5 November: 9am for 9.45am start
6 November: 8.30 - 3pm close
New Zealand supplier of swimwear, aquatic equipment and sporting goods.
The #1 Class Management Software for Gymnastics, Cheer, Dance and Swim Schools
Lake Taupo Yacht Club,Taupō : November 5-6, 2026.
A two-day conference created specifically for owners, operators, and senior leaders in our sector. No matter your size, style, or setting, if you are a leader in a swim school, this conference is for you.
The Swim School Edge (TSSE) brings together people walking the same path. It’s a rare chance to step out of the day-to-day, gain fresh perspective and grow alongside others committed to building stronger, more successful swim schools.
This is your edge, don’t miss it.
Why Attend?
Hear from experts inside & outside our sector who are generously sharing ideas to help swim schools thrive.
Grow as a leader. Sessions will challenge and support you, your team and your business.
Discover proven, practical approaches to improve the day-to-day running of a high-performing swim school.
Hear honest, real-world stories, sharing what’s working and what they’ve learned the hard way.
Be in the room with professionals who understand your challenges, speak your language, and are willing to share their ideas, energy, and experience.
Your Investment.
$385 per person, and $335 for the third and subsequent team member from the same swim school.
Registration is open so book your space now via this link.
What people said about TSSE 2025.
“TSSE 2025 was inspiring and packed with practical insights for anyone in the swim school sector. Great speakers, relevant sessions, and fantastic networking made it an experience I highly recommend!” – Lisa
“An amazing opportunity to connect and build relationships with others in our awesome industry. Learning from so many leaders will help us all go away and improve in our roles.” – Richie
“Highly informative, inspiring, and educational, bringing together a diverse range of voices and perspectives from across the sector. I would highly recommend this conference.” – Carly
“Such a great experience to connect and have meaningful conversations. I’ve taken away learnings I’m excited to share with our wider team. He waka eke noa.” – Amber
“A thoughtfully curated event that balanced insightful presentations with meaningful peer discussion. I left inspired, with new ideas I’m excited to implement.” – Stefan
“Great conference with great speakers and great attendees.” – Will
“Loved the inaugural TSSE conference. A great sharing opportunity to meet and interact with other swim schools. Great location and venue. Very well organised. Thank you.” – Lou
Sharing their expertise in Taupo:
John Mitchell, Director, Delta Gymnastics.
He loves learning. He loves sharing what he's learned. And he's convinced that an industry that wants to keep kids engaged has to be both people-focused and data-driven - not one or the other.
Session 1: Building a Moat in a Pool. How to build a sustainable competitive advantage and actually execute it.
Session 2: Transforming the Team That Transforms the Kids. Why your team is the product and how to lead one worth staying for.
Why is a gymnastics expert speaking at TSSE 2026?
Because sometimes the best ideas come from outside our own lane. Swim schools and gymnastics programmes share more in common than we often realise. Complex operations, similar staffing challenges, and a shared focus on developing children through structured, skill-based environments. Looking beyond the swim school “pool” gives us the chance to challenge assumptions and uncover smarter ways of working.
John brings exactly that. With deep experience in the child development space and an international reputation for delivering results, he offers a fresh, unbiased perspective. Grounded in practice (mistakes and success), not swimming tradition. John insights will push our thinking, spark new ideas, and ultimately help us lift the standard of what we do.
Goldie Feinberg, Clarity Architect
Leading Yourself First: Clarity, Confidence, and Connection in Leadership
Two sessions taking a practical look at the stuff that doesn't always get talked about: what happens to your thinking when pressure goes up, how to get on the same page with people who operate very differently to you, and how to make a call when everything feels equally important. Goldie is alsooffering free ‘clarity clinics’ during break times.
Stefan Jans, Operations Manager, SwimTastic
Turning your technology into your people advantage
Swim schools face a growing retention squeeze. As employment costs have risen, the traditional pay premium for skilled swim teachers has been squeezed, making it increasingly important to find new ways to attract, retain and reward great people.
Stefan will share how SwimTastic has used simple technology, automation and AI to streamline repetitive administration (stripping it away) to create an efficiency dividend: freeing people to focus on what people do best: leading, connecting, developing and growing others.
Ashleigh Pushon, Northern Area Manager, Dean Greenwood Swim School
Leading teams with confidence and credibility. Leadership isn’t defined by title, it’s shown through everyday actions.
This session explores how trust, consistency, and clear expectations shape team performance, and why breakdowns in these areas often lead to communication issues, low accountability, and inconsistent results. How leaders can strengthen team culture, improve performance, and lead with greater confidence and clarity.
Fabian Hauschild Rogat, Site Manager,Fulton Swim School New Plymouth
Leading with Kindness: Unlocking the Potential of Your Next Generation Team
Today's swim school leaders face a very different workforce to the one they entered themselves. So how do we create workplaces where young people feel valued, challenged, and inspired to stay? Fabian shares why modern leadership is no longer about authority: it's about connection.
You'll hear how leading with empathy, authenticity, kindness, and a growth mindset can transform your team culture and develop confident, capable employees. Whether you lead a team of five or fifty, this session will challenge the way you think about leadership and provide practical ideas you can implement immediately.
Alison Green, Marketing Strategist
The Sea of Sameness
How to find your swim school's point of difference when everyone sounds the same, especially for parents who are exploring LTS for the first time.
Alison’s session takes a fresh look at how swim schools communicate their offer and challenges us to think beyond the traditional "learn to swim" story. Drawing on a review of swim-school messaging across New Zealand, we'll explore why so many organisations sound remarkably similar, what actually creates meaningful differentiation, and where there may be opportunities to tell a more compelling story.
Because perhaps the question isn't simply "What do we offer?" but "Why should a family choose us?"