First Cullen, then Ryan, and now ERIC goes for GOLDfish!

Add another reason to celebrate in 2022 to the list…Goldfish – Farmingdale General Manager goes Gold! This past September, swimmer, dad and Goldfish GM Eric Znachowski took off to Rome, Italy to compete at the European Masters Aquatic Championship. Not only did he compete, he won big! Eric took home a gold medal and broke the Polish National Record for the 50m breaststroke in his age group – now THAT’S something to CELEBRATE!

Eric started swimming at just 7 years old through a swim program at his school in Poland, where he grew up. He fell in love with the sport – not for the meets and medals, but for the journey it took to prepare for the competitions, and to achieve the wins that earned the medals. All of his preparation and hard work paid off as he went on to a Division 1 college on a full scholarship – what Eric credits as his proudest moment as a swimmer. He never imagined that he would be able to study and swim in the biggest city in the world – – and he also never imagined he’d break a Polish National Record! 

Beating the record for the 50m breaststroke was a fintastic feeling for Eric! He was working to prove to himself that he was a fast swimmer, even as a ‘grown up’ – with adult responsibilities, like working, providing for his family, and most importantly, being a father. Supported by his friends and family, the experience of competing in beautiful Rome was amazing for Eric, and the lessons he learned that day in that pool, he says, will stick with him for his entire life.

Eric’s accomplishments in the competitive swimming space are paired with those in his role at Goldfish – Farmingdale, which he juggled while training for the European Masters Aquatic Championship. “It definitely was not easy. I trained everyday, occasionally twice a day. I had to train early in the morning or late in the evening to be able to manage the swim school and to get my work done.” On top of putting in the hard work in his training as well as at Goldfish, Eric was also attending swim team practices and meets for his 3 kiddos – talk about lots of time around water! “Thankfully I had all the support from my wife and children, otherwise I would not be able to achieve my goal.”

Eric has been a part of the crew at Goldfish – Farmingdale for a little over a year, and is proud of the team that has been built, and the quality of lessons they’ve been able to provide to children in their community. Not only does he lead the school, he also is actively involved in the school’s Swim Force team – helping kids dip a toe into the world of swim teams with a little friendly competition. He loves his job at Goldfish and hopes to continue to use his love for swimming to help make the children of his community safer in and around the water, to help develop swimmers and team members, and to encourage them to make big waves in life!!

Eric, the little swimmer stretching in the middle, now helps the next generation of swimmers dip a toe into the world of competitive swim! 

The next goal for Eric – competing in the Masters at the next level! He’s striving to continue swimming for as long as he can, and would love to compete in Rome again some day!

We are so proud of Eric and the accomplishments he has achieved, in the pool and beyond! The people that compile our Goldfish crews across North America are truly making a big splash in their lives, and give us so many reasons to celebrate!

Ready to join the Goldfish team of wavemakers?! Visit our website to check out career opportunities at your nearest Goldfish Swim School.