KIM CULVER
Scheduling and Swim Family Support
My Swim Story:
I grew up spending a lot of time at beaches and pools and always loved being in the water.I was a strong swimmer at a young age and on the swim team as a pre-teen. I wanted my children to have confidence and skills to be safe in the water and to enjoy swimming like I did. I knew Michael Petrella prior to him becoming a Certified Instructor and our daughters, then ages 1 1/2 and 4, were some of his first students. I was amazed at what they learned! My younger daughter was floating after a few days of lessons and my oldest went from hating getting her face wet in the bath to swimming across the pool in a few weeks. The girls grew to love swimming and seeing their confidence soar as their skills increased was incredible. I remember telling Michael I was glad that my kids now liked playing in the water. He said “more importantly, they now know how to respect the water and be safe!” In 2015 our youngest daughter was born, and by 8 months of age she was in lessons. We are so grateful that she started at such a young age! She is an extremely active child and has no fear. At 2 1/2 years old she was learning to snorkel and could swim across the pool several times, floating for as long as she wanted. Taking her on vacation to a water resort that year was so fun to see the amazed reactions of others when they saw her jump in the deep end without floaties! In 2016, Michael approached me to be his scheduler for his Michigan team of instructors. Two years later I joined him and a team of instructors in California to do their scheduling and have since added a couple more independent instructors. I am blessed to work with instructors from coast to coast and several places in between!
What I do at CAST:
I unofficially partnered with CAST for a couple years sharing my processes and systems as they started their programs, and in January 2022 I took a position with CAST, working remotely to do scheduling and support the instructors and families at CAST. I love my job and it is an honor to support the instructors, encourage parents and help schedule students. I may not be at the pool with our students, but I am invested in seeing them accomplish their skills. I love when I get to see pictures and videos on social media or when parents email me updates on their child’s progress. Occasionally I visit Chicago to spend time with my CAST friends and it is always great fun to meet families in person that I have worked with.
Before CAST:
I went to culinary school and spent several years in the hospitality industry working in a high end bed & breakfast, being the personal assistant to a best selling cookbook author working on a cookbook with her, catering, casual and high end dining and managing public school food service programs. I then switched gears and spent 6 years working as a medical secretary in a large hospital, and then I was blessed to spend a few years being a stay at home mom.
Family:
I have been married to Chris for 21 years, and we have three daughters, Olivia (17), Isabelle (15) and Charlotte (7).
Favorite Quote:
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
–Oscar Wilde
“Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.”
–Elisabeth Elliot
2022 Goal:
I would love to see CAST schedules full year round in Forest Park and with our Chicago area affiliates that we also schedule for.