Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water.  Children entering this level should be comfortable working with an instructor without a parent in the water.  School Age Swim Stage 1 is for students who aren’t yet comfortable going underwater voluntarily.

In Water Acclimation, your child will:

• Bob to submerge in the water
• Front and back glide to the wall for five feet with help
• Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
• Roll from back to front and front to back with help
• Jump, push, turn, grab with help
• Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
• Exit the water

Children entering this level should be able to go underwater voluntarily.  Students focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water while continuing to practice how to safely exit if they would fall into a body of water. School Age Swim Stage 2 is for students who aren’t yet able to do a front and back float on their own. 

In Water Movement, your child will:

• Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
• Front and back glide to the wall for five feet
• Front and back float for 10 seconds
• Roll from back to front and front to back
• Jump, push, turn, grab
• Swim, float, swim five yards
• Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
• Exit the water

Children entering this level should be able to front and back float independently.  Students learn to swim to safety from a longer distance.  They are introduced to rhythmic breathing and integrated arm and leg action. School Age Swim Stage 3 is for students who aren’t yet able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back. 

In Water Stamina, your child will:

• Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
• Swim on their front and back for 10 yards
• Roll from back to front and front to back
• Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
• Swim, float, swim 15 yards
• Tread water for 30 seconds
• Exit the water

Children entering School Age Swim Stage 4 should be able to swim 15 yards on their front and back independently.  Students develop stroke technique in front and back crawl and learn the breaststroke kick and butterfly kick.  Treading is also introduced. 

In Stroke Introduction, your child will:

• Swim the front crawl with rotary breathing for 15 yards
• Breaststroke kick for 15 yards
• Butterfly kick for 15 yards
• Elementary backstroke for 15 yards
• Dive from a sitting position
• Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for one minute
• Swim any combination of strokes for 25 yards

Children entering School Age Swim Stage 5 should be able to swim 15 yards of front and back crawl.  Students work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive strokes.  Emphasis on water safety continues through treading water and sidestroke.

In Stroke Development, your child will:

• Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
• Breaststroke for 25 yards
• Butterfly with simultaneous arm action and kick for 15 yards
• Back crawl for 25 yards
• Sidestroke for 25 yards
• Dive from a kneeling position
• Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for two minutes
• Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards

Children entering School Age Swim Stage 6 should be able to swim 25 yards of front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke. Students refine stroke technique on all major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming, and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle. 

In Stroke Mechanics, your child will:

• Swim the front crawl for 50 yards and do a flip turn
• Breaststroke for 50 yards and do an open turn
• Butterfly for 25 yards
• Back crawl for 25 yards and do a flip turn
• Sidestroke or elementary backstroke for 50 yards
• Dive from a standing position
• Tread water for one minute and retrieve an object from the bottom of the pool
• Swim any combination of strokes for 150 yards

Adaptive Swim Lessons are designed for children with special needs.  Develop individual coordination, physical fitness, basic swimming skills, and safety.  Must be able to function in a small group setting.  Staff to child ratio 1:3.
Ages vary by specific branch and offering.

Summer Day Camp swim lessons will be offered for campers. These 30 minute lessons are a convenient way to get your child extra confident in the water. Lessons will take place before or after camp during extended care time and may vary based upon age group and location. Registration is per one week session with lessons running Mondays-Thursdays for 30 minutes each class. Swimmers will be assessed at the start of the week and placed in a group appropriate for their age and skill level.

Enrollment is available by age.  Your child's swim ability will be assessed on the first day of class and they will be placed with other children of similar skill level.  Students are taught the same skills as our preschool lessons.

Scout Badges (Ages 7 & up)
Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts come to our pools to work on their water related goals.  After completion of the goal, groups may stay for open swim.  Minimum of 6 participants.

Other opportunities for scouts include Aquanaut (Ages 7 & up), BSA Swim Test (Ages 11 & up), and Girl Scout Swim (Ages 7 & up).

To enroll in Stroke Technique, participants must be able to swim at least 50 yards (2 lengths) of the pool using front and back crawl along with demonstrate ability to swim breaststroke. Class builds on the foundations developed in our YMCA core swimming lessons through detailed attention to form and the breakdown of each competitive stroke. In addition, other components of competitive swimming such as starts, flip turns, and finishes will be developed.