Former Olympian Rodion Davelaar opens AQUAfin Swim School location in Orange City

ORANGE CITY — Before class begins, students at AQUAfin Swim School must make a few promises.

In addition to following the rules and ensuring an adult watches them when they're in the water, children also promise to have fun.

"I want kids to enjoy the water, just like I did," Rodion Davelaar said.

Just last month, the former Olympian and his wife, Cassidy Foley Davelaar, opened the first franchise branch of AQUAfin Swim School.

Rodion Davelaar's friend and fellow former Olympian, Nim Shapira, founded the school in 2017. Both men competed as swimmers in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Davelaar, who lives in the Lake Nona area, represented Netherlands Antilles and finished 57th in the 50-meter freestyle; Shapira, who lives in the Jacksonville area, represented Israel and finished 15th in the 200-meter freestyle and 26th in the 100-meter freestyle.

AQUAfin School a response to high child drowning rates

In May 2020, Shapira broached the idea of Davelaar opening a location of his own.

Davelaar said he had a good job at the time with a software company, but he brought the idea to Cassidy, a pediatrician specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine at Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando.

Cassidy said shortly beforehand she'd read something from the American Academy of Pediatrics that shocked her: Drowning was the single-leading cause of death among children between ages 1 to 4.

Wanting to be a part of the solution, the couple agreed Davelaar would shift gears and enter the business of teaching children to swim with some help on the investment side from Cassidy.

So far this year, 58 children died as a result of drowning, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families. Two were reported in Flagler County earlier this month.

On Aug. 4, a 2½-year-old died after she "was found unresponsive in the family's above-ground swimming pool," according to DCF child fatality statistics. A 4-year-old girl died Aug. 12, six days after "she was found in a nearby pond when she was reported missing from the home."

The website doesn't list any reported drownings so far this year in Volusia or St. Johns counties.

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Last year, there were 98 reported child-drowning deaths with one case each in Volusia and Flagler counties, and none reported in St. Johns County.

A 1-year-old boy died Aug. 1, 2021, a week "after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool while he was attending a pool party at a relative's home" in Flagler County, according to DCF child fatality statistics. In Volusia County, a 1-year-old girl died Oct. 13, 2021, four days "after she was found unresponsive in the swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected."

Starting young with water safety

AQUAfin offers eight class levels, and swimmers are placed in a particular class based on their current skills and abilities.

Children who are brand new to the water and between the ages of 2 months and 3 years can participate in the Jellyfish class, which requires the help of a parent or guardian.

During that class, much of the focus is on introducing the children to and getting them comfortable with water, Davelaar said.

"There are kids who come in just so afraid of the water they start crying," Davelaar said.

That's why — next to safety — having a good time while learning to swim is a priority.

"The lessons are really fun," Cassidy said. "The kids are going to enjoy them, and then it's really fun to then take that home and watch how your kid becomes more comfortable and more confident."

Lake Helen resident Jessica Hemesath was the first parent to sign up her children for lessons at AQUAfin in Orange City.

Hemesath said she's interested in getting an above-ground pool someday, but not before her daughters Leona Deguzman, 8, and Nora Deguzman, 4, learn to swim.

"I knew that I wanted to get them going," said Hemesath, adding that her father had her in swimming lessons when she was their age.

On Thursday both girls had swimming lessons, which Davelaar led.

Hemesath, 36, and Leona watched Nora as she had her lesson first.

Inside the pool area, Nora worked on floating on her back, kicking while sitting on one of the steps, and swimming a few feet from Davelaar to the side of the pool.

After each exercise, she received a high-five.

Nora also practiced popcorn jumps (her favorite), which involve going underwater and then jumping up, and retrieving toys from the bottom of the 3-1/2-foot-deep pool.

After throwing in a weighted toy fish, Davelaar asked if she wanted to save the fish together.

"No, I can do it all by myself," Nora said.

While Davelaar likes seeing children become confident and comfortable in the water, he said they should never swim without supervision.

Visit aquafinswimschool.com for information.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Former Olympian opens AQUAfin Swim School in Orange City