Gold-medalist and Olympian Michael Phelps will make an appearance at the Pitchfork Aquatics Swim School Grand Opening on Saturday, March 12.

The Open House events will occur from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the ASU Polytechnic Sun Devil Fitness Complex, and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the ASU West campus Sun Devil Fitness Complex. The events are free of charge and open to the public.

The Pitchfork Aquatics Swim School Open House will include remarks from Michael Phelps and his first swim instructor and Director of Michael Phelps Swimming Cathy Bennett. They will provide unique insights on their passion for swimming, experience with learning to swim, and an overview of the Michael Phelps Swimming program.

As the first licensee of Michael Phelps Swimming in Arizona, Pitchfork Aquatics brings the industry leading swim instruction methodology to Arizona State University.

Pitchfork Aquatics is a nonprofit entity that provides the opportunity for anyone in the Phoenix community to learn to swim, improve their fitness, or compete at their highest level through our programs in a safe, fun, and challenging environment”, said Rob Richardson, president of Pitchfork Aquatics. “The three Pitchfork prongs represent our core values of Safety, Fitness, and Performance, with a commitment to excellence in teaching, training, and talent in the pool and in the community.”

“The ability to offer Michael Phelps Swimming at Arizona State University is a significant educational and programming opportunity”, added Julyann Hill, Swim School Director at Pitchfork Aquatics. “We all share a common passion to provide community outreach programs, and to support water safety and drowning prevention in our local community, and the Michael Phelps Swimming methodology will be an exciting complement to our aquatics programs”.

Michael Phelps Swimming offers industry-leading swim instruction programming to non-, new, and experienced swimmers of all ages and abilities. The proprietary methodology is a curriculum designed to ensure that each participant becomes comfortable, confident, and safe in and around the water.

Classes include learn-to-swim, personal safety, stroke development, water sports and games, personal growth and rescue skills. Classes are available in group lessons, private instruction, camps, clinics, and other select programming.

“I was first introduced to the sport of swimming through the very same water-safety and recreational aquatics instruction developed by Ms. Bennett, and am proud to now be in position to offer this great programming to even more people through Michael Phelps Swimming,” Phelps said.

“It’s very exciting for us to bring the Michael Phelps Swimming programming to the Arizona for the first time,” Bennett said, director of Michael Phelps Swimming. “The combination of our leading swimming curriculum, Pitchfork Aquatics, and the Sun Devil Fitness Complex provides a great opportunity to reach more people in the water and expand the sport of swimming.”

Pitchfork Aquatics, along with the support of its partners including Spooner Physical Therapy, Sole Sports Running Zone, Desert Dentistry, Salt River Project, Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona and Refugee Focus, provides programming beyond learn to swim, including aquatics based fitness programs and a year round USA Swimming registered club team.

“Our programming provides an opportunity for children of all ages to learn to swim, improve their fitness, train, and/or compete at their desired level, meet new friends, as well as support other growing youth sports such as triathlons”, said Sam Hewson, Director of Business Development.

The learn to swim and developmental swim group registration is now open at www.pitchforkaquatics.org. Programming started on October 20, 2015 at the ASU Polytechnic Fitness Complex, and will begin on March 16, 2016 at the ASU West Campus Fitness Complex.