Big Blue Swim School

What Big Blue Swim School does

Big Blue Swim School is a franchise-based children's swim instruction company founded in 2009 by U.S. National Champion swimmer Chris DeJong. Operating under the legal entity Northshore Swim Science, LLC (Illinois), the company delivers curriculum-driven, distance-based weekly swim lessons to families with children from 3 months through adult, with its core customer base being suburban families with children ages 3 months to 12 years. The business runs 55 open franchise locations across 17 U.S. states with 170+ additional schools in development, and it has taught more than 11 million lessons cumulatively.

The company's core products are five age- and skill-tiered lesson programs (Baby Blue, Bright Blue, Bold Blue, Big Blue, and Adaptive Swim) built on a 10-step "Big Moments Journey" curriculum, supplemented by Super Improver Clinics, Drop-In Lessons, and Adult Lessons. Underpinning operations is the proprietary LessonBuddy™ technology platform, which provides scheduling, real-time progress tracking, family communication, and make-up lesson management via a parent web portal and a dedicated mobile app. Facilities are purpose-built with 90-degree heated pools and standardized layouts (e.g., 7,000 sq ft, 10-lane configurations).

The business operates a hybrid revenue model: (1) ongoing recurring revenue from franchise-level weekly lesson memberships billed monthly plus an annual membership fee per student; (2) one-time franchise fees of $50,000 per new location with total franchise investment ranging from $2.1M to $3.8M; and (3) ancillary programs such as Super Improver Clinics. Customer acquisition combines digital marketing, content (Big Blue Blog), local outreach, referral programs, and a Water Safety Advocacy program targeting pediatricians and community partners. The company serves a distributed consumer base of families at the individual location level, while its B2B franchisee channel comprises multi-unit and single-unit operators meeting minimum financial thresholds of $2.5M net worth and $1M liquid capital.

Name

Big Blue Swim School

Legal name

Northshore Swim Science, LLC

Website

https://bigblueswimschool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Big Blue Swim School is a franchised swim lesson provider offering curriculum-based, distance-progressed instruction for children and adults across 55 open U.S. locations, with 170+ additional schools in development. It serves suburban families through weekly recurring memberships powered by its proprietary LessonBuddy™ scheduling and tracking platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Swim Instruction

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquatic Centers & Swimming Facilities (MPAKAEAF)

Keywords

• Children's swim lessons
• Swim school franchise
• Swim instruction programs
• Water safety education
• Swim lesson curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices62 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Weekly Swim Lessons (Subscription): Membership-based weekly swim lesson model billed monthly on the first of each month. Families pay per lesson based on curriculum level, with rates varying by location. 30-day notice required for cancellation.
2. Franchise Fees: Initial franchise fee of $50,000 for new franchisees. Total investment ranges from $2,108,000 to $3,760,500 per location.
3. Annual Membership Fee: Annual membership fee charged per student upon enrollment and on annual anniversary. Covers scheduling flexibility, 15 free make-up lessons per year, family discounts, progress tracking in app, and graduation ribbons.
4. Super Improver Clinics: 4-day intensive swim programs that must be paid in full at enrollment, not refundable or transferrable. Additional revenue stream beyond weekly lessons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Big Blue Swim School is a franchised provider of structured, distance-based children's swim instruction delivered through 55+ purpose-built swim school facilities across 17 U.S. states. Lessons follow an Olympian-designed 10-level curriculum segmented by age and ability (Baby Blue 3 months–2 years, Bright Blue 3–5 years, Bold Blue and Big Blue for ages 6+, Adaptive Swim for children with special needs), with additional programs including Super Improver Clinics, Drop-In Lessons, and Adult Lessons. All operations run on a membership-based recurring subscription model supported by the proprietary LessonBuddy platform for scheduling and progress tracking.

Product overview

Big Blue Swim School is a franchised swim lesson provider offering a unified curriculum-based product portfolio centered on progressive, distance-based swim instruction. The core offering consists of five age- and skill-tiered lesson programs (Baby Blue, Bright Blue, Bold Blue, Big Blue, and Adaptive Swim) that form a 10-step progression pathway called the Big Moments Journey. Supporting the core lessons are supplementary programs including Super Improver Clinics (intensive skill acceleration), Drop-In Lessons (flexible add-on classes), and Adult Lessons. All programs are powered by the proprietary LessonBuddy™ technology platform, which provides scheduling, progress tracking, and parent communication via a mobile app and web portal. The company operates on a membership-based model with weekly perpetual lessons and offers franchise opportunities across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% reduction in drowning risk with formal swim lessons
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Swim Angelfish / Swim WhispererscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelect Big Blue Swim School locations have instructors certified and trained in the Swim Whisperers method developed by Swim Angelfish. This method provides specialized strategies to adapt lessons for children of all abilities, including those with sensory, motor, or cognitive challenges. The certification enables Big Blue to offer Adaptive Swim lessons at participating locations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goldfish Swim School: Largest direct competitor — franchised swim school with 160+ locations across North America offering tiered, curriculum-based swim lessons for children. Same franchise model, same target customer (suburban families), same membership pricing structure; widely viewed as the market leader in the franchise swim category.
• Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: Established franchised swim school with 100+ locations offering year-round swim instruction for children ages 4 months to 12 years. Same franchise model, same age-tiered curriculum approach, same membership billing; one of the longest-tenured competitors in the franchise swim space.
• SafeSplash Swim School: Specialized swim instruction franchise focused on water safety and survival skills for children, with multiple locations across the U.S. Operates a similar franchise model with curriculum-based lessons and direct-to-consumer family enrollment at each location.
• British Swim School: Franchised swim school with 100+ U.S. locations offering curriculum-based swim lessons for all ages, often co-located within hotels and fitness centers. Same franchise-driven growth model, similar suburban family target, similar tiered lesson offerings.
• Emler Swim School: Texas-based franchised swim school with multiple locations offering curriculum-based swim instruction for children, with strong regional brand presence. Operates the same franchise model with tiered programs and recurring lesson billing; comparable in scale and customer focus.
• Sunsational Swim School: National swim instruction provider with both at-home/private and facility-based lessons for children and adults. Same target customer (families seeking structured swim instruction) and curriculum-based approach, though delivery model differs (mobile instructors rather than dedicated facilities).
• SwimJim: Regional swim school with multiple NYC-area locations offering year-round, curriculum-based lessons for children and adults. Comparable curriculum structure and family customer focus, though smaller and more geographically concentrated than Big Blue.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA: National nonprofit operator of recreation facilities that offers swim lessons as part of a broader membership-based fitness, child care, and community programming portfolio. Represents Big Blue's most significant broad-based competitor for entry-level family swim instruction, though swim is not its primary offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/bigblueswimschools
• Xx.com/bigblueswimming

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Blue Swim School