Gina Baruch is the owner and swim teacher of Gina's Blue Water Babies Swim School in Coolum. She has been teaching children to swim for over 17 years, and specialises in babies from as young as eight weeks. She is Austswim accredited and a member of Swim Australia. Each year she attends conferences held by the WABC (World Aquatic Babies Congress), the ASCTA (Australian Swim Coaches & Teachers Association), and Austswim. Gina believes it is important to keep up to date with new information in the swim industry, and likes to incorporate the latest techniques into her swim sessions. Her teaching philosophy involves having fun, because children are more likely to learn when they are in a positive and nurturing environment. Gina also considers a child's personal development when planning a lesson, to ensure they learn the appropriate skills for their ability. Her swim school is still going strong after 15 years, and she continues to be passionate about teaching children to swim and be confident around water. Here on the Sunshine Coast, we have so many waterways, it is vital for children to understand the water and learn the best swimming skills as early as possible. Gina believes that teaching should begin as early as early as eight weeks, to maintain a baby's familiarity with the water environment they experienced in the womb. This gives them the chance to feel safer in the water sooner.