Beth Bedell started to swim competitively as a nine-year-old with the Brea City Thunderbirds swim club. She swam for Brea Olinda High and continued to swim at Fullerton College in California. Beth was a successful swimmer, probably because of a little talent and tons of hard work. She loved to win and worked hard to hit the wall first every time. Beth was a state qualifier all four years in high school. The Brea Wildcats won the CIF title twice during Beth’s high school years on the team. She states that her high and low was in 1979 when she had the opportunity to swim in an Olympic Trials Qualifier Meet. Beth has said that much to her amazement she was not as good as she thought or rather there were a lot of swimmers in between Beth and Tracy Caulkins, her breast stroking hero. 

Coach Bedell began her teaching career at 18 when she realized teaching children to swim was more rewarding than the monotony of life guarding. She started giving lessons at the YMCA in California and would ride her Moped to backyard pools to teach group lessons. After two summers Beth decided to ‘intern’ with her mentor Sandra Williams. Sandra was a widely respected teacher known for teaching babies to swim. Sandra worked as a bookkeeper with the then LA Rams and would teach many of the football players’ children. Sandy agreed to teach Beth with the understanding that Beth would teach Sandy’s methods or not teach at all. Sandy was firm, expected perfection and never gave up. Beth left with a complete toolbox of skills which she still uses today to teach children correct technique. Coach Bedell believes first a swimmer must learn proper technique and the speed will then follow. 

Beth Bedell coached high school swim for two years, but spent most of her water time teaching children to swim. The move to Northern Virginia in 2003 opened her eyes to competitive swimming again. The Mason Makos learned of Beth’s skill level and asked her to join their coaching team. Beth agreed to coach the mini Makos and the age groupers and was thrilled when her daughter expressed a desire to swim competitively. Beth became involved in summer swim, a monster not well known in Southern California where swimming is truly year round. She continued teaching beginning swimmers, but started focusing on the swim team swimmers. Beth began attending seminars, talking to other coaches, watching videos and learning everything she could to increase her knowledge of coaching and prepare her swimmers appropriately. She is an American Swim Coach Association Level II certified coach and spent three years as LRR Stingrays head coach. She considers swimming to be a life sport. Beth Bedell’s passion for all aspects of swimming is something she enjoys teaching her beginners, competitors and leisure swimmers. Beth Bedell founded SWB as a program for everyone who has an interest in quality stroke instruction.