About Jessica

Hello! I am Jess Stigall. I am an Army wife and an Army veteran of 15 years with extensive experience in survival training and instruction. Throughout my military career, I have developed a deep understanding of the importance of survival skills, and I have dedicated myself to teaching others how to stay safe in dangerous or difficult situations. During this time, I learned several fundamental concepts about aquatic survival that became the building blocks of my knowledge and interest in teaching this skill to children.

My husband and I are Virginia natives and have 6 fantastic children. We enjoy all activities water related, and it has been my passion to ensure that each of my children are aquatically skilled and capable of self-rescue. When our youngest daughter was born with mobility complications, I knew that I wanted her to have the same chance to enjoy the water. I began searching for programs that would be inclusive of her abilities. I came across an Infant Aquatics program in South Carolina, and I knew that this was the perfect fit for her. Despite her disability, she was able to learn to self-rescue and enjoy the water with her friends and family. I was in awe of how her confidence in the water grew with each lesson. Watching her learn to maneuver though the water, where it had been so difficult for her on land, solidified my decision to become an Infant Aquatics Certified Instructor. I assisted her instructor in South Carolina for some time before I moved home to Virginia.

Once home, I found Erin with Infant Aquatics and decided it was time to make this dream a reality.

I began training with in April of 2023, and remain in the water daily for several hours. From the beginning Erin met my eagerness to learn with her devotion to teaching new instructors. I was able to get my hands on students during the first training day, which has enabled me to truly understand the process from beginning to end. Throughout each student lesson, we discuss everything from technique to student behavior. After lessons we compare notes and address any challenges that we may have faced that day. Each student is a new chance to develop my skill and understanding of the Infant Aquatics process and become the best instructor possible.

I am eager to bring awareness to the importance of aquatic safety, and providing a life-saving skill to all children in the tri-cities area.