Woman in Business Profile- One With The Water

Alissandra Hurdelbrink enjoys her career as a swim lesson teacher and an important part of the Los Angeles based non-profit organization One With The Water. She enjoys teaching children with special needs because she says "they have this special untouched innocence to them.  They live in their own world and they just need to be understand in that realm. Everyone thinks to change their world to make it more like everyone else. When I think we need to dive into their world and see it from their eyes."

Alissandra grew up overly athletic and constantly taking part in a few sports at a time.  She knew that she wanted to work with children but she wasn't sure what exactly she would be doing.

A couple years ago she started going back to school to earn a BS in Kinesology and knew some type of coaching was in her future.

She had never thought about teaching swim lessons until she was approached by fellow swim lesson teacher, Coach Kenneth. Her first student was on the autism spectrum and she fell in love with him. She says "He had such a great heart and he was definitely "One with The Water". It was his safe place, plus he probably had more fun in the pool than anyone else out there. When you teach kids with special needs new movements it builds on so many parts of their daily functioning.  Improves motor skills, coordination and muscle memory.  Like I said it touches base on one aspect out of a thousand."

Alissandra uses the words "incredible and amazing" to describe how she feels when she's teaching kids swimming.  She says, "you are shaping so many aspects of their lives.  It's not just the art of swimming you are touching base on, it's one puzzle piece in a game of a million pieces.  It's pretty incredible to see when a child really starts to understand what they are doing in the water with all the movements. Every child learns at their own pace, but some kids respond at an incredible pace and it's pretty amazing to watch it happen."

As far as anything on the business side of things, Alissandra takes care of most of the scheduling and talking with potential clients.  Together with Coach Kenneth, they go to events and advertise online, newspapers, and more.

She said that keeping the clients coming back is pretty easy for her because the kids have so much fun and really learn so much.  She makes it a point to make learning fun and still make progress with the lesson plan.

For more information about One With The Water, visit www.Onewiththewater.org
www.facebook.com/onewiththewater