Today we’d like to introduce you to Shadi Eghbali
Hi shadi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started swimming when I was 3 years old! I became a professional swimmer, professional coach and a professional Aquatic Manager and I just follow my passion. As a child of a professional International Swim coach I sometimes participate in my father practices and hang out with his team. I was engaged in teaching swim lessons and coaching swimmers in all ages. My mom as a professional Nurse educated me with First aid and general emergency responses when I was very young.
Then when I was old enough, I was a lifeguard at the pool, the same pool that I was professionally swim and coached! that became my summer job for years! I keep developed my skills and became international coach in 2006 through FINA certification courses all around the world! I continued as an American Red Cross Lifeguard Trainer and Water safety instructor Trainer. As an ambassador of water safety, I was enjoyed to share my knowledge with all families. I Also thought safety lessons in public libraries like culver City and city of Santa Monica under the supervision of Joelle Simmons she supported me and helped me a lot she is one of those supervisors that help you to find yoiur strong ability and support you to be come one of the best version of your self! I also had a very interesting experience with Children center at LMU and thought water safety for age 4 and 5!
As a swim instructor I did Recreational teaching swim lessons and Master swim team in city of Calabasas and had a Swim clinic for teenagers in City of Malibu.
As a professional coach I coached / thought lessons for swim clubs, like TSM, K Swim, H2O swim team and Culver City Swim Club Education in USA Swimming website helped me alot in this path and I went through all modules they had in their website.
I coached Beverly hills high school for Swim team and Water polo team co-ed coach undersupervision coach J.Johnson. I coached for Shalhevet high school, and Notre Dame Academy Girls school for swim team, coach M. Hall gave me the amazing opportuinity to coach NDA Girls. I coached middle schools like Geffen Academy (UCLA) and New Roads ! I was a volunteer coach for LAVC for women’s water polo and swim, It was an amazing experience with that team. Coach Loporchio gave me the opportunity to study about Dive and Dive team and get my coaching certificate in diving as well . I was working for LAVC as a lifeguard undersupervision of Erin Gittens , he gave me an opportunity to grow and supportme during the difficult pandemic time. As a part of La county parks and recreation team I had an amazing training for lifeguarding and pool manager, and this program is one of the best programs in California that I highly encourage young swimmers or lifeguards to do because it has a very strong base and wonderful staff and supervisors Thanks to Marisol Gonzalez one of the best supervisours that I ever worked with. I was chosen as the Ambassador for ASCA (American swim coaches Association) for 2025 which I am really proud of and I found this program 2016 and participate in one of the clinics in USC and That was one of my best experiences in study swim professionally, Currently I am ASCA coach Level 3 !
As Academy education is always very important, I continued my studies up to Master of technology in Computer Networks engineering and information security. I was really enjoying my major and along with university studies I also participated in Professional Microsoft, courses and study hard to get my MCITP certificate.
Now Here I am as an assistant Director Of Aquatics for LMU (Loyola Mary mount University ) Where I can use all my know to be practical and share with Students.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No there is no road Existed (at least in this world) as a Smooth Road.
Definitely it was combination of lots of up and downs and zig zags and sometimes Sinus or Cosinos roads. Sometimes it gets so complicated and multiple choices that you really don’t know what to do!
Struggles are a lot; the academy and school were so hard and always so much to do and along with swim practices it was existing and sometimes I was not able to keep up. Some were in the road I had to quit swimming and just finish my academy! and focus on study!
Let me tell you that this path is still continue and not finish yet! I think till the last day we live we are kind of in a road and we are going forward every day every second!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a swim /water polo coach and a pool manager! I help different cities and organizations with their swim lessons, swim camp, hiring lifeguards and swim instructors. I train lifeguards and lead the Inservice trainings. also connect different private business who teach swim lessons with customers and vice versa. I know for a very hard-working person, and I always busy with doing a project or study something new. I do try to expand my knowledge and any time I find, I try to study or read or participate in a clinic or online study!
I am really proud of my supervisors in LMU and Santa Monica and La county parks and recreation team, All the Coaches That I ever worked with, My team of lifeguards and head guards and swim instructors at LMU, My swimmers/players in H2O and Notre Dame Academy in all levels through LA.
What makes me recognizable from my other coworkers it might be the “time” that I dedicate to what I love and passion which is Educate and experience in Aquatic world. I also Try my best to be update with the most advance knowledge in this field. I do also go a little bit out of my comfort Zone Most of the times. I am very competitive; I do the best quality job Always and Lead by example! I try to be my best version regardless of my Roles in aquatics. I try to be helpful and problem solving! I love new Ideas and Very curious to try different methods and always love to learn!
What’s next?
The plan is Expanding my service to my community and try my best to support the swimmers and families that affected by wildfire.
Helping my swim team to achieve their goals and best time this season would be my goal for this Spring.
I look forward to hiring more Lifeguards and swim instructors for Summer 2025 at LMU.
I look forward to expanding the swim lessons hours in LMU community. offer and teach more Water safety Instructors Classes along with the Lifeguard courses. offering Free Swim lessons for LMU students, Staff and Faculties year around!
Swimming is important to prevent drowning for children, but it is also important to give a chance to adults that they did not have a Chace to learn swim before.
Swimming is one of the most joyful and less injured sport and it is a lifetime activity and Fun.
I would like to study more in near feature, and I think that would be a big change to get better!
Knowledge is like a light in a path of life!
Pricing:
- American Red Cross- if you want to be a successful liefgaurd and swim instructor
- USA Swimming- if you want to be a very good swim coach and Referee
- USA Water polo- If you want to be a successful water polo coach and Referee
- ASCA- American Swim coaches association- Help you to get professional and expand your Swim knowledge and community
- Government Jobs website- Helps you to find the Jobs that make a huge change in your life
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.h2oswimteam.org – and – https://swimmingcoach.org/page/asca_committees and https://eghbaliaquaticsacademy.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lmu_campusrec/
- Other: https://lmucampusrec.lmu.edu/Program?classificationId=54ed716d-9853-48cf-b545-75737158e157
Image Credits
these are taken by me myself and also the pictures for H2O is taken by H2O Coach Walid ” [email protected] ”
