| Virginia Hunt Newman International Award |
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Virginia Hunt Newman has been
called "The Mother of Infant Swimming". She pioneered
and focused worldwide attention on the non-forceful,
non-traumatic method of teaching infants and
preschool-age children to swim, earning great respect as
an innovator in the field. She began her swimming career
at the
Indianapolis Athletic Club. From 1940 to 1948 she
was a diver for the
Los Angeles Athletic Club, winning swimming and
diving titles. She performed in water shows with Johnny
Weissmuller and Buster Crabbe for the USO. In 1950,
Virginia wrote and directed a series of springboard
diving films while working as an aquatic director and
swimming coach at the Black Fox Military Academy in
Los Angeles. In 1993 Virginia also began an organization and series of educational conferences regarding for learn to swim teachers and program directors under the name World Aquatic Babies Congress and now operates under the expanded name of World Aquatic Babies & Children. |
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Virginia Hunt Newman "The Mother of Infant Swimming" International Award The purpose of this annual award is to carry on
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José Fontanelli Receives 2008 Virginia Hunt Newman Award
José Fontanelli swim teacher and program director from Sao Paulo, Brazil received the Virginia Hunt Newman International Award May 11, 2008
Swimming teacher José Fontanelli has a passion for baby swimming.
And the word ‘affectionate’ describes his manner in having taught
tens of thousands of young pupils over the past 40 years in his
homeland of
Fontanelli uses research and techniques in a variety of disciplines
to speed their development and enhance the comfort of students and
their parents who accompany them in the pool.
Research has shown that children in vitro recognize different people outside the womb and their mother’s reaction to those people. Applying this, Fontanelli was among the first in the world to extend the ‘starting time’ for a baby swimming to the pre-natal period – where expectant mothers come to the pool for movement and exercise experiences. Mother benefits and at the same time becomes comfortable with the pool classroom and with the
2007 Newman Award Recipient
2006 Newman Award Recipient
2004 Inaugural Newman Award Recipient
José Fontanelli 2008 Virginia Hunt Newman Award
José Fontanelli
swim teacher and program director from
São Paulo, Brazil received the Virginia Hunt Newman International Award May 11, 2007 at the International Swimming Hall of Fame annual award ceremonies in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Swimming teacher José Fontanelli has a passion for baby swimming.
And the word ‘affectionate’ describes his manner in having taught
tens of thousands of young pupils over the past 40 years in his
homeland of
Fontanelli uses research and techniques in a variety of disciplines
to speed their development and enhance the comfort of students and
their parents who accompany them in the pool.
Research has shown that special difficulties during gestation and
child birth are associated with future problems of socialization
within children. Fontanelli asks mothers about their pregnancy and
delivery to better know the child.
Both parents join baby in pre-natal and beginning classes at his
Fontanelli Swim Club. Classes are relaxed.
It is not common for babies
to be breast-fed during class again a blending natural ways within
his aquatic classroom.
Laughter, song and activity are primary components.
The joy created makes learning to swim inevitable.
Fontanelli has authored the book
Between Pleasure and
Technique – focusing on aquatic development of babies and
toddlers. He has been
featured in newspaper and magazine articles and is often a presenter
at swim teacher conferences throughout Latin and
Yoko Yagishita Earns 2007 Virginia Hunt Newman Award
Yoko Yagishita swim teacher and program director from Tokyo, Japan received the Virginia Hunt Newman Award May 11, 2007 at the International Swimming Hall of Fame annual award ceremonies in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Yagishita is the fourth to receive the award presented each year by WABC, the Newman Family & the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) to a person who is a disciple of Virginia Hunt Newman carrying on Newman's name and her philosophy of
teaching babies to swim in a kind, loving, caring, and
gentle way so they learn to love the water.
More about Yagishita
Yagishita accepted the award at the annual ISHOF ceremonies speaking in English and saying to the audience of 200 people ...
"Thank you very much and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Yoko Yagishita.
First of all, I would like to thank all members of International Swimming Hall Of Fame for giving me this great honor.
I was never a competitive swimmer. The only thing I have been doing for nearly 30 years or so is to teach my little babies how to enjoy water. I never dreamed of receiving this big award at the Hall of Fame. So, it impressed me so much to know that there are people who always watch you even if you are playing humble role.
It was in 1978 that I first met baby swimming with my baby son. I was quite interested so I decided to be a baby swim instructor and got a qualification in 1980. However, the teaching method was a traditional one and I never dreamed of any other system until I attended the World Aquatic Baby Congress in 1995 at Melbourne, Australia. It was a kind of culture shock for me. The babies are smiling on and under water with happy faces and laughter. At that time, my English was also poor and I could not tell where or who was doing this but somehow, I managed to reach Rob and Kathy McKay’s Lifestyle Swimming in 1996. I learned a lot there, the biggest thing was the philosophy of Ms. Virginia Hunt Newman, the mother of baby swimming. Her child-centered way of baby swimming was a big shock for me and I thought this is what I was looking for.
Since then, I have been trying to spread this child-centered method. Although it has not yet become the main stream, it is becoming more popular in Japan.
I know it is not so easy but I will try my very best to have more and more babies enjoy the life on and under water.
Last but not the least, I would like to thank International Swimming Hall Of Fame for this great honor and also to all those who have supported me.
Thank you very much for listening."
Terje Stakset of Norway Earns 2006 Virginia Hunt Newman Award
Terje Stakset was selected for
as the 2006 recipient for his commitment and being a wonderful example of
Virginia Newman's gentle methods of teaching babies to swim, giving voice to
those not yet able to speak for themselves.
Terje represents Virginia's philosophy not only in the pool as an instructor, but also in his conference presentations and uniquely in the theater as the producer of his one-man stage show of the evolution of gentle baby swimming. This ingenious production pays tribute to Virginia, and follows her vision of using play and kindness, not force and tears to teach babies to swim. His father was a swimming teacher for 25 years.
Terje traveled from his home in
Norway to receive the award in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the Swimming
Hall of Fame's annual ceremonies, on May 12, 2006. Mr. Stakset is the
third individual to receive this prestigious international recognition.
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Terje, a graduate of the Business Academy of Oslo, is currently manager of the Norwegian Lifesaving Federation in Oslo and Baerum. He has been an instructor in swimming and life saving for 27 years and a teacher of baby swimming for 15 years. Moreover, he trains instructors in swimming, baby swimming, lifesaving, CPR and first aid and for 27 years he was the vice-president of the Norwegian Lifesaving Association.
In 1990 and 1991, his team won the Norwegian National Lifesaving Championship for male teams. In 1992, he represented Norway in the World Championships in Sweden.
Terje's baby swim school is part of the Oslo and Baerum District of the Norwegian Lifesaving Association. He has been an advocate of Virginia Hunt Newman's gentle approach to teaching babies to swim. He has been an international speaker at Newman's World Aquatic Baby Congress conferences in France and Hawaii as well as a international conference in Helsinki, Finland. In October 2004 he was Director for the Nordic Conference on Baby Swimming in Oslo. In 2002 he produced a baby swim video "The Truthful Face of Baby Swim". In April 2006 he completed a second DVD titled: "How to Teach Young Children to Swim."
Terje is a wonderful example of Virginia's gentle methods of teaching babies to swim, giving voice to those not yet able to speak for themselves. Terje's leadership and commitment represent Virginia's philosophy not only in the pool as an instructor, but also in his conference presentations. Through his use of poetry and unique theatrical acting when producing his one-man stage show, he "shows off" the evolution of the gentle baby swimming approach. This ingenious production - entitled "Baby Swim Fro the Very Start and Into the Future" pays tribute to Virginia, and follows her vision of using play and kindness, not force and tears to teach babies to swim.
Using a poetic verse to describe his feelings for Virginia's method of teaching Terje writes:
Virginia Hunt Newman was a Pioneer,
And She Made It Quite Clear,
Non-Forceful is the Only Way,
And in That Direction it Has to Stay,
Be Gentle from the Very Start,
If You're Going to be Smart.
Terje is 47 years old, married and has
two sons.
Steve Graves 
