Staff

LESLIE DALAND-JAMES – Manager. Leslie joined the staff in June of 2002 and is currently the General Manager. Prior to her position at the swim school, Leslie served as the Director of NCAA Compliance at the University of Southern California for eleven years.

She earned a master's degree in counseling psychology in 2001 and a bachelor's degree in English literature in 1990, both from USC. She was an All-American distance swimmer on the Women of Troy swim team (1987-89) and served as the team captain in 1988-89. In addition, she was a 2-time gold medallist at the 1986 Goodwill Games, and was ranked No. 1 in the world in 1986 in the 1500-meter freestyle. Leslie currently swims for her father on the Daland Master’s team. Leslie is married to David James and has a daughter Reyna(3) and a son, Donovan (1).

INGRID DALAND – Owner/Operator. Ingrid is a former German National Swimming Champion and U.S. Open recordholder. She is the founder and main drive behind the Daland Swim School. Ingrid began teaching in 1964 at the Glendale Swim School. In addition, she served as an assistant coach at the Los Angeles Athletic Club from 1963-70. From 1966-1971 she taught in private homes and from 1971-74 she taught at the Foxmoor pool in Westlake Village.

From 1974 to 1981, Ingrid taught swimming at the Westlake Tennis and Swim Club. During her tenure at the Tennis and Swim Club, she also served as the head coach of the club’s age group swim team. Prior to her work at the Swim School, Ingrid was head coach of Conejo Simi Aquatics from 1981 to 1989. During her tenure, Ingrid coached the team to a Junior National team championship in 1983 and coached numerous swimmers to individual Junior National titles. In addition, she coached her own daughter Leslie to a National Championship and #1 World Ranking in 1986. Despite her great success in coaching, Ingrid’s love has always been teaching which led to the founding of the Daland Swim School in 1997.

Ingrid has built the Daland Swim School into the premier swim school in Ventura County. She is a member of the National Swim School Association and World Baby Conference. In addition she has lectured on teaching and coaching on every continent in numerous countries. Ingrid is married to Peter Daland and they have three children and eight grandchildren.

PETER DALAND JR – Manager of Swim School maintenance. Peter began working at the swim school at its inception in 1987 where was the maintenance manager. In 1992, Peter moved to Salt Lake City where he served as the head swim coach for Salt Lake Tsunami Aquatic Team and boys and girls swimming and water polo coach for two high schools. In 1997, Peter returned to the Conejo Valley and took over the reins as head coach of the Daland Swim Team and manager of maintenance at the swim school. He was boys and girls water polo coach at Thousand Oaks High School from 1998 –2000.

Currently, Peter teaches history and social science at Moorpark High School where he serves as the boys and girls swimming and water polo head coach. Peter is married to Minette, a former instructor, and they have five children: C.J. (10), Caeley (8) , Chloe (6), Claire(3) and Cate (1).