual Disabilities. It's my desire to become a lifeguard at age 27 so I could give a swimming pool experience to children who either can't or have a hard time fitting in at the local pool scene. When I first came to TDSS, I couldn't swim a full 25 meters without stopping to take a breath. (25 meters is one length down a standard pool) I had the physical strength, but my breathing technique was abysmal. The Red Cross lifeguard certification requires a 300 meter consecutive swim as a prerequisite to taking the class. So I had a long way to go. I began taking Monday night swim lessons with an instructor at TDSS named Stacy. Stacy is an excellent instructor. She seems like an excellent friend. She was always tracking my progress, interested in my developments with finding a class and helpful in every way she could. She filled me in with what to expect from the exam. I knew what to expect and what to prepare for because of Stacy. Over the course of 2 months she helped me refine my breathing technique. I went from under 25 meters to completing the 300 meter swim within the course. I'm so thankful I found TDSS. TDSS even opened up a Falls Church location that was 20 minutes closer to my house. I decided to stick with the Dulles location because I knew I needed to continue with Stacy. Worth it! A small part of me wishes it took me longer to complete my training so I could have more time to spend with the TDSS family. The staff at the front was friendly and accommodating. They were always willing to answer any questions I had. I truly believe every adult should learn to swim. Refining my swim technique was a worthwhile endeavor. I had an old karate instructor, Marine Corps vet, who used to say that every man should learn to swim and learn to fight. I believe he was right. If you're looking for adult or child swim lessons, do yourself a favor and check out TDSS! read more

This company's billing practices are criminal. There is a reason why it is not BBB accredited. I changed my scheduled classes from Saturday to Sunday and never was I told that there was a change associated with it so I was surprised to see an unapproved charge to my credit card. I wouldn't have changed it if I had known that. I'm trying to get a refund but so far the process is taking more than 2 months. Also, you need to cancel classes more than a month in advance otherwise you will be auto enrolled and charged for a whole other month. read more

Finally after trying again for a year we pulled out of the swim school. My son was several months in the same level and every time the person monitoring would confirm we will move him up but in the next class the supervisor would be different and would give excuses dragging on.. My son just plateaued with 6 kids in the class and with no progress at all. They definitely need a better management for kids who have reached a level and move them up to keep them motivated Very poorly managed and focused on just the fees instead of overall growth of the kids read more

If I could leave less than 1 star, I would. Went for a trial with my toddler, nobody mans the front desk even though they have an entire store front and check in area. Their operator on the phone when we had signed up signed us up at the wrong location, and I had no way of knowing this as they are too lazy to include the address or location you're signed up for in any and all confirmation/reminder emails. Management was terrible & rude. Nobody ever apologized for this inconvenience. Asked for my $25 back as we had initially signed up for 4 sessions following our trial. They REFUSED to give me my money back for services they had not yet rendered. I never signed anything stating I was paying a non refundable fee. Not only this, but when their manager called me back to discuss my issues with their joke of an establishment, HE GOT MAD AT ME BECAUSE I SHARED MY OPINION OF OUR HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE ON INSTAGRAM. That was all he cared about. Then, to make matters weirder and worse, they kept arguing that they don't refund, they have to all discuss and decide whether your request is *worthy* of a refund. Are you kidding me? Over a $25 payment for swim lessons for a toddler that were never rendered? Absolutely despicable. Oh and moms, to make it all even creepier, 3 diff managers called me multiple times, left voicemails asking to have me explain my issues to them. And the third one actually had the audacity to text me. They never gave me my money back, and have actually CONTINUED TO TRY TO CHARGE ME. I literally had to call my bank to place a block payment on my card against them, and when I explained the situation the bank agreed it was FRAUD and refunded my money. Long story long- TAKE YOUR LITTLES ELSEWHERE. ****also, I posted this on Google and the owner actually was clueless enough to reply and tell me that, get this, a manager would be contacting me, AGAIN, TO HAVE ME EXPLAIN MY STORY. --you truly just cannot make this stuff up. ***** read more

Fast froward. Both of my kids (ages 5 and almost 4) have now been enrolled for 4 months at the Tom Dolan Swim School. My kids are swimming much better now! Okay, so wallet is a little less fat. Yes, it is an expensive, but I honestly think it is a life skill they need to have. I love that the class sizes are small. At their age level there is never more than four kids total in the class. The facility is great. Lots of lanes. The water and pool area is warm so my kids aren't going to fight the lesson with being cold. There is also an air conditioned observation room. There are lots of family changing rooms and a bathing suit dryer. My kids love it. . The swim instructors are great. They also have a floater teacher there talking to parents, answering questions and watching students and progressing them to the next level. Classes start right on the dot. There are no make-up classes if you miss. You go month to month and can cancel at anytime as long as you give them notice. .The front desk staff is so-so. Some are better than others, but other than checking in with us or having to change a schedule because they moved up a level I don't really have to interact with them. read more

The school and staff have been excellent for my child and very reasonably priced. After two years of swim lessons with another school, I decided it was time to try a different approach. After a single one week clinic my daughter exhibited noticeable results and improved confidence. Another week later the results continue and she is continuing to improve. The teachers are very supportive and the school is taking extra precautions during COVID. The class size is limited to two children and the instructors wear a face shield. The added benefit is more teacher to student time. read more

I never write reviews but I am so disappointed with this place that I have to say something. Not only the level of the classes is really poor, both my kids took classes here and didn't improve at all! But also they refused to reschedule a make up class we missed because my membership was ending when at the beginning of the contract they told me I could. Do not waste your time or your money here! read more

the lady who answered the member services line was very condescending and unhelpfu. the cut off says 12 and he is 12 now with 10 months left until 13 what is the problem. terrible service but prices sound very reasonable read more

Based on our experience, the 1 star rating is too high. Terrible experience. We had scheduled a trial lesson and were running late. Instead of telling us to reschedule, we were encouraged to still come in. 1. No one asked if our kid had ever been in the water, instead we were rushed to the section for the "trial" session 2. It just got worse from there. The section of the pool for the "trial" had two "instructors", but only one of them seemed to be doing anything. There were only two kids in the pool so we expected a bit of "teaching". Our kid had never been in a pool, but the instructor really made no attempt to coach her before pulling her j to the water. For the remaining 15ish minutes, this instructor would split time between the two kids. Our kid was clearly scared and crying, but neither of the instructors tried to help with her fears. They were clearly unqualified or uninterested 3. The front desk was manned by two young people who clearly were in over their heads. There was either no adult around or the kids were not interested in addressing the situation I would not recommend this place to anyone I remotely care about read more

I just happened to drive past Carlile Swimming in Ashburn, and it caught my attention because of the location. You don't often see a swimming school in a strip mall. Usually there are a couple of acres of land with tennis courts, multiple swimming pools, etc. It turns out that Carlile swimming is a well known Australian swimming school chain, and that they opened their first US facility in Ashburn, VA, under the supervision Tom Dolan, who, along with Gold Medals in the 400m Individual Medley at both the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, also set two World records, won two Gold Medals in World Championship swimming, won 9 NCAA National Championships and 14 U.S. National Championships and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2006. Carlile Swimming has custom designed pools that are 2'6" - 4' deep, with ledges around the edges for smaller kids to stand on. This is a big help in getting the kids to feel comfortable in the water. They also have a well defined curriculum for their students, with clearly delimited skill stages, and they're clearly able to explain what skills constitute advancement between stages. Our son had frolicked in kiddie pools before, and been in big pools wearing a float ring before, but within 3 weeks of starting lessons at Carlile, twice a week, he was able to float comfortably on his back, and hold his breath underwater, and dive for rings at the bottom of the pool. After 3 more weeks, of going 3x/week, his skills were evaluated, and he was advanced from his beginning skill stage, Starfish, to the next skill stage, Goldfish, where they start teaching real swimming strokes. They still concentrate on repetition, and focus entirely on form, believing short distances with good form will set good habits as the students progress to longer distances, and more advanced strokes. The staff are all knowledgeable about the processes at Carlile, and there are always deck supervisors available to evaluate student skills or answer any questions parents may have. The instructors have all been very patient, and very kind, although they do require kids to pay attention. Lesson disruption is dealt with by making the offending child sit on the edge of the pool till they're ready to rejoin the lesson. So far I've only seen it happen to my son, though. When he was playing around underwater, doing somersaults, instead of paying attention. This added focus on discipline is something I like a lot about this school. read more

In the Summer/Fall of 2020 we enrolled our 3 year old in three activities: ballet, gymnastics, and swimming. Her swim class has by far been the BEST experience for her and for us as parents. Their Covid guidelines have been excellent without limiting her ability to learn. (Other schools' guidelines were either inadequate or so restrictive she didn't enjoy the class.) The staff is very friendly and accommodating with our changing schedules. (Which I've done multiple times now.) And our daughter has made significant progress while having a blast! (Behind the "playing" my daughter enjoys so much, there's a structured curriculum and regular skills tests with updates added to the app.) I initially thought of swimming as a practical skill, but it has become the favorite activity, far surpassing the experiences offered at her other classes (with higher costs and long waitlists), and the only one we've decided to reenroll her for the Winter. I HIGHLY recommend TDSS! read more

Mr. Austin is so amazing and caring. We're excited that he is going to the new location but will definitely miss him. Everything is so organized and clean here and I have definitely seen a difference in my children and their abilities! read more

We've now been taking our children to TDSS for two and a half years. I realized recently that a lot has improved in that time period. The front desk staff is both more helpful and much friendlier - I actually enjoy checking in now! Managers have gotten much more proactive about speaking with parents during lessons about student progress. The Family Swim Nights are a lovely addition. We've had a lack of consistency with the instructor for our youngest's mommy/daddy and me class, but I appreciate the communication/acknowledgement from TDSS on that front. I still wish there was more than one 'baby' changing/dressing table and hate those teeny tiny changing stalls when getting a toddler out of a wet suit. But there's not much else I would change. read more

I really really really wanted to love this place. I had high hopes. We researched all of the local swim schools and preferred the idea of daily lessons instead of weekly lessons (which they offer during the summer). Pros: The facility is immaculate, nice bathrooms, changing rooms, viewing/sitting area for parents, the front desk staff and managers are professional etc. It is a first class establishment. Cons: The actual swim training is factory-style, extremely slow, "progress" is only made at the pace of the lowest common denominator and IMHO a waste of money. They don't seem to put any care into putting lesson groupings together. My almost 4 year old son who'd already taken prior lessons as TDSS was paired with a boy who had never been in the water and screamed hysterically for the first 10 mins, of each lesson and a "2.5yr" old little girl who was so small she couldn't even stand in the pool so the instructor had to physically hold her the entire 30 min lessons while "teaching" the three other children (one screaming for 10 out of every 30 mins). So children who are ready to learn and progress within a given level are unable due to increased time spent with problem children. read more

Best swim school around. My daughter learned so much in 1 day here as opposed to two sessions at an inferior swim school. The water is warm and she can concentrate on learning rather than shivering. Standards must be met before progressing. The lead swim instructor on deck constantly surveys the pools and looks at each child's progress. Love it! read more

We tried to teach our 2.5 year old son how to swim, but he was afraid. So, after a traumatic attempt on a Saturday at the local pool, I came home and left TDSS a voicemail about enrolling my son. The very next day (a Sunday) I got a call about my voicemail and I enrolled my son in the Penguin 1 level class on Sunday mornings. As of yet, our son has been attending TDSS for a little more than a month. His first class was one for the ages. He cried and cried, but Staci sat with him in her lap at the edge of the pool. She was a superstar and was totally unfazed by his screams and shrieks and to our surprise she even put him in the water. By the third class our son was smiling and waving at us. It is amazing to see his transformation. I cannot recommend this place more. Staci, the front desk staff and the instructors are just wonderful. We have even seen Staci jump into her swimsuit to help a particularly scared girl in the pool. The changing rooms are also super clean and I would strongly recommend this place to anyone! read more

Dont enroll. Their showers are always so cold. Not ideal if you have a child enrolling here. I have tried to be nice and not to write a bad review. However, their management is so poor that they left me with no choice. Everytime I complain, their answer is if your run the water for 5-10 min prior, it will get warm. It doesnt. Let me clear it doesnt get warm under any circumstances. I have tried it many different ways. It is been several months and still they have the same issue every single week. They have cold air pouring down in the swimming deck. We skipped few classes because they said they are fixing it. It hasnt been fixed. You keep paying for classes; however, they dont invest in fixing the actual school. Oh I forgot to also mention, if you miss a class, good luck finding a make up for it. They always say they are full. read more

Alright I am a first time Mom with a 6 month old and we started our first class on Tuesday and second class on Saturday (all within the same week). Tuesday I was so nervous about putting my little one under the water that I didn't do it, spite the instructors instructions. I just wasn't ready. Today Ms. Danny did not take no for an answer and that's just what I needed. She didn't push me as it sounds, she educated me on why I should start sooner than later, and how my child would react. She did it the first time and watched me throughout the class and educated me along the way. I am so happy that we did it and my kiddo is perfectly fine. I can not wait until next week with Ms. Danny to rock this swimming even more. read more

My oldest son was so scared of the water when he started at the swim school that he wouldn't even submerge his face fully in our BATHTUB. The staff at Tom Dolan's was kind, patient and consistent as they worked through the curriculum with him week after week. Now my son loves the water, loves swimming and I am excited for the summer! read more

We love Tom Dolan Swim! Our two kids (age 4 and 2) love going each week. The instructors are experienced and caring.

I have a terrible experience with the front desk staff, they don't give accurate information and don't even recognize and try to rectify. They gave me false information regarding payments and don't even care what they said and holding me accountable. Wish they could have properly trained for handling customer service read more

Our first time there, I explained to the instructor that my three old could not swim and that is was our first time here. She put him in the pool, turned to put another child in and my child went under. I began yelling at her to grab him, grab him and the manager of the pool came over to tell me that this happens and that we tell them what a good job they did. WHAT?! My 3y.o. was so excited to swim and after the lesson was over (which cried all the way through) he told us he didn't want to swim anymore. My older daughter was standing there shaking and told me she didn't want to ever come back here. Thanks for ruining what could have been a great experience! BTW, the woman who answers the phone there Pam, was incredibly rude as well. I should have trusted my gut instinct when we first scheduled. We will not be back! read more

Poorly managed and with poor communication. I signed my son up for a spring break swim camp. He came down with an ear infection and diarrhea. We called before the class began and had a doctor's note emailed over to the them. My husband was assured there would be no problem in rescheduling his lessons. When I called to rescheduled them, I was told that we could not reschedule them and that no credit or money would be refunded. I was then told that our note which was emailed promptly the day my husband spoke to the manager arrived to late. I have requested to be contacted by the manager and also the owner since the management has not contacted me. I still have not been contacted to date. Had I known this would happen, I wouldn't have kept my sick child at home. I wonder how many other parents do just that? read more

My son joined Carlile 4-6 months back. He was 4 when he started and just turned 5. The class size is small - the kids are able to get over their fer of water and put on their goggles without fuss (this took a class or two) He does 1 class a week & he loves swimming - he tries the laps at the gym pool - holds his breath under water , tries to float on his back - without any fear :) I am very happy with this school. read more

The facility is great. I like this place and happy my daughter is there learning to swim. I really like that the focus is on swimming and they have a deck coach who is watching and monitoring the lessons. If you are looking for a swim school, at least go in and check it out! read more

Surprised by negative reviews. We have been going here now for several years and this is the only place that could teach my son to swim!! Love that the water is shallow, easier to learn that way. (Rec centers & local swim club never taught him anything.) we always recommend the school to others. He likes all the teachers even if they change at times. Does stay in one level class a long time though. He is 8 now, doing well. I like that they start to teach some harder strokes like butterfly at young age. There are make ups available too if you miss a class. (Hard to find time to do them for us.) We are very happy with the school. read more

My 3 year old has been going to the Tom Dolan Swim School for 6 months. His water skills have improved a ton and he's already moved up a level. What really inspired me to write this review (its my first) was this past Sunday. My preschooler was in a "mood" (not enough sleep, lots of changes going on, etc, etc), so for the first time ever- he didnt want to get in the pool. He was running away, hiding, and even kicking when someone picked him up. I was about to leave and throw in the towel. However, the supervisor on deck grabbed the "floating" teacher, and the two of them coaxed my son into the pool. It took them almost 10 minutes, but he ended up having a great lesson. They did this in such a way that the other kids in the lesson were not impacted at all. The front desk staff can be a little rough around the edges, but I cant think of a more supportive environment once you're in the pool area. Dont let them turn you off.... they invest in the pool people! read more

Great school for little ones to learn how to swim. We have a weekly Saturday lesson each week and our 3.5 year old boy is learning the basics of swimming. The environment is very conducive to swimming. Well worth the fees. read more

Expensive, gets results. We started our 4- and 2-year-old at Tom Dolan Swim School through a Groupon-style voucher. We had intended only send them for that month, but both made so much progress in that month that we kept them in for another 2 months. My 4-year-old daughter went from refusing point-blank to put her head under the water at all (at local Rec Center swim classes), to swimming multiple body lengths independently at Tom Dolan, and she spent the rest of the summer minnowing around in our local pool. There's no denying that the classes are expensive, but for us they produced impressive results. read more

Tom Dolan swim school is great. It's an amazing experience and the staff are great and attentive. The class size of 1-4 kids allows for a great class size. I'm glad we brought Bella here and can't wait for this summer at the pool. read more

We signed up for penguins 1. In the third class, my son was a spectator for the entire session where the instructor was baby sitting another child. By baby sitting I mean the child was in the instructor's arms and she didn't stop crying until the end. It was a waste of money and my time. The least the admin could have done was to offer a makeup class because at least 3 different supervisors/ managers witnessed the incident including the instructor himself. Tom Dolan are the worst experience I've EVER had with anything. I would not recommend them to anyone I know. They have no class and they are liars. Hi, Thanks for reaching out. First of all, I would like to point out some facts on having empathy towards the child. Never did we once say anything to or react towards the child. It was her mom's mistake to enroll her in the wrong class or at least you all are to blamed because she told it was Tom Dolan swim school staff who had advised her to leave the crying child behind and I was also told this was the child's third lesson which is even more surprising because you all should be focusing more on exhibiting a little more empathy towards the poor child who's only 2.5 years old rather than forcing her to go through literal trauma every Saturday. If the supervisor Sessia had acknowledged our situation and not told us that it was very "normal" for it to happen and that "it was not her problem" (as part of Tom Dolan) that the child cried the whole time and my son's experience at that lesson was reduced to being an awkward, very uncomfortable spectator in the pool because remember he is also just a 4 year old who is just beginning to learn how to swim and he's hoping for it to be a fun learning session instead of one where he was left cringing at times. What you have in mind by letting that poor child cry is not something I can understand because I do have a child and have empathy towards any child whether he/she is his age or not. By being fearful and terrified in her moms absence you made sure she did not learn a thing as only a relaxed atmosphere is conducive to learning anything. Well known fact: Fear is not conducive to learning. Please get your facts straight and spend some time hiring staff with better customer service skills, just my two cents. Your supervisor on duty escalated the situation by being ignorant and totally thoughtless towards us when we raised the issue to her. She is rude and I'm sure you'll hear that again if you haven't already. That child should have been enrolled in water babies II. Read your website to see what and for who that class is for. Cheers read more

I just had my kids' last lesson here today. We were enrolled for a little over a year with my 6 year old son, then about 8 months with my 3 year old daughter. The facilities are great - clean, well maintained pool, lots of classes and small class size. The problem, at least for me, is that the kids can't improve on their strokes and have continuity in their learning since instructors seem to change weekly and they do not "correct" the students. Instead, it's the same repetition every week, almost as if they are going through the same script every time. My son got bored halfway through, but he was not swimming any better because he was bending his knees when he kicked. The instructors didn't seem to correct this, although we brought it up with the supervisors several times. You may argue that I should be taking private lessons and pay more $ if I wanted more one-on-one instruction, but I think that there is a certain amount of correct form and stroke improvement that can be taught, even in a group class. Especially if a student has been going every weekend for a year plus (minus missed days because there are no makeups). Another issue is that the kids don't seem to be considered for advancing to the next level unless the parents are constantly checking in with the supervisors. I understand that there are a lot of students, but if you don't speak up and take the initiative, your student could possibly be at the same level for a long time. Canceling lessons was not really an issue and I mostly had pleasant exchanges with the front desk staff. Changing time slots was also relatively easy. I give them 3 stars since it's a very well run operation. I just wish that they had a better way of helping students improve, especially if they already know how to swim going in. read more