The cardiologist encouraged her to continue her swimming activities. “He said
it would actually help strengthen my heart,” said Maggie. But continuing to play
soccer was a bit more of a challenge. In order for her to play, the coach would put
her in the game for twenty-minute segments followed by short breaks. (Maggie
was the captain of the Robert Toombs Christian Academy girls’ soccer team from
the tenth through twelfth grades.)
While in college, she worked summers as a swim instructor at the Wellness
Center. In 2017, Maggie took a fulltime position and
then transitioned to Fitness Coordinator in 2018.
She not only coordinates all swimming lessons, but
certifies all the Wellness Center’s swim instructors as
a Starfish Aquatics Institute (SAI) Trainer Instructor.
“You have to have been a swim instructor for two
years under the SAI training certification before you
can be trained as an SAI Trainer Instructor,” Maggie
explained.
She trained with Misty Selph, one of the
coordinators of the SAI program in Savannah. After
three days of intense training, she was observed
conducting four classes in each of the following
categories: star babies, swim school, stroke school and
swim team. Children’s ages varied from six-months to
twelve-years-old. In addition, Maggie took a written
instructor-trainer test, a BLS (Basic Life Support)
certification class, and became lifeguard certified.
Instructor Trainers with SAI go through recertification
training every two years. As an SAI Trainer Instructor,
One of the Starfish
students is Maggie's
own son Leo. From a
mom's perspective
and with him in mind,
she created a new
curriculum for the
Starfish baby classes.
104 TOOMBS COUNTY MAGAZINE