I would give Daland Swim School 10 stars if I could! I love the staff and the instructors are amazing. We had Leslie, the owner, as our instructor for the toddler and me class. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the swim skills my daughter learned was beyond expectations. The toddlers learned skills like what to do if the fall in and to take a breath before going under water. Then there were more emerging skills like paddling and kicking. Overall, the main goal is to get them comfortable in the water. My daughter loves the school so much that we had her birthday party there as well. Once again, the staff and life guards did not disappoint! We're thinking of having her birthday there again! read more

Go anywhere else! Stay away! They are liars and scammers! Completely unethical and unprofessional! Tarrik Daou is the executive director of the Lucile Cowle Swim School (now the Daland Swim School). This man has no conscience, no ethical compass, and does business dirty to make a profit. He is unhinged, condescending, and worships money over service, professionalism, and honesty. My child is autistic and is a Regional Center client. Lucile Cowle, also under Daland Swim School, said that they would create an account with a 3rd party payer so that they could be directly paid by the 3rd party vendor with the Lanterman Regional Center. I started communicating with Lucile Cowle Swim School on March 5, 2025. It is now July 2026 (16 months later), and I have finally been reimbursed after countless calls and emails. The only way that I was paid for adaptive swim lessons was to bypass LC completely, and Aveanna 3rd-party payers conducted a full investigation to unpack their numerous lies. Dealing with this unethical company was so traumatic and all-consuming. Aveanna had to create an internal memo to no longer deal with this company because they would often refuse to respond, say they already did without turning in the necessary paperwork, and they never responded to the Lanterman Regional Center. My Lanterman Regional Center worker constantly reached out to LC/Daland Swim School, and their statements about when they responded do not align with any of the paper trail. They have made it difficult at every turn. Read my reviews. I never posted a single negative review of a business before today. I have never posted a negative review even when the service or good wasn't great because I don't want to damage a business for having an off day. However, this took 16 months of my time, and the executive director, Tarrik Daou was so nasty, condescending, and more fearful of not covering his bases when too many outside parties (not me) came with financial questions than actually providing honest, reputable service or transparent, ethical accounting. I have a long paper trail that can back up every claim I have been as opposed to Lucile Cowle, who can't keep records or even finish setting up a business account for 8 months. This is step 1 of any financial accounting. I just can't in any good conscience recommend this awful institution or Tarrik's narcissistic personality as someone you want to deal with. Please. There are other reputable swim schools who won't lie to you. I don't call people liars easily; in fact, I literally never have before in any business review. I had to come up with a long paper trail and unravel his lies because he's such an expert gaslighter; you want to double and triple-check facts to make sure the accounting is done correctly. Please take your business elsewhere. There are swim schools that actually care about your kids, not just the money that comes with it. If your child has any special needs, please stay away. Being a special-needs parent who must advocate for your child's special needs is hard; why add to your load by constantly having to unravel one vendor's outright lies? Your time is precious, and your child can become an agile swimmer at a swim school that loves children and not just sees an opportunity to financially exploit you. read more

Crooks. Missed a lesson, scheduled a makeup. Day before makeup my kid had a stomach virus. I called and emailed to inform them. I was told he was not eligible for the makeup anymore. What? Would they prefer diarrhea in the pool? $60 for a 20 minute lesson. The office staff has been consistently horrendous the past 2 months.The girl I talked to on the phone laughed at me and Michael is just a dolt. Learn from me, try water wings, the Y, CLU (to name a few) read more

My child has attended three lessons so far. The swim instructors have been great, and overall we've had a positive experience in that regard. However, the front office team has been disappointing. They don't greet you when you walk in and don't come across as approachable or helpful. When I asked about enrolling my son in an additional lesson with the same instructor, the staff member kept repeating the same information without really trying to understand what I was asking. No one stepped in to assist or clarify, which made the interaction frustrating. I wasn't set on a specific class type. I was simply trying to have my son work with the same instructor twice a week, whether that meant private or group lessons. Additionally, out of the three lessons we've attended, the instructor we originally booked has only been present once. Each time, we receive notice the day before or even the same day that there will be a substitute, which has been disappointing. I hope the front office team can improve their customer service and communication, as it would make a big difference in the overall experience. read more

UPDATE: Kaylee from the TO location called my wife and we were able to discuss what happened. She empathized, apologized and assured us that our kids would be able to bring their own gear to practice and that there was absolutely a place for kids who don't want to swim competitively yet. - We shall see how their next practice goes...Kaylee will be sending us an email that recaps our call today. This review is for the Lake Lindero location. My wife was invited to bring the eldest two of our children (5 & 7 year-olds) to trial out a pilot for this location at the end of the summer. We were told that it was a non-competitive team and everything was going swimmingly (5-Stars). However that instructor moved back to Hawaii and when the official program was kicked off in the fall, we were asked to bring any friends for an unpaid trial to gauge interest. However, this is where things went downhill fast. The first incident occurred during the first trial, where the owner/swim instructor forcibly removed a swim shirt/rash guard from a 7 year-old boy, who was telling him to stop and visibly resisting him. Our friend never brought her kids back again, but sent a very kind email asking them to review this practice and ensure that they not turn off any other children to swimming in the future. The second issue that occurred was that there were not enough instructors for the 4 lanes, which were packed with 15-16 kids. Another friend of ours wanted her daughter to join, but she couldn't understand the instruction and it became clear that this was a competitive environment rather than a non-competitive environment that we were led to believe. Lastly, our children were enjoying the swimming part, but repeatedly shared that it wasn't very fun and that it was a lot of work and that there was no time to make new friends (these are kids that play multiple sports year round and are not lazy children, however we just wanted a safe place for our kids to fall in love with swimming, since we have a pool and they are strong swimmers). What pushed us over the edge was being told opposing stories regarding a swim package (~$300/child for an embroidered backpack, suit, fins, etc). We were told that it was not mandatory to swim and since our kids are not wanting to compete, investing around $1K for one month of swim sounds ludicrous. My wife paid for the first month and when she showed up with our children this afternoon, the owner refused to open the equipment room for our kids to use the fins and kick-boards. This has caused us to cancel our membership (we have asked for a full refund and if this is honored, I will revise my review and rating). This is all so unfortunate, since our kids and many families in the neighborhood are looking for a place to take our kids where they don't need to compete, but just swim for fun. We had over 10 kids, who wanted to join our kiddos, but it looks like that won't be happening anymore. My daughter summed it up best, when she got home, "Daddy...today is such a bummer day." read more

I won the raffle at the TO street fair in October of 2024 which was for 3 months of free swim lessons. I was called to be notified and they took my daughter's name and told me someone would be in touch to go over everything I would need to do to get set up. I never heard from anyone. I have called several times over the course of several months and every time it's let me call my manager and we'll get back to you and no one ever gets back to me. I'm sick of calling like a broken record so at this point I'm guessing the "win" is not going to be honored. It stinks because I want to get my 4yo child swim lessons but will clearly be looking elsewhere due to the poor customer service. Won't be recommending this company to anyone I hear mention it. read more

So... I think this could be a great place for older kids who already know how to swim and want to learn different strokes or how to swim competitively. My 5 year old was in lessons for 2 weeks and they did not teach him or attempt to get him to "kick" a single time- I also talked to a friend who's kid has been there for a year and a half (their kid still hasn't learned to kick) and said that the instructors don't tell them to until they learn how to backstroke? If you want your child to be pool/water safe then I'd highly recommend saving your money and going somewhere else I gave 3 stars because the instructor was nice and good with my son and all the staff were nice and helpful too. I just wish that they advertised a little better that they pretty much only teach how to paddle and nothing else. read more

I can't speak highly enough of Daland Swim School. My experience with their entire team has been an A++. Such a professional operation. The Baby and Me class has been a wonderful escape from the doldrums of the daily routine. My baby not only LOVES the class but even gets excited when we pull up to the swim school. The water is warm - there is music and learning and lots of water safety and beginner swim skills. Oodles of fun for both the baby and the parent. read more

Daland Swim School - Baby and Me Class - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

I will be discontinuing lessons for my toddler as her instructor was negligent on the first day of class. Three toddlers without floaties were expected to sit on the ledge in the deep end while Ryan lost control of his students, who were all crying and practically fell into the deep end. I watched this exchange with another student's parent and we both felt our children were unsafe. I pulled my daughter out of the pool at her insistence. She has had private lessons previously but the instructor became unavailable. My daughter never cried in the pool until her first day with teenage instructor Ryan. I switched to the 2 year old class with Caroline (in which two of my daughter's friends are in attendance). Caroline is phenomenal. I was informed today "that was a courtesy" and my toddler cannot return to that class. Moreover, (the negligent teen) instructor Ryan is not returning and left the school! I've left two messages and I'm playing phone tag apparently. Teens at the front desk attempting to run interference without professional courtesy is a joke. ---- (There's also a phony review by someone talking about how often retail businesses are swamped with discontent. You're fooling no one, buddy.) Oh, and the response below from the business owner is also a crock of crap. I heard another parent complain about the teenager Ryan being negligent and I was with her when she complained. Only two employees reached out in that time and one of them was rude and disrespectful over a voicemail, and the other one was trying to retain my business because I am friendly with two other parents who decided to withdraw from the school as well. Good riddance! read more

I have been taking my kids (ages 3.5 and 6) to swim class at Daland swim for probably close to two years, and we've overall had a wonderful experience! My little swimmers have built so much confidence in the water and are learning how to swim, and swim PROPERLY, which will stay with them for a lifetime. We have had the pleasure of using coach Sarah for the majority of the time and we couldn't love her more. She's patient, direct, firm and forgiving- all the best qualities! She has a great sense of humor when the kids are being goofy or unfocused, and is able to reel them back in to focusing on their big arms ;). We have more recently used coach Camden as well and he is amazing! He's kind and funny, gets down on their level and laughs (he has the best laugh!) with them, all while keeping them focused and showing them the ropes. I appreciate about both Sarah and Camden that they both have great and creative ways of problem solving and navigating kids imaginations at this age to keep swim lessons fun and interesting, so they're learning and don't even know it! The only criticism- If you can call it that, is that it can be a little difficult to use their online interface, where you have to book sessions, sign up for classes, change/add instructors or schedule makeup sessions. It could use a bit of a revamp just to make it easier to do these things without having to go in or having to call them. That said, the staff in the front are always very kind and helpful and willing to easily assist with anything I've needed. Overall, I highly recommend Daland, coach Sarah and coach Camden for any littles starting to swim, or needing some confidence or refinement in the water! read more

It's important for me to have consistent swim lessons for my son, be water safe and learn to swim. With that comes consistency given he is so younge. I have had him in private lessons but wanted to try Daland. Two of my friends removed their kids due to "they didn't learn to swim" they just play and inconsistent swim instructors. I figured I would still give it a try, my first lesson I was told the swim instructor would be different. I was not happy with their portal, process of understanding what their classes offer and was very disappointed in the change. They have refunded me, but the lady on the phone when I called seemed annoyed with my feedback and was not trained on customer service. Not a fan and will not recommend. Shame on me for giving them a chance after the feedback I had received. read more

I swam for Daland swim team back in 2016 and I absolutely loved my time there! Such fond memories made and swim coaches were just wonderful! read more

Daland Swim School - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

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My daughter was having social issues at the summer and was misrable every day. One day I went to pick her up early and watched her have an ultracation with another child with zero adults stepping in. After two week I made the call to remove her from the summer program do to the lack of concern shown by the staff. Daland refuses to credit well over a $1000.00 of tuition. They only care about getting your money. Don't send your kids here. Nate S. read more

If I could give zero stars I would. I can't get a simple invoice from this team in over a week but get statements to say my daughter owes on classes she missed. My daughter had not even started lessons yet. She is only enrolled to start in mid July. Between Gabbi and Yasmin, I'm not sure who is more unprofessional. The school doesn't return calls or emails and clearly over their head. read more

My son has been taking lessons at Daland for about 6 months. He has improved tremendously and always looks forward to his classes. The swim instructors make it fun and engaging. We plan to continue with classes until he is ready to try out for the swim team. read more

I want to take the time to personally thank Leslie for assisting me with retrieving my certification. I was having trouble with getting a hold of anyone and Leslie immediately got on top of it. I also want to thank the amazing staff at Daland that assisted me with the in class program. I appreciate your help and will definitely be back in two years. read more

My son swam here, first for a series of privates with Leslie, then for awhile on the club team with her brother Peter. They built some serious skills and endurance and more importantly, he loved going there. Now I never worry about his swimming abilities in lakes or oceans as he is a fish! read more

COMMUNICATION IS THE WORST! FOR THE PRICE THEY ASK FOR, THEY NEED TO GIVE AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE, BE AVAILABLE AND TAKE INITIATIVE. THE LESSONS AREN'T THAT AMAZING EITHER FOR THE PRICE YOU PAY AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD INSTRUCTOR, YOU'RE WASTING YOUR MONEY. I had decided to give this school a second chance, especially since it was COVID and options were limited. Before today, I decided to enroll my two kids into the Otters Group class to save a bit on cost, privates are too expensive for only 20 minutes. Worked great for a couple months until they got their Otter ribbon of completion. When I asked the instructor what do I do now? He said that they would just change my class name to Dolphins so I wouldn't have to change up my schedule. This never happened. I followed up with the instructor and he said, oh right.. let me do that. Never happened. Followed up with the office, they said I'll check with the instructor. Nothing happened and the kids just kept learning the same thing over and over again. Finally, during a make up class, the instructor told me to just enroll them in the next class and that I should've been told this awhile back. WHAT?! Fast forward 2 weeks of emails, voicemails, etc. with no return. By some MIRACLE someone picked up the phone in my third week of trying the enroll them. I told them of the class change and was told "start today" - in 3 hours. That was not going to work for my schedule, so I asked to make it start next week. The response: Oh our system can't handle that, so call back tomorrow or come in person after the class time tonight. WHAT??? 1. I took 3 weeks for then to actually answer the phone. 2. Your system can't handle it? Then why can't you make a note and process it when it can?! Why does it all fall on the customer to do all the leg work, when you're not available to them? Other examples of POOR communication. Instructors are out sick, if it's a make-up lesson you won't know. I've spent 10 out of a 30 minute lesson looking for an instructor. Asked the office to help and instead of coming to help me search for a person was just told wait by the big pool. Walked around the small pool to find the instructor just standing there, assumed the kids didn't even show up! She wasn't in the right pool, she didn't even look for them. So no only is communication poor with your customers, but also with your instructors? Do yourselves a favor and pay for private lessons somewhere else, even if you have to drive further away. This place is the worst and I will deter anyone from ever going there. read more

i have sent both my kids thru Daland swim school. Now they are both excellent little swimmers. Top notch facilities and instructors. Very friendly front desk staff. Daland is a local family owned business with competitive prices that I support. read more

My 4 year old daughter has been going to Daland off and on for the last 2 years for lessons. She loves Ms. Sarah. Sarah is patient, kind, and fun. Most importantly, she has helped my daughter progress in her swimming skills. read more

Best swim school in California! Best instructors , nicest facilities for babies to adults. Pools alway warm! Staff is the best!!

Ive been trying to reach this school for over 10days to certification sent to the Red Cross i called every single day nothing was done until i finally said i would report them to the better business bureau! Just RIDICULOUS i had to wait 3weeks to finally get it!! I would request the manager ANDREW NEVER GOT ON THE PHONE NOT ONCE!!! Horrible business ethics!! DO NOT RECOMMEND FIND ANOTHER LOCATION ! Test was done July and it took 3 weeks of nonstop calling to get them to send the information!!! read more

We love Taylor! My son has been taking lessons for a few months and we've had a few subs and they're all decent, however Taylor is the absolute best with his personality. He's a silly little guy and she knows how to let him have fun while continuing to keep him focused. Now if only we could get him to swim the same way at home... read more

Daland Swim School - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

My son does swim team at Daland and it has been great for him! It is indoor for winter so he does this year round ! Great exercise for kids

We love Daland Swim School! My daughter takes private lessons and she loves going every week. They are very flexible when it comes to attendance, we were sick a few times and were able to reschedule her lessons on their app. Highly recommend. read more

My daughter just started coming here, I was hesitant by the reviews but I gave it a shot, and I am so glad we did. Coach Sarah is amazing with my daughter and we are very happy here! The front desk is also so helpful and nice. Dont always believe reviews. read more

Daland Swim School - Winter loving swim with coach Sarah - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

To update my previous review: The owner, Leslie, personally called me several months after my daughter's party to apologize and remedy the situation with her birthday party. Leslie offered to refund all of my money, and told me about the variety of changes they have made to their party experience since we held ours there. Kudos to excellent follow up customer service, and for taking the time to personally reach out to Yelp reviewers. read more

They charge my credit card but never return my calls on answer my emails. I've been trying change/cancel and NOBODY ever calls me back. I've been patient since mid-June!!! It's now August. read more

My granddaughter has been going to this school for a while now and I am so impressed with her swim skills. This place is amazing. She tells me how nice the office crew are to her, too. read more

My daughter started lessons at Daland just after she turned 3 and was swimming independently and confidently in less than 8 months. Now at 5 years old, she has just joined the swim team and absolutely loves it! My 3 year old daughter is also doing private lessons at Daland and has improved significantly since she started and has gained a lot of confidence in the water. We have had such a great experience at Daland and have recommended the swim school to multiple friends for their young children. We love Daland and love knowing that our children have been given the knowledge and the tools to be safe in the water. We cannot recommend them enough! read more

Best swim lessons for my 3 year old!!' She loved her instructor and couldn't wait for her next lesson. The staff is very friendly and professional. Would highly recommend. read more

We love this place! My young adult son with serious neurological issues is learning to swim here and loving it. He has lessons 3 times a week. Many organizations say they work with special needs, but it turns out that it is only for clients with minor issues and/or small bodies. Not Daland! They don't dictate a rigid protocol to be followed. Instead, they listen to suggestions and information about my son's needs and are very accommodating. The instructors are well-trained and have a supportive, positive attitude. My son is motivated by all the verbal encouragement. They have a mix of students. Many are young children, but there are also adults and teens. My son loves getting his lesson when he can watch the adorable babies in the "Baby and me" class on the other side of the pool. Everyone is treated with kindness and patience. The pool is warm and cozy all year and there are heated, clear plastic tents by the pool in the winter for warming up when the students exit the water. I would highly recommend Daland for swim instruction for anyone year-round, but especially for water safety skills, good exercise and motor skill development for those with special needs. Our family cherishes Daland as one of true gems among the organizations available for our son. read more

Daland Swim School - My Special Needs son in a lesson. :) - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

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I highly recommend Daland swim school.Their indoor and outdoor pool can be used in any weather situation( sunny, rainy, windy and cold ). They are open 7 days a week and can accommodate your needs .They are professional and all the coaches are well trained and they know how to teach to different swimmers. My daughter is in their swim team and they are competitive, professional and well organized. All the staffs are nice and supportive.If you looking for a swim school or classes for your kid don't hesitate to check Daland school out . We always had good experiences with them. read more

The school took over the Lucile Cowle swim school and since taking registration and swim lesson fees for both of my boys, haven't been very helpful with scheduling. They cancelled all lessons and asked client to reschedule the swim classes to different dates and a different location (now held at a public pool). Instead of refunding the money for registration fees and lessons, they only gave the option of rescheduling to the public pool. Fine, I both called and filled out their forms to get request a new schedule (the day it was offered) and was promised that I would get a schedule/call back by 15 June the latest. Two weeks go by and now it is past that date with no email responses or call backs. I left several voicemails and never heard back. I emailed that I wanted to cancel since I never heard from them and only then was offered some classes at the Thousand Oaks location, which is too far for my family to travel. After I still asked them for a full refund since the schedule, teachers and location were all changed, they tell me to sign a cancellation form and only partially refund me. I am furious as to how bad their customer service is. It is impossible to reach them by phone and you won't hear back after leaving numerous messages. Now, even my emails are going unanswered. I want my full refund for services never rendered! read more

Best swim school around. The attention they give the kids is great and really due to the fact that they keep class sizes very small. We have had wonderful instructors and in a very short time our now 6 and 3 year old are both water safe and excelling in their swimming. Very surprised by some of the reviews here because yes, while they may not always pick up when I call I receive great communication via email or call back. Very responsive to parents especially when matching our kids to an instructor. Kind of pricey but you get what you pay for and cannot say enough great things. Much recommended!!! read more

Great swim school. My daughter loves her lessons and has come a long ways w her swimming. She's very energetic and benefits from kind redirecting- her teachers are skilled at this. Plus the facility is comfortable, open air, heat lamps, and clean changing tables. Totally worth it. Recommend. read more

Unbelievable- numerous calls and e-mails unanswered. Terrible customer service. It is impossible to talk to anyone to cancel, reschedule, or enroll in classes. Swim lessons are mediocre - not worth the unbelievable headache in dealing with them. read more

Very concerning. I brought my son here from Chino Hills for a weekend swim clinic (which was great) on 10/27/19. Many swimmers, parents, and even the guest instructors noticed how cloudy the pool water was: no big deal right? Well that night my 15 year old son came down with a soar throat, headache, and fever of 102.1 degrees. Meningitis rulled out and the fever broke, but get it together, clean your pool. read more

We had a party for my 4-year-old in the small pool. I paid for the Full Quack, and it was a huge success! Everyone enjoyed themselves. I worked with the office manager to plan and organize a surprise guest, food specifications, and overall logistics. The two lifeguards and party host helped me hang decorations and set up/break down. They delivered the package I purchased and assisted in making it unique and special for my little guy. Overall I'd say that Daland is an excellent place for a pool party! read more

Both my kids learned quickly and enjoyed every minute. Any negative comments you see posted are due to the inevitable serendipitous occurrences that visit any retail business from time to time. They are neither central to the schools mission nor intrinsic to the sincere management efforts of the staff. Beyond that, one always witnesses wailings of chronic malcontents. These should be summarily dismissed. read more