Meet the Instructor: Tess Phillips

Hi! I’m Tess Phillips, and I’m so excited to work with your children. I swam competitively for 13 years, and have experience coaching at Goldfish Swim School, the YMCA of Mt. Laurel, Tarnsfield Swim Club, Bear Paddle Swim School, and Medford Fitness. I absolutely love to swim and was raised in the water, coming from a family of NAUI Scuba Divers and being one myself. This will be the fourth season of private lessons (thank you all so much!)

Academically, I graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional HS in Mt. Holly in June 2025 in the top ten percent of my class. I am currently enrolled as a full-time international student at the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom). I am attending the University of Glasgow for the entirety of my degree 🙂

As far as safety, I have my current Red Cross lifeguard certification, as well as certifications in CPR/AED, First Aid, and Emergency Oxygen. I am a firm believer that swimming is a life skill and is necessary for every child to learn. 

When teaching, I prefer to empower children and I love to make swimming fun! I go at the pace set by each kid; there is no set “lesson plan.” Instead, I focus on the skills which should be strengthened, and which are most enjoyed, to create a personalized goal for each child to achieve. I have full confidence in patience, praise, and a positive attitude.