Swim Coaches

MSc. Gabriela Minaříková
Head Coach

Gabriela Minaříková loves swimming and teaching others to love the water. In the pool, she feels like a fish and says that being in water is like being wrapped in a duvet.

She is a graduate of FTVS,  a first-class swimming coach, a first-class medical swimming instructor and a qualified lifeguard and WATSU instructor. She also worked as a nurse in several countries around the world.

The birth and upbringing of her daughter, Victoria, led her to establish her own swimming school Swim Smooth and later also the swimming club of the same name, where she teaches and leads children from 4 to 18 years of age with her fellow coaches. However, it is also visited by adults who want to improve their swimming skills, as well as athletes – especially juniors,- competitive swimmer sfrom clubs in the Czech Republic and abroad.

She invented her own swimming method - Swimming with Plavel and Plavlína, and she is her own  best recommendation: an energetic and purposeful woman who in 2015 reached the Masters World Swimming Championships in Kazan, where she finished in a tough international competition at an excellent 12th place. One, but effective week‘s training was enough for her to do it. As a junior swimmer, she owns a collection of medals from the Czech Republic Championships.

In the Czech Republic, Swim Smooth is the first and only licensed club of the Australian swimming method, using the unique dispositions  of each person to swim as easily, "smoothly" and efficiently as possible. In Perth, Australia, Gabriela was the only Czech to become one of the Top 50 Swim Smooth Coaches, a team representing the global coaching elite.

Would you like to know more about Gabi? To read her personal story click here.

Kačka
Swim Coach

I tried many sports as a child, but swimming was the only one that stayed with me into adulthood. I swam recreationally for most of my life and didn't start competitive swimming until I was 14. Swim Smooth Swim Club offered me the opportunity to start competitive swimming at such a late age and I was impressed. I enjoy swimming as a sport, but I am also interested in technique and teaching, so I decided to become a coach and help other kids learn to swim.

Qualifcations:

I have completed the coach class III course at Charles University and the referee class III course. I use knowledge from my own experience and gain more from regular lessons at

Swim Smooth.Why did I decide to coach for Swim Smooth?

Having been a swimmer at the club myself for several years, I knew how it worked and how to teach. I like to learn new information and the Swim Smooth technique appeals to me.

Linda
Swim Coach

I did competitive swimming from the age of six to twelve when I decided to put swimming aside and take up volleyball - for eight years. Before entering university, I started training for the talent trials, which included swimming. It was at that time I realized how much I was missing it, so I started training regularly again and trying to improve my technique.

Qualifications:

I am a student at FTVS, majoring in Applied Physical Education and Sport with Special Needs Persons. During my bachelor studies, I completed Fundamentals of Swimming and Didactics of Swimming. Now in my Master's studies I have more to study! I have also been swimming with children with autism spectrum disorder for 3 years, previously as an assistant and now as an instructor.

Why did I decide to coach for Swim Smooth?

One day a friend came to me with a contact for Gabi. I checked out the Swim Smooth website and was intrigued by their different methodology. Because of my field of study, I am a proponent of an individual approach, according to each child's needs. Therefore, I am happy to educate myself in Swim Smooth and pass on the experience to our children.

Tom
Swim Coach

I’ve been swimming, with a small break, for the whole of my life. I started to learn to swimwhen I was 4 years old, which is why I don’t remember a time when I couldn’t swim. Over time, I started to feel a true connection between me and the water.It’s like being able to control one of the elements.

Qualifications:

I have a level 3 coaching licence acredited by the Czech Swimming Federation thanks to graduating from the Sports High School of Dana and Emil Zatopekin Ostrava. I have nother experience as a ski instructor, as a supervisor at a children’s camp and also a short experience as a teacher of Physical Education in an elementary school in my hometown.

Why I decided to join Swim Smooth? 

That was a true coincidence, a real destiny. I met one satisfied mother of a kid who is registrered with Swim Smooth. I confided in her that I was also swimming when I was younger and she gave my phonenumber to the head coach. So that’s why I’ve become part of this amazing crew and it makes me really curious beacuse the methods are totaly different than the ones I used to learn. To be one of a number who can teach this wordwide method makes me truly happy.

Eliška
Trainee

I started swimming by accident. When I was a kid I used to go to a cottage with a pool with my parents. Since my parents were working in the garden and it was boring for me, so I tried to play in the water. First just on the steps and later I ventured into the deep end. Swimming accompanied me into elementary school but running was more important to me. Fortunately my best friend was in a swimming team and I wanted to try it too. That was how I started swimming competitively.

Qualifications:

Swimming later turned passive due to a shoulder injury. Before the injury I was already working as an assistant coach. I used to visit the pool almost every day of the week. I completed the III. class trainer course  in 2017 and started to fully commit to coaching children. Now I am studying at the Prague University of Economics.

Why I decided to join Swim Smooth?

Since I missed the contact with water, kids and coaches, I sought out Swim Smooth. I like the approach and method to training, especially because of the playfulness and the realization that swimming is not just hard work, but training can be playful and fun.

Andrea
Trainee

From an early age, my parents encouraged me to do sports. At the age of 10, I started competitive swimming at PSK Olymp, where I started enjoying it so much that I chose swimming as my only sport. After 5 years, I pushed my boundaries and transferred to SK Motorlet Praha under the management of Olympionist Martina Pechová (Moravčiková). I felt more at home in Motorlet and I could also be sure of an improvement in my performance. Unfortunately, I resigned from the best team in September, because I knew that this path was no longer for me. I therefore transferred to the less powerful team X in Motorlet, where I still swim and am satisfied.

Qualifications:

In the 1st year of high school, I had an internship in Olymp, where I trained children. Otherwise, I am gaining my experience at Swim Smooth.

Why I decided to join Swim Smooth?

I was looking for a new part-time "work around the corner" that I would enjoy and I found it too. I really enjoy training and I am always gaining new experiences at Swim Smooth. The Swim Smooth way of training, impressed me and surprised me. I'm glad to be a part of the team.

Terezie
Trainee

From an early age, my parents encouraged me to do sports. At the age of 10, I started competitive I found my way to swimming by myself, I swam competitively from the age of six to eighteen. During my swimming career, I also won many international successes. Now I am studying at the University of Journalism, but I always love to return to the water

Qualifications:

I graduated from a sports gymnasium and graduated from the theory of sports preparation. I have the Swim Coaching License III. In my free time, I also look after children.

Why I decided to join Swim Smooth?

After spending so many years in the pool, I didn't want to get rid of the smell of chlorine. I was looking for a way to do what I enjoy and Swim Smooth is the right one. Thanks to the interesting methodology, it is a new experience for me, for which I am very happy. Swimming is challenging, but it can also be FUN!

Zdenka
Trainee

Sport is my lifelong hobby. I started swimming sometime around 5 years old, certainly earlier if we consider swimming in the sea with a ring :). At elementary school, I attended a swimming club and have beautiful memories of regional competitions, where I enjoyed the team spirit and made a lot of friends. Besides this, I also competed in cross-country skiing, so swimming was on the sideline for a while. During summertime, I like to do mountain biking.

Qualifications

At high school, I returned to swimming as an assistant coach for 3 years and hold a swimming referee license class III. 

I also hold a ski instructor certificate which I achieved after graduation.

Why did I decided to coach for SwimSmooth?

I returned to a regular swimming team in 2019, when I started swimming with Gabi, the patron of Czech Swim Smooth. The most challenging was to adjust new techniques after 30 years of experience, however, It's never felt so easy! It works so well thanks to Swim Smooth's unique methodology.  Based on my swimming experience, I can compare the fundamental differences between the "classic" style and swim smooth, which is based on logical and systematic principles, and leads to quick improvements. I would recommend Swim smooth to anyone who wants to learn to swim smoothly.

Petra
Administrativní a PR pracovník - marketing

Sport is my hobby and it energizes me. Even though I'm not a keen swimmer, the Swim Smooth method really interests me, because I like learning new things, and I'm looking forward to improving my swimming style and discovering new ways to enjoy the water. 

Qualifications:

After high school I lived for one year in England, where I worked as an Au-Pair. Since then I gained further experience working with children at children's camp where I use to go for many years. I studied a Bachelor's degree in Marketing Communication, but I have always worked in banking. At the moment, my main role is to be a mummy of a one and a half year old girl.

Why I decided to join Swim Smooth?

While working for Swim Smooth I will always let you know what we are currently preparing for you, how to educate you, how you can improve whilst having fun! My goal is to help you feel comfortable in and under the water. 

Kamila
Administrativa - helpdesk

Sport is something that accompanies me throughout my life. I like to lead an active life. Although I don't swim very often, I love to run and with my dog friend we do agility, where I feel as happy fish in the water :).

Qualifications:

For most of my life, I have been working in assistant positions, or in positions where communication with people was my job and at the same time my joy. With my work, I was able to support all my colleagues so that they could fully concentrate on their tasks. This also includes the organization of the office and all administrative matters, which many consider a boring and unnecessary activity, but which is very helpful for others.

Why did I choose to join Swim Smooth?

I enjoy communicating with Gabriela and I love the positive energy and passion that radiates from her. I have always been a hard worker in the field. I needed a change, so I gladly accepted this opportunity..