About Us
Our Instructors
My name is Stacy Williamson, and I am the owner of NSS. NSS has five wonderful instructors who each provide swim lessons individually tailored to each child. We will meet your child where they are and build upon those skills. No more sitting on the wall in a group lesson waiting on your turn or possibly slipping into the pool with no one watching. Pool safety is our priority. One on one lessons assure someone is always with your child.
I have over 30 years of experience teaching swim lessons to kids in the Northland. I have worked as a professional coach for about 20 years. I have coached at the middle school, high school and club levels. I specialize in students with special needs.
The rest of our staff are club and collegiate swimmers with more accolades than I could ever try to list. They have broken records. They have worked as rookie coaches. They have been to Central Zones. We have Pro-Am and Sectional Qualifiers. We have State qualifiers and State Champions. We even have one that has been to ALL STARS. Ana is the head coach of a Northland Conference Swim Team. Aftyn is an assistant coach for a Northland Conference Swim Team. Ana, Gabe and Garrison swim at the collegiate level. Aftyn is currently being recruited by several universities to continue swimming after high school. All of these young adults are able to teach any of the lessons you see below except the adaptive lessons. And...they are just awesome with kids.
Coach Stacy
Coach Ana
Coach Aftyn
Coach Gabe
Coach Garrison
Our main pool for lessons is New Mark First Pool Association. Other locations can be worked out with individual coaches.
Swimming is Fun and a Lifelong Skill
While we realize that it's not everyone's goal to be the next Michael Phelps, we know that many of our students have goals for summer swim teams, middle school teams, high school teams or your club team. It's our job to help you reach that potential. All children learn differently, just like not all kids take high school Algebra I in eighth grade, not all kids will master swim skills at the same rate. I've always wanted to knit and quickly learned it's a skill I don't possess.
So whether your child is excited to start competing, or wants to be able to swim at Scout camp, we are here to help. Maybe you or your child are looking for a great way to exercise that's easier on the joints, we want to help you achieve your goals!
Camps & Teams
Mini Camps will be made available between high school seasons and before the start of summer swim teams.
We recommend Club North Swim Team of Kansas City if you are interested in swimming year-round. Please ask Coach Stacy for more details.
We invite you to join us at Walnut Creek, where Ana is the head coach of the team and Aftyn is the assistant coach, if you are interested in
summer only swimming.
Swimming is Positivity
"I love swimming because of the life-long friendships I've made and the atmosphere of the sport. It's the only sport I can do because I lack hand-eye coordination."--Ana Williamson
"I love it because it just brings me joy. I made my best friends from swimming. I like bragging about doing a sport that's not considered popular. It's very active and it helped me lose weight." --Aftyn Williamson
"I love the feeling of being on the blocks and the anticipation of starting a race. Hitting the wall and seeing a best time and spending long meet days with friends." -- Gabe Wells
Sign up for Updates
Open a text message and enter 81010.
In the body of the text message type: @nss2025
This will get you signed up for all cancellations due to weather or pool conditions. It's also direct contact with the owner should you have questions.
Lesson Types
- Beginners: Around age 3 and older for kids who are very interested in the water but lack skills. We will work on bubbles, putting the face in the water, floating safely, cruising the walls, bobbing, etc. (This lesson is about 20 minutes in duration) Must be potty trained. No swim diapers.
- Novice: This is for pre-school and school age children who have little to no formal training. They should already be able to go underwater (bobs), and survival swim. (It's fine if it looks ugly--we can fix that.)
- Pre-Swim Team: These lessons are for kids who have a handle on freestyle and backstroke--even if it looks ugly. In this group we will begin working on stroke drills and techniques to get kids ready to be a rookie on a swim team or join a summer team for the first time.
- Stroke Refinement: These lessons are for kids who are on the team (any team) and need some help polishing their strokes. These kids typically need a lot of work in butterfly and breaststroke. They also need help building endurance for the race.
- Racing Strategies: These lessons are for kids who are on a team and are looking to drop time. There are so many ways we can help kids fix their strokes, starts and turns to drop time and improve. Much of the time will be fixing minor defects in technique and working on walls as well as starts. This is also great for high school swimmers looking to improve their racing to qualify for state.
Adaptive Lessons
Stacy is one of the few instructors who specializes in working with children who have special needs. I have worked with students who are blind, ADHD, ASD, Down Syndrome, and other differences. As a professional educator with over 20 years of experience, I love working with ALL kids. It is my belief that all children deserve to learn how to swim and love the sport.
Adaptive swim lessons are designed for participants with:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cranial anomalies
- Physical differences
All adaptive lessons must be one on one and cannot be shared with a sibling or another child.
I started as a certified teacher in 2000. In these years as an educator, I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of students with special needs, including children on an IEP and 504 plan. Adaptive lessons are much the same. Each lesson is broken down in manageable chunks for the child to ensure their success. I started teaching swim lessons when I was 14 and have been involved with swimming my whole life. I currently serve as the Head boys and girls coach at a local high school.
Testimonials
Anonymous From Parent Survey
Anonymous From Parent Survey
Anonymous From Parent Survey
Yes! Highly recommend any one of these swim teachers! They are all well organized, efficient, amiable, and professional. They are all obviously highly skilled, and the price for their talent is impossible to beat!
Anonymous Parent, KCMO
Anonymous From Parent Survey
Anonymous From Parent Survey
"...your Aftyn is such a doll! She gets so into her lessons. She went 5 minutes over in our lesson because she was so excited to see my oldest go off the diving board. My girls talked about how pretty she was the whole way home."
Anonymous Parent from Survey
Anonymous From Parent Survey
Anonymous Parent from Survey
Ana, Aftyn and Gabe are great swim instructors that were able to increase confidence in the pool for each of my children. My reluctant swimmer is now excited and proud to show off her skills and my son is happy he has improved his skills in the water. We would 10/10 recommend to all our friends and family.
Anonymous Parent from Survey
Anonymous From Parent Survey
Anonymous Parent from Survey
My kids (6 & 9) learned valuable swimming skills this summer in just a few lessons with Ana, Aftyn, and Gabe. I was excited to see how much they learned and they were having fun while learning too! I highly recommend anyone looking for their kids to improve swimming skills to work with this group!
Anonymous Parent from Survey
Anonymous Parent from Survey
Anonymous Parent from Survey
We had lessons with Ana, Aftyn, Spencer and Stacy. Stacy, Ana and Spencer were so patient and accepting of my autistic son. I didn’t know two out of my three kiddos could swim and all coaches taught them to swim in just a handful of lessons. I would 100% recommend all coaches!
RA, KCMO
Anonymous Parent from Survey
Anonymous Parent from Survey
"Reese had her first lesson with Ana yesterday, and I am so impressed!!! Reese LOVED it and loved Ana, and she cannot wait until her next lesson on Monday."
Anonymous From Survey
Anonymous Parent from Survey
Anonymous From Survey
" My daughter went from being afraid to get in the pool to wanting to join a swim team from these lessons. Ana was helpful and encouraging and kept things positive while teaching my daughter. "
Anonymous From Survey
Anonymous Parent from Survey
Anonymous From Survey
" Highly recommended! My daughters enjoyed their lessons and learned a lot!"
Anonymous From Survey
Anonymous From Survey
Anonymous From Survey
"How much my daughter loved Ana and how proud she was after every lesson! Ana is a very encouraging coach. In just 6 lessons, Reese learned so much and has gained so much confidence while in the pool. We can’t wait for lessons next summer!"
Anonymous From Survey
Anonymous From Survey
Anonymous From Survey
"Seeing my non-swimmer swim clear across the pool! Stacy is amazing with kid and Ana knew exactly when to push my reluctant, anxious girlie so she could make progress "
Northland Swim School Lesson Sign Up
Coach Ana
Coach Aftyn
Coach Ana is the Head Coach for the Walnut Creek Swim Team. She is currently finishing her sophomore year at Truman State University where she is a distance swimmer mainly competing in the 500 free, 1000 free, the 1650 free, and the 800 free relay. She is obtaining her BSN in Nursing and has plans to continue into a Masters program in Cardio Vascular Perfusion. Ana has taught private swim lessons for 8 years. She holds three school records while in NKC and Staley for 50 breast, 400 free relay (MS) and 400 free relay at Staley. She holds multiple club records from age 7 on.
She is certified USA Swimming Coach, BLS, Lifeguard, CCMA, and Advanced First Aid.
To schedule with Coach Ana, please call her directly at 816-359-7280
Coach Aftyn
Coach Aftyn
Coach Aftyn is the Junior Coach for the Walnut Creek Swim Team. She is a member of the National Honor Society at Staley and on the Missouri Valley Academic Team. She is currently finishing her junior year at Staley High School where she earned two State Medals: 6th place in 500 free; 8th place in the 200 medley relay where she was the breaststroke leg: and a B final 11th place in 100 breaststroke. Aftyn is a utility swimmer where she can swim any stroke at any time for any race. She currently holds school records in 200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 400 free relay and 100 IM. Aftyn has been teaching private swim lessons for 4 years.
She is certified USA Swimming Coach, Lifeguard and Advanced First Aid.
To schedule with Coach Aftyn, please call her directly at 816-787-8877
Coach Stacy
Coach Stacy has been a professional educator for 26 years and has spent most of those years in leadership. She has been teaching private swim lessons for over 30 years. She currently specializes in one on one survival lessons for children with disabilities, but also concentrates on working with upper level swimmers to correct technique and learn ways to improve swimming for speed. Stacy competed in butterfly with the US Masters Swim Team earning first place in her division. Stacy has coached at the middle school, high school, and club level.
She is certified MSHSAA Swim Coach. USA Swimming Meet Referee, USA Swimming Coach, BLS, ACLS, NREMT-P
To schedule with Coach Stacy, please call her directly at 816-352-1099
Coach Garrison
Garrison is excited to be graduating this year from Staley High School. Garrison is the current record holder at Staley High School in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly and 100 back! He was also on all the record holding relays for 200 medley, 200 free, and 400 free. Next year, Garrison is committed to swim at University of Nebraska-Omaha. He is looking forward to majoring in Business-Administration. Garrison is lifeguard and CPR/first aid trained. This will be Garrisons 4th summer teaching lessons.
Coach Gabe
Gabriel is current finishing up his freshman year at UMSL where he is majoring in finance. While breaststroke is his favorite stroke, his coach at UMSL took advantage of his versatility this past season. Gabriel loves sprint events and is the current record holder at Staley High School in 100 breast, 200 medley relay, and 200 free relay. Unfortunately, after a non-swim related injury, Gabriel is working on building back his strength, mobility, and endurance. He plans to be back in the water and offering lessons in July. Gabriel is lifeguard and CPR/first aid trained. This will be Gabriel’s 5th summer teaching lessons.
Swim Shop
Coming Soon...
