Testimonials for Coach Judie

“Wanted to send you a huge thanks for all you’ve done for my swim. Today I had my best Olympic swim time of just over 25 minutes and I attest most of that to your coaching and the articles you wrote last fall. I’m very grateful to be able to be in your masters swim.” – Jim R.

“I highly recommend Coach Judie if you’re looking for help in your swimming! As a newer swimmer (just learned how to swim last year) I am still trying to perfect my stroke, correct the bad habits I’ve fallen into & figure out how to swim faster. In the short time I’ve been taking Coach Judie’s Master swim class, she has been able to pin point what I need to work on and consistently gives me the constructive criticism I’m always looking for. Every week she offers her support, critiques my strokes and is always very encouraging. As I always tell her, there’s no swimming under the radar in her class…she definitely is always watching! She does everything she can to show proper form, short of getting in the pool herself! She has even given me suggestions for things to do outside of the pool to help learn a new stroke, things she’s done herself that helped her when she was learning. She’s a great addition to the ET coaching staff!” – Cathy B.

“Hi Coach Joe, I hope all is well.  As you may recall, we had you speak at one of our company meetings about triathlon training.  40% of my company are doing the August Chicago Sprint Triathlon.  Swimming has been my biggest fear, and I think that’s pretty consistent with many of my colleagues.

I’m now in the second session of the ET Masters Swim at the Continental Towers, instructed by Judie Refvik.  When I begin the first class, I could swim one lap before having to stop and catch my breath.  I have exercised consistently for years, but I’ve never been a swimmer.  After one and ½ sessions of the class, I’m now swimming the 20 laps needed to complete the sprint distance.  I have just under 3 months to go, and am going to start lake swimming soon enough.

Judie has been an excellent teacher and mentor to me throughout the past few months, and I recently signed up with her to provide weekly training plans and advice in preparation for August.  I’ve been really pleased with the training plans so far, as with her responsiveness and attention to my schedule, strengths and weaknesses.  She has great turn around on my questions via email (and I have a lot of them), and checks in consistently with advice.

I own a small company, and it’s more often that customers contact me when there is a problem then when something is going really, really well.  I vowed to always do exactly the opposite as a customer, and I wanted to let you know that Judie is a fabulous coach and someone you should be proud to be representing you and your organization. As with the folks that work with me, each person you put out there represents you and all of the hard work it takes to get to where you are.  Judie is exactly the representation I’m sure you look for in your coaches, and I wanted you to know.

Here’s to August!”  – Andy R.

“I am a triathlete and for the past three years swimming has been a challenge for me. One of my goals this off season is to become a better swimmer and to swim with more confidence in open water. I am taking Master Swimming at Schaumburg Life Time Fitness with Judie on Thursday nights. She is passionate and very knowledgeable about swimming and the various techniques; I feel that she takes the extra time and focus to help me correct my weaknesses. Judy also explains how to improve in an easy and understandable way. I really look forward to her class.” – Dan D.

“Hi Judie, Bob and I are doing well and have continued to praise you about our swim experience. We both feel that the little adjustments and examples that you gave us made a world of difference. The demonstrations also helped make it all click. As you know, I was scared to come to class and not very enthusiastic about swimming. But now, I am looking forward to the next class. I’ll go a step further and say that I am considering a short distance triathlon in May.  Again, the total experience was a good one…small class, no pressure workouts, comfortable pool and coaching that was friendly, understandable and easy to follow.” – Debby & Bob J.