Margarita Kontzia
Who is Margarita Kontzia?
The director, advisor and baby swimming trainer-instructor for Ydria is Margarita Kontzia who was for 7 consecutive years a swimming champion, and is a degreed teacher of Physical Education, mainly specializing in swimming.
Margarita Kontzia earned her bachelor and masters degrees in physical education at Demokritus University of Thrace, delivering a thesis in Baby Swimming. Using her education and research, Kontzia was a trailblazer in Greece: starting in 1999, she became the first person to teach baby swimming in the country.
Both an experienced baby swimming instructor and a certified trainer for new teachers, she is Austswim’s presenter in Greece.
Summary:
In 1999, Margarita Kontzia was the first to introduce our country to infant swimming programs, and is the only specialized baby swimming educator in Greece – and one of the few in the world.
Among Kontzia’s honors:
- Holds a postgraduate (Masters) degree in baby swimming.
- Birthlight Teacher of baby swimming
- Teacher of Austswim* and exclusive representative in Greece for the education of swimming coaches and training in baby swimming.
- Scientific collaborator at the Demokritus University in the department of physical education and sports science (TEFAA Komotini) with teaching experience in Baby Swimming, Recreation and Swimming Lessons.
- Presenter of educational Baby Swimming Seminars for the International Conference of Physical Education and Sports, in Komotini.
- Lecturer at International Baby Swimming Conferences.
- Lecturer at Panhellenic Pediatric Conferences.
*Austswim is Australia’ s national organisation for teaching swimming and water safety (www.austswim.com.au).
Participation in global infant swimming conferences:
- World Aquatic Babies Congress (WABC): New Zealand 2007, Greece 2008, Brighton 2009, Singapore 2010,
and international seminars and workshops:
- U.S.S.S.A. (United States Swim School Association)
- AUSTSWIM
- Rob and Kathy Mackay (www.babyswimming.com)
- Birthlight (Aqua Baby, Baby Yoga, ToddlerYoga, 2013)
- ABA (Austrian Babyswimming Federation, 2013)
- Canada Boat Camp, 2014
- Nordic Baby Swimming Conference, 2014, 2016
- ABA (Austrian Babyswimming Federation, 2015, Lecture).
In May 2007 she conducted the first baby swimming seminar in Greece at the 15th International Congress of Physical Education and Sport, held in Komotini, at Demokritus University of Thrace.
Scientific Activity
SEPTEMBER 2004: Presentation of graduate thesis on “The effects of swimming in babies and toddlers and the organization of the pool equipment”. It is the only graduate-level research in Greece – and one of the few in the world – on baby swimming. The thesis was presented to the Physical Education and Sport departments of the Demokritus University of Thrace and the University of Trikala.
MAY 2007: As part of the 15th International Congress of Physical Education and Sport, held in Komotini, the Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia, the director of the program of infants and toddlers at Premium Sports Club Ydria, to present a baby swimming seminar. It was the first time in Greece that a seminar was held in the pioneering field of baby swimming. The seminar was a hit, and was awarded the honor of being the most successful at the conference.
OCTOBER 2007: Participation in the U.S.S.S.A (United States Swim School Association) seminar in New Zealand. The seminar was conducted by Kathy & Bob Hubbard (President of USSSA).
OCTOBER 2007: Margarita Kontzia was the only Greek participant at the world WABC conference (World Aquatic Babies Congress), in New Zealand.
MAY 2008: Following the success and popularity of her first baby swimming seminar, Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia to conduct the second baby swimming seminar during the 16th International Congress of Physical Education and Sport, held in Komotini.
JULY – AUGUST 2008: Participation in the swimming and water safety courses and baby swimming course of AUSTSWIM in Australia. She also completed the qualification courses to be a trainer and exclusive swimming coaches’ education spokesperson and teacher-trainer of baby swimming of AUSTSWIM in Greece (Presenter of Austswim).
SEPTEMBER 2008: Wrote the chapter entitled “Safety for Swimming Infants” which was included in the forthcoming handbook “Handbook of Safety and Rescue”.
SEPTEMBER 2008: Participated in the WABC Greece Gathering 2008, in Athens.
MAY 2009: As part of the 17th International Congress of Physical Education and Sport, held in Komotini, Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia to present an infant swimming seminar.
JUNE 2009: As part of the 47th Panhellenic Pediatric Conference in Chania, the president of the Greek Association of Pediatricians Mr. Andreas Konstantopoulos invited Margarita Kontzia to make a presentation on baby swimming.
OCTOBER 2009: Participated in the seminar of two of the major infant swimming instructors worldwide: Rob & Kathy McKay (www.babyswimming.com) in Brighton (England).
OCTOBER 2009: Participated in the international WABC conference (World Aquatic Babies Congress) in Brighton (England).
MAY 2010: As part of the 18th International Congress of Physical Education and Sport, held in Komotini, Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia to present her fourth baby swimming seminar.
OCTOBER 2010: Margarita Kontzia was the only Greek participant in the world WABC conference (World Aquatic Babies Congress), in Singapore.
FEBRUARY 2013: Succesfully participated in «2- 2.5 Years Interactive Program» from worldwideswimschool Australia.
APRIL 2013: Participated in the Birthlight «Baby Yoga Level 1» seminar.
SEPTEMBER 2013: Participated in the Birthlight «Baby Yoga Level 2» seminar.
OCTOBER 2013: Only Greek participant at the International Conference ABA (Austrian Baby Swimming Assosiation) in Linz (Austria).
NOVEMBER 2013: Certification of “Birthlight Baby Swimming” from Birthlight.
DECEMBER 2013: Participated in the «Birthlight Smart (Toddler) Yoga» seminar.
MAY 2014: As part of the 22th International Congress of Physical Education and Sport, held in Komotini, Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia to present her 5th baby swimming seminar.
MAY 2014: Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia to teach baby swimming as part of the courses on swimming, physical activity and life quality in Komotini.
JULY 2014: The only Greek participant at the International Conference BOAT CAMP 2014, in Canada.
SEPTEMBER 2014: Conducted a seminar exclusively for the Ydria coaches with globally recognized Australian baby swimming instructor Judy Watts. Judy Watts has over 35 years experience in baby swimming.
OCTOBER 2014: Only Greek participant in the International Conference of the Nordic Baby Swimming Assosiation, in Lillestrom (Norway).
FEBRUARY 2015: Participated in Birthlight Aqua Yoga seminar with the instructors of “Ydria”.
MARCH 2015: Margarita Kontzia lectured at the 2nd International Conference of the ABA (Austrian Baby Swimming Assossiation) in Austria.
MAY 2015: As part of the 23th International Congress of Physical Education and Sport, held in Komotini, Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia and Konstantinos Karakatsani to present baby swimming seminar.
MAY 2015: Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia to teach baby swimming as part of the courses on swimming in Komotini.
FEBRUARY 2016: As part of the 9th Panhellenic Pediatric Conference in Athens, the president of the Greek Association of Pediatricians Mr. Andreas Konstantopoulos invited Margarita Kontzia to make a presentation on baby swimming.
MAY 2016: Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia to teach baby swimming as part of the courses on swimming in Komotini.
JYLY 2016:Participated in Judy Watts workshop
JULY 2016: Conducted a seminar exclusively for the Ydria coaches with globally recognized Australian baby swimming instructor Judy Watts. Judy Watts has over 35 years experience in baby swimming.
SEPTEMBER 2016: Participated in the Light in Water,in September, in Cambrige.
NOVEMBER 2016: Participated in the International Conference of the Nordic Baby Swimming Assosiation, in Stockholm (Sweden).
APRIL 2017: Margarita Kontzia lectured at the 3nd International Conference of the ABA (Austrian Baby Swimming Assossiation) in Austria.
SEPTEMBER 2017: Ambassador of ISSA (International Swim School Associacion).
OCTOBER 2017: Margarita Kontzia was the only Greek participant in the U.S.S.S.A. (United States swim school association), in Orlando.
MAY 2018: Demokritus University of Thrace invited Margarita Kontzia to teach baby swimming as part of the courses on swimming in Komotini.
