Splash owner Ben Bartell was a swimmer at Cedarburg High School and later participated in the the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Instructor “Mrs. B” works with three young swimmers.
Splash! is located in the Mequon Industrial Park on Commerce Street, northeast of Donges Bay and Wauwatosa roads.
Splash owner Ben Bartell was a swimmer at Cedarburg High School and later participated in the the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Instructor “Mrs. B” works with three young swimmers.
Splash! is located in the Mequon Industrial Park on Commerce Street, northeast of Donges Bay and Wauwatosa roads.
MEQUON — From timid tadpoles to confident swimmers, Splash! Swim + Wellness isn’t just living up to its name; it’s shaping futures one stroke at a time.
The Mequon-based aquatic center has been a premier destination for indoor swimming lessons for more than a decade. With a curriculum designed to progress from basic floating techniques to advanced strokes, Splash aims to equip its students with the skills to pursue their aquatic dreams. Whether it’s joining a swim or dive team, becoming a lifeguard or simply enjoying recreational swimming, the journey begins with developing those core abilities.
Owner Ben Bartell, a longtime successful competitive swimmer and coach, has been diligently perfecting Splash’s offerings since taking over in 2022.
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“Our whole operation is geared toward teaching the fundamental skills so they can become more competent, and therefore feel more confident to do whatever they want,” Bartell said. “Summers in Wisconsin revolve around lakes and pools, going out on the water fishing. If you don’t know how to swim, you don’t really have access to any of that.”
Splash is composed of two large indoor pools — one 20 feet by 50 feet, and the other 30 feet by 30 feet — both of which are set to a soothing 90 degrees yearround.
Splash operates on a monthly membership system; Bartell estimates its weekly foot traffic at around 800 swimmers who enjoy group or private lessons and family swim sessions.
Bartell plans to add more classes and hire an additional 15 to 20 instructors in the near future. The team at Splash is diverse, comprising around 30 instructors ranging from high school students to retired educators, all who are passionate about helping children.
“We don’t want a random person who comes in and just does the lessons,” Bartell said, emphasizing the importance of patience and enthusiasm in instructors. “We look for people who love to work with kids and enjoy that educational journey they take. It can be tough, but if someone has the demeanor and patience required to be there for a kid and work through challenges, that’s a big difference. I can’t say enough good things about our staff and the determination that they have.”
But Splash isn’t just about lessons; it’s also a community hub. Family swims, birthday parties and summer camps further enhance the experience. The camps, which run on weekly sessions consisting of five consecutive days of activities, began Friday.
“This is definitely the busiest time of year for us,” Bartell said. “Everyone is trying to get geared up for summer.”
Bartell’s journey to Splash traces back to getting his start on the Cedarburg High School swim team, which he parlayed into a walk-on opportunity for the University of Minnesota’s varsity squad. After earning multiple All-American accolades, Bartell participated in U.S. Olympic Trials in 2000 and 2004 before making the switch to coaching back in Minnesota and also for Team USA Swimming.
Bartell would eventually return to Ozaukee County, where he wanted to pursue a different angle within the swimming world.
“I came back here and I wanted to pivot away from coaching,” he said. “I felt like I was in danger of getting away from what the sport truly offered, which was to help kids and athletes become the best possible version of themselves.”
Bartell was brought on as a consultant at Splash toward the end of 2020. By 2022, Splash’s owner was exploring a sale and narrowed her sights on Bartell to potentially take over the reigns. Not one to turn down a challenge, Bartell agreed and has been thriving in this new space.
“I came to really understand the business model and I just fell in love with it,” Bartell said. “I could see how great it was, and our values were aligned. I did not set out to do it this way, but I’ve always had the stance of say yes to opportunities and explore what they have to offer.”
Bartell knows there’s much more work to be done, but ultimately Splash’s success will be founded in its roots of providing experiences for people to carry for a lifetime.
“We have to keep facilitating those good things and live up to those standards so we can serve this community,” he said.
Check out Splash! Swim + Wellness at 10636 N. Commerce St. or visit www.splashmequon.com.
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