Relative to age and experience level, I was a pretty good swimmer when I was young. With sloppy technique trumped by quickness, coaches were ecstatic for me to join their roster of age groupers. Then we met Robert Strauss; Straight-forward in his assessment, buy by no means demeaning, Robert’s reaction to my try-out focused not on speed, but on technique, fitness, commitment to earning and dedication to training. I ended up joining Swim Gym, and spent four years with the team, four years of high school competition and stat championships, several summers of teaching and coaching, and too many swim meets to count. In college I swam for The University of Florida, training alongside future Olympians. The Swim Gym philosophy is about building a body of biographical physiological research and understanding, learning to teach this self-awareness, patience and commitment to others, and most importantly using these characteristics in more than just training and sports by applying them to the rest of your life. today, I still pull strength and knowledge form the lessons I learned at Swim Gym.
Sam Holtzman Architect

Thrity-two years later, the words of Coach Strauss still echo in my head: “If you say you can’t you won’t. If you say you might, you may. If you say you will, you’re gonna”. Coach Strauss taught our team of high school swimmers how to swim fast and in doing so taught us how to prepare for life’s challenges. By teaching us the power of visualization and positive thinking, Coach Strauss gave us the tools to accomplish our goals in and out of the water. He taught us to warm up for every practice and swim meets as if it was the Olympics: one day it may be the Olympics and success comes from Consistency. To this day, I take Coach Strauss’s lessons with me into the sports world, into the business world and into my personal world. Whether I am preparing to achieve a new personal best in athletics, or to close a deal at work, or to resolve a personal issue at home Coach Strauss and his lessons of positive thinking, preparation and visualization are always there with me.”
Andy Ansen Executive at WSVN 7 and VP at Sunbean Properties