Queen of the pool deck, Terri Taake
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Terri Taake has been the queen of the pool deck for 46 summers—from Chautauqua to Donor Pool to Westlake—teaching thousands of kids how to swim, float, tread, and survive her high expectations. Whether working alongside Brenda McCreary, Cindy Russell, her daughters, or now passing her perfectly made swim forms to Ellen Kuebrich, Terri has been the gold standard in summer swim lessons.
What began in a classic one-piece Speedo has evolved into a sun-smart combo of a visor and swim shirt, but don’t be fooled—Terri hasn’t gone soft. Her lessons are still equal parts discipline, encouragement, and a splash of fun (literally). She’s coached through every kind of summer morning, including those where the water felt just slightly warmer than an ice bath or where thunder rumbled in the distance.
Terri knows every child by name—and more than that, she sees their potential. She leads with integrity, patience, and strength, and expects the same from her students. It’s not just about swimming; it’s about building character. Her classes are always overflowing… saying “no” is not her specialty and she wants every kid to get the chance anyway. And when a kid is on vacation or at camp and might have to miss, she instead shows up early or stays late, does a couple extra lessons – whatever it takes to make sure no child misses out.
If you never had her as a swimming teacher, you may have been lucky enough to be in her middle school classroom. Her retirement from teaching middle school was made a little easier knowing she would still get to connect with kids at swimming each summer. And now those former students are not in the pool, but showing up as her helpers or to bring their own kids.
From beginner bubbles to lifeguard prep, kids knew they had to bring their best—and maybe they’d earn a little free time at the end. Sessions wrapped up with a popsicle (or a donut if you were lucky), and parents could rest easy knowing their kids were safe, strong, and slightly sunburned.
