Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Cox.
Hi Wendy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey in the water began at just 14 years old in Georgia, when I started as a junior lifeguard and swim assistant. I was mentored by Carla Chelko, who was the Aquatic Director at Emory University at the time. What began as a summer job quickly turned into something much more meaningful. She invited me to help her for the summer—never knowing that this opportunity would shape the course of my life.
That summer, I worked closely with students learning to swim, but it was the special needs community that truly captured my heart. I found a deep passion for helping individuals build confidence, gain independence, and experience the water safely. I continued working alongside Carla through high school and college, growing my skills and commitment to this work until I started my own family.
Even while living in Chicago and raising my children, I continued to help others through private swim instruction. But it wasn’t until I moved to Charleston that I felt called to fully commit to my passion for life-saving swim lessons, especially for individuals with special needs. Living in a coastal community surrounded by water, I quickly saw the urgency and the need. Everywhere I went, I heard the same thing—“my child or grandchild needs swim lessons.”
The demand was clear, and so was my purpose. As I thought about how I could make the greatest impact without spreading myself too thin, I decided to open a swim school. Partnering with a local aquatic center allowed me to build a program where everyone—of all ages and abilities—could come together to learn, grow, and gain confidence in the water.
Today, that vision continues to grow, driven by a mission to create a safer community and to provide life-saving swim education for all.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always obstacles along the way, but I see them as hurdles to overcome rather than roadblocks. One of the greatest challenges has been finding truly passionate individuals who share the same heart and commitment to this mission. Building a team that aligns with those values has not always been easy.
Another ongoing challenge has been maintaining a healthy work-life balance while pursuing something I care deeply about. However, I’ve been fortunate to find an incredible team and a supportive family who stand beside me and help make it possible to continue this work. Their support allows me to stay focused on my passion while ensuring that both my personal and professional responsibilities are fulfilled.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My Work
My work is my passion. I love helping others learn how to swim and teaching life-saving skills that can make a difference for a lifetime. LowCountry Swim School was founded on the belief of serving our community and supporting individuals from all backgrounds.
If we can change even one person’s life—or an entire family’s—by teaching them how to be safe and confident in the water, then we have fulfilled our purpose.
What sets us apart is who we are at our core. We are not just a swim school—we are advocates for water safety and a proud supporter of the “Stop Drowning Now” mission. Our focus goes beyond lessons; we are committed to creating awareness, building confidence, and saving lives.
We are proud to be one of the largest adaptive swim programs in South Carolina, serving over 65 adaptive students with a wide range of abilities. As a certified program through Swim Angelfish, we specialize in providing individualized instruction that meets each swimmer where they are.
In addition, we are honored to partner with the North Charleston Therapeutic Department to launch our first Special Olympics team—one of the youngest teams of its kind. This is just the beginning of continuing to grow opportunities for all athletes in our community.
We also conduct Adaptive Swim Camps during the summer, providing a fun and supportive environment for continued growth and development. In addition, we partner with the Down Syndrome Community to host specialized camps designed to meet the needs of our participants.
Beyond the pool, we offer Ocean and Beach Safety Camps and classes for individuals and families, helping our community stay safe in and around natural water environments. All of our instructors are lifeguard certified, allowing us to also provide professional lifeguard services for events—ensuring that safety is always our top priority.
Serving over 3,000 families in the last 5 years, our impact continues to grow as we remain committed to our mission of water safety, inclusion, and life-saving education for all. Our programs offer life-saving swim lessons for ages 6 months through adulthood, including specialized instruction for individuals with special needs. From the pool to the ocean, we are committed to helping and serving in any body of water, building confidence and essential water safety skills.
We also provide military test preparation, ocean and beach safety training, vacation swim lessons while you are on the go, and so much more. Our goal is to meet families where they are and provide flexible, high-quality instruction that makes water safety accessible to everyone. With small class sizes of just three students per group, we are able to provide focused, individualized instruction while maintaining a supportive and engaging environment. This allows our instructors to meet each swimmer where they are and ensure every student receives the attention they need to succeed.
We truly cater to everyone—of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities—because our mission is to make water safety and swim instruction accessible to all.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My Favorite Childhood Memory
One of my most meaningful childhood memories comes from when I was just 15 years old, working with a young boy who had recently experienced the devastating loss of his sister to drowning. Understandably, he carried a deep fear of the water and was afraid the same tragedy might happen to him.
I had the honor and privilege of working with him one-on-one. We started very slowly—some days simply sitting by the pool and building trust. I knew it would take time, patience, and consistency, but I was committed to helping him feel safe.
By the end of that summer, something incredible happened. He was swimming across the pool with confidence and pride. Watching his transformation was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. I will never forget the moment his father saw what he had accomplished—he was overcome with emotion, filled with tears of joy and gratitude.
In that moment, I felt as though I had already won everything. Even as a high school student, I realized the true impact this work could have on someone’s life. That experience has stayed with me ever since and continues to inspire my passion and purpose every day.
Pricing:
- Ages 6 months to 7 years – $32.50 group lessons per lesson
- Private is 45.00
- Ages 8 yr to 15 yrs group is $38.50 per lesson group per lesson
- Private 49.50 per lesson
- Adults and Up are 58.50 per lesson
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lowcountryswimschool.com
