Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in Houston?
I am a born and raised Houstonian who has lived here all my life. However, my parents are from Johannesburg, South Africa!
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
I have four wonderful children! My oldest Evann is 7 followed by Collins (6), Wright (5), and McKay (3).
One thing people would be surprised to know about your family…
Like many families in the surrounding area, I flooded not once but twice—first in the Memorial Day 2015 flood and again during Hurricane Harvey. Gah!!!
Favorite local things to do in Houston?
I love to grab a bite with my family at The ‘401, a new restaurant that opened around the corner from our Bellaire location. I also love to go to Target (preferably without my kids!)
How did Wolfies get started and how have you seen it grow?
I actually began teaching swim lessons in my parents’ backyard pool in Meyerland. As popularity for my swim lessons increased, I outgrew my backyard and opened Wolfies Swim School in West University Place! Since opening 13 years ago we have expanded and opened up our newest location in Bellaire. It has been amazing to see the growth of what started as a small business in my parents’ backyard into an established business that provides kids the opportunity to learn how to swim!
What makes Wolfies stand out?
Our concept is different than most standard swim schools. We specialize in small class sizes (three per group class) which is half of what most schools typically have. We also push students within their comfort zone and strive to provide exceptional customer service!
Wolfies gives back to the community and special causes like “Anti-Bullying”, tell us more about that.
At Wolfies we believe it’s important to give back to the community that has given so much to us. For this reason, every month we coordinate a “Wolfies Gives Back” Day to spotlight a charitable organization within the community. In the past, we have worked with notable organizations such as Junkluggers, I’m Bully Free, and Loaves and Fishes.
What is one piece of advice you could offer parents of children learning to swim?
If a child gets emotional while learning how to swim, it does not necessarily mean they are not ready. It’s just a part of the learning process!
