Squad coach and gym owner Timon Wilkinson on making lessons fun for kids and adults

<p>Timon Wilkinson is the co-owner of <a href="https://www.bonobo.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Bonobos</a> gym for kids and adults in Wellington and runs weekly <a href="https://www.bonoboswimsquads.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Bonobos Swim Squads</a> at Freyberg, WRAC, Te Ngaengae, and Te Huia Pools. </p><p>Timon was a competitive swimmer from nine to 15 and started coaching kids while he was at university. He worked at the old TSW Pool until it closed in 2017, and then for Capital Swim Club. In 2017 he co-founded the fun and friendly Bonobos gym in Lyall Bay for kids and adults (including Strength, Mobility, and Balance classes – great cross-training for swimmers!).</p><p>Timon talks about leaving kids&#39; competitive swim coaching, opening the gym, and his many years of running adult swim squads. We discuss the joys and challenges of running squads, his top swimming tips, teaching different ages, personalities, and abilities, and how creating a friendly space helps people to learn and have fun so they want to keep coming back.</p><p>Visit the <a href="https://www.bonobo.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Bonobos gym</a> website</p><p>Visit the <a href="https://www.bonoboswimsquads.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Bonobos Swim Squad</a> website</p><p>*</p><p>Visit <a href="https://stokednz.co.nz/SWIMCHATS" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">StokedNZ</a> for your towelies and get 15% off with the discount code SWIMCHATS </p><p>Support the podcast via ⁠⁠<a href="https://patreon.com/SwimChats?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/swimchats" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Contact me at swimchatswithshona at gmail dot com</p><p>Hit &#39;Follow&#39; so you don&#39;t miss an episode. </p><p>Thanks for listening! :-)</p>