From Elite Cop to Swim Coach: Dip Swim’s Journey with PR Agency Saltine Communications
- saltinecomm
- Sep 15
- 3 min read
Explore into Saltine’s journey as Dip Swim’s PR partner, as we worked to position the brand as a pioneering swim school addressing one of Singapore’s most pressing family needs: childhood water safety and resilience-building. In doing so, we uncovered the media strategies essential for an effective public relations campaign, bringing to light how a unique blend of early aquatic education and character development can help children thrive in and beyond the pool.
Experts say it’s never too early to get little ones used to the water. In fact, MSN News recently shared that many swim pros recommend starting water familiarization as early as four to six months where babies have good head and neck control. At that age, it’s not about learning strokes, but simply helping them feel safe, relaxed, and happy in the water. It sets the stage for easier learning later and builds a healthy, lifelong bond with swimming.
That’s exactly where Dip Swim shines. Their classes go way beyond teaching kicks and strokes. The program is designed to nurture the whole child. As building not just water skills, but also confidence, resilience, and perseverance. Kids learn how to stay safe and calm in the water, even in tricky situations, while picking up important life skills that carry over outside the pool too.
Parents love that they’re part of the process as well. Dip Swim provides regular updates, tips, and guidance so families can keep building on those lessons at home. It’s not unusual to hear stories of once-shy kids who start out clinging to their parents, but end up leaving class with huge smiles and the confidence to dive right in.
Meet Coach Athan: From Elite Police Officer to Infant Swim Instructor
Athanasius Pang, known as Coach Athan, is a former member of Singapore’s elite police force. He spent over 20 years protecting world leaders including U.S. Presidents and Singapore’s Prime Ministers, leading tactical operations and training bodyguards. Coach Athan left the elite force when he’s 31 to build a successful security consultancy across Asia. However, when the pandemic hits, his business collapsed along with a divorce which pushed him into financial ruin and even suicidal thoughts.
By 44, he found himself rejected from corporate roles as “overqualified,” and struggling with debts so heavy he once considered working at McDonald’s. Yet with the support of his second wife, family, and youngest daughter, Athan slowly began to rebuild. Out of his darkest chapter came Dip Swim, a swim school born not just to teach water skills, but to instill resilience, discipline, and confidence in children as young as three months old. For Athan, Dip Swim is more than a career shift; it’s a mission to prepare the next generation to face life’s toughest challenges with courage and strength.
Dip Swim isn’t just about teaching strokes—it’s about building confidence and life skills through the water. From babies and toddlers to caregivers and even pre- and post-natal mums, the programmes meet learners at every stage. Coach Athan’s signature Program dip! blends early water survival with motor development, using swimming as a way to nurture resilience. With a mix of experiential learning, real-world survival training, and holistic child development, Dip Swim helps kids grow more confident, patient, and adaptable—skills that last far beyond the pool.
Saltine Communications, as Dip Swim’s PR agency, developed a targeted media outreach strategy to spotlight the school’s unique approach to aquatic education and its mission to build water-safe, resilient children in Singapore. By focusing on themes such as water survival, confidence, and holistic child development, we showcased how Dip Swim goes beyond swimming lessons to nurture life skills that last a lifetime.
Through strategic media placements, Saltine Communications secured impactful coverage that highlighted Dip Swim’s role in redefining early swim education, from teaching babies as young as three months to engaging parents and caregivers as active partners in the learning journey. Our approach combined strong media relations with powerful storytelling, positioning Dip Swim as a pioneering swim school shaping the future of aquatic education in Singapore.
Saltine Communications is proud to be Dip Swim’s PR agency on record for this campaign in Singapore. We’re honoured to be able to celebrate our clients’ achievements alongside them as their dedicated PR agency in Singapore and Southeast Asia! Drop us a note at hello@saltinecomms.com to find out how we can get your brand onto the media at affordable rates.
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