You will not find better trained, fun or nurturing swim instructors anywhere. Our teachers are built from the ground up
– starting with our stringent interview process and continuing on through our training seminars and clinics – they are trained to be the best in the industry. Our students quickly grow to love and trust their teachers – this fosters a confidence and enjoyment of swimming that lasts a lifetime.

Our teachers undergo a minimum of 40 hours of dry-land and in-water instruction, CPR certification, customer service and emergency procedure training. Lead by Co-Owner and Head Instructor Katie Hall (Captain of the ’96 Univ. of California Women’s Swim Team), our staff is proficient in everything from helping first-time swimmers gain the confidence to put their faces in the water to teaching pre-competitive swimmers the fine details of all four strokes, legal race turns and starts.

Katie Hall
Katie has been owner and head instructor of SBSS/Reno for over four years. She is uniquely qualified for the job and has extensive experience in the areas of competitive swimming, aquatic instruction and facilities management. Katie’s key responsibilities at SBSS/Reno are development of curriculum, lesson quality control, staff training and pool safety.

Katie started swimming competitively at six years old. She swam at the University of California, Berkeley – one of the most elite swimming programs in the nation. Some of Katie’s swimming honors and awards include: United States National Championships and U.S. Open qualifier; University Medallist: honored at commencement as the outstanding female athlete of the year; Golden Bear Award: awarded for commitment, dedication and spirit; Academic All American; and the Barbara Stark Jordan Academic/Athletic Scholarship.

Katie began her swim instruction career as a teenager at Orinda Park Pool where she eventually became responsible for the creation and management of the curriculum of over 200 kids. The mission of Katie’s curriculum was to create a fun and safe place for children to learn the important life skill of swimming. Katie was mentored by Jan Emler of Emler Swim School in Texas - one of the leading programs for infant swim instruction. Lastly, Katie is a member of the United States Swim School Association. The United States Swim School Association was created in 1988 to provide a formal trade association for swim school operators in the United States. The Association gives certification courses and workshops that offer continuing education to its members on the most up-to-date teaching and management methods.

Tim Hall, Co-Owner/Director of Operations & Finance
Tim Hall is Katie’s husband and has been co-owner, operations and financial director of SBSS/Reno for over four years. In his previous professional life Tim was an advertising executive in San Francisco. Working for several international agencies, Tim directed Fortune 100 brands such as Clorox, Coors Brewing Company and Levi’s.

Tim is also responsible for running SBSS/Reno’s highly successful baby swim program. This program is distinctly superior to any programs in the area and is based on cutting edge practices from leading schools in the U.S. and Europe. Tim sits on the advisory council to the United States Swim School Association Infant Toddler accreditation board and has himself achieved certification from the United States Swim School Association Infant Toddler Courses levels I, II, and III.

As a three-time Ironman triathlete, Tim is an accomplished open water swimmer as well as a member of the Sierra Nevada Masters swim team.

Laura Jackson, General Manager and Administrative Director
Laura Jackson came to SBSS/Reno with a background in the banking industry but most recently from the position of facility manager at a children’s dance studio. Both of these experiences have given her highly transferable skills for her role as General Manager and Administrative Director. With three years logged at her position at SBSS/Reno, Laura is the backbone of the school’s scheduling, billing and organizational structures.

Laura is one of our most accomplished teachers and her mentoring of the Silver Bear staff ensures that all students are receiving the best quality lessons from day one.