About Andy
Swimming has given me an extraordinary life
I love helping other people find their own version of that. It might begin with feeling safe in the water, swimming a relaxed kilometre or preparing for an ambitious race.
Andy Jacobs
Australian licensed swim coach, veteran pool and open-water swimmer, Masters swimmer and water polo player.
I came to coaching as a swimmer first
Swimming socially with retired Australian Olympians who had become coaches first got me thinking about it. They clearly enjoyed the work, and I could see why.
I came to coaching after nearly 20 years at Apple, working in Australia and Singapore across technology, education and health. I enjoyed helping people understand what they could do with technology. These days, I get that same satisfaction from helping someone find their rhythm in the water.
My approach is patient and practical. I’ll listen to what you find difficult, watch you swim and give you something clear to work on. If you’re nervous, we’ll take our time. If you’re chasing a race goal, we’ll get into the detail. Either way, I want you to leave looking forward to your next swim.
We’ll work at your pace
I take your goals seriously without making the lesson feel intimidating. You do not need to prove anything before you arrive.
If you are nervous, we will spend time talking before we get started. I often share stories of swimmers who began with the same fears and now swim most days. I will be beside you in the water, and we will begin somewhere that feels safe.
I am easy-going, but that does not mean the lesson will always be easy. I like setting challenges that sit just beyond what you can do today: enough to produce a real sense of achievement, never so much that the experience becomes defeating.
One swimmer began with me as an extremely nervous beginner. After training consistently for around eighteen months, she is now looking towards international swim meets. Her progress was not the result of one dramatic breakthrough. It came from patience, trust and a series of achievable next steps.
That is what I want for you too. When you leave a lesson, I want you to feel excited by what you have learned and genuinely keen to put it into action.
Still a swimmer
I’m still in the water most days
I have competed in pool and open-water events, including the 26.4 km Sri Chinmoy Marathon Swim across Lake Zurich in 2013. It was cold, intensely competitive and physically demanding. Swimming past the mountains and beautiful homes along the lake made it unforgettable.
I have also swum continuously for 12 hours at Monash University, covering 32.7 km to raise money for MS Australia. It taught me as much about patience and the mind as it did about endurance.
I still swim in a squad every day for my own fitness and spend weekends swimming socially with the wonderful Port Melbourne Icebergers. I enjoy the training, the company and having something of my own to work on.
26.4 km
Lake Zurich Marathon Swim
12 hours
Continuous charity swim
Every day
Still training and learning
Most lessons happen at MSAC
Pool coaching runs throughout the year in Albert Park. From November to April, I also offer private beach lessons, subject to suitable conditions.
MSAC · year round
Private 1:1 pool coaching
Beach · November to April