Creating Confident Swimmers

At Patti's Swim School, our mission is to transform your swimmers of all ages into a confident and skilled swimmer. We achieve this through personalized lessons, expert coaching, and a safe and fun learning environment.

Discover Patti's Swim School

Centrally located in Castro Valley, California, Patti's Swim School is a reflection of the passion and commitment of its founder, Patti O'Brien. Being an experienced swimmer, Patti had a vision to create a space where personal and customized swimming lessons were the norm, filling a gap she identified in her local area. With this vision, Patti's Swim School came to life.

At Patti’s Swim School, the emphasis is on individualized lessons, each designed to cater to the needs of the learner. This swim school has grown from a small beginning into a thriving community, committed to helping people of all ages improve their swimming skills, become water safe, and develop a lifelong love for the water. Generations have benefited from Patti’s innovate approach, making Patti’s Swim School a beloved institution in Castro Valley and the Bay Area.

Our mission is to empower individuals of all ages to become confident, skilled swimmers, fostering a love for the water and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.

“Patti O’Brien, founder of Patti’s Swim School is a dedicated educator and mother of six. With a BA in Education and an MA in Educational Leadership and Administration, she brings a unique approach to swim instruction, focused on how students learn best. This approach has made her swim school a safe and cherished community institution.
Since its establishment in 1981, Patti’s Swim School has helped over 100,000 individuals – both children and adults – develop essential swim safety skills. By using the Red Cross Water Safety curriculum, Patti ensures that every student receives personalized and comprehensive instruction.”

Why Choose Patti's Swim School?

We're more than just a swim school, we're a community dedicated to helping you reach your swimming goals.

I’m extremely impressed with Patti's Swim School. The instructors are truly dedicated, providing individual attention and a supportive learning environment. Thanks to the guidance of Isaac, my daughter made remarkable progress in her swimming abilities in a short time. I highly recommend Patti's Swim School to anyone looking to improve their skills. It's a fantastic place with a wonderful team of instructors.

Rosa Oezdemir

We love love love Patti's! Our kiddo used to never get off the pool steps and now is able to dive and can almost swim across the whole pool. Santiago, our instructor, was so friendly, patient and overall awesome! All of the staff is super professional and helpful. Booking was easy, transparent and straightforward. We look forward to more time at Patti's!

Nanci Roman Gonzalez

We’ve had a lot of success with Patti’s swim school. When we first started my son wouldn’t put his face in the water. Within the first lesson with Isaac, my son was bobbing in and out of the pool with no issues. It was magical. After a few seasons we left Patti’s to do group lessons closer to home but return in the summers to give our son the opportunity to excel a bit quicker. I highly recommend this swim school.

Michael Long

Our Swim School in Castro Valley, California offers personal and customized swimming lessons across Castro Valley, Oakland, Dublin, San Ramon, Pleasanton, Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, and the surrounding areas.