Swim School Levels

Age: 6 months – 3 years with parent in water
Prerequisites: Child must be able to hold their head up independently.
Description: This class is designed to help children adjust to the pool with light submersion and back floats. Swimmers will learn the following (depending on the age of the child):

• Bubble blowing
• Body position
• Kicking
• Underwater submersion – up to 5 seconds
• Back float – assisted
• Roll over technique
• Water safety

Ages: 3 – 4 years old
Prerequisites: Being able to listen to an instructor and participate in a class setting without a parent.
Description: Participants will learn basic swim skills including body position, blowing bubbles, floating, kicking, deep water adjustment, and independent swimming in a safe and positive environment. Parents are not in the water with the participants.  Swimmers will learn the following:

• Shallow water adjustment
• Assisted flutter kicking
• Assisted front and back floats
• Breath control with bobs and bubbles

Ages: 3 – 4 years old
Prerequisites: Blowing bubbles with their face underwater, 5 bobs, and floating and kicking comfortably with assistance.
Descriptions: Participants will learn basic swim skills including body position, blowing bubbles, floating, kicking, deep water adjustment, and independent swimming in a safe and positive environment. Parents are not in the water with the participants.  Swimmers will learn the following:

• Front and back floats for 10 seconds, unassisted
• Back glides and front glides
• Breath control with bobs
• 4 Freestyle strokes, unassisted
• 4 Elementary backstroke strokes, unassisted

Ages: 5 – 12 years old
Prerequisites: None
Description: Participants will learn basic exploration that will lead to independent swimming. The goal of level 1 is to allow swimmers to gain confidence in the water and be able to swim freestyle independently. Participants will learn the following:

• Front and back floats for 10 seconds, unassisted
• Front and back glides, unassisted
• Flutter kicking with support
• Freestyle for 4 arm strokes, unassisted
• Elementary backstroke, unassisted

Ages: 5 – 12 years old
Prerequisites: Pass level 1, face in the water, 10 comfortable bobs unassisted, 4 freestyle arm strokes unassisted, 10 second front and back floats unassisted, 4 elementary backstroke strokes unassisted.
Descriptions: Participants will continue development of freestyle and elementary backstroke while developing their backstroke, and streamlining.  Participants will learn the following:

• Comfort jumping into 10 feet of water
• Front and back glides with flutter kick
• Freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 10 yards
• Elementary backstroke for 10 yards
• Backstroke for 10 yards

Ages: 5 – 12 years old
Prerequisites: Pass level 2, comfortable jumping into deep water, 12 yards freestyle with rotary breathing unassisted, 12 yards backstroke unassisted.
Description: The goal of this level is to refine freestyle with rhythmic breathing, backstroke, and elementary backstroke while gaining endurance. Swimmers will learn the following:

• Freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 15 yards
• Backstroke for 15 yards
• Elementary backstroke 25 yards
• Treading water for 15 seconds

Ages: 5 – 12 years old
Prerequisites: Pass level 3, 15 yards freestyle with rhythmic breathing, 15 yards backstroke.  
Description: Participants will continue development of freestyle and backstroke while increasing endurance. Participants will learn the following:

• Breaststroke kick
• Sitting/Kneeling dives
• Scissor Kick
• Freestyle 25 yards
• Backstroke 25 yards
• Treading water for 30 seconds

Ages: 5 – 12 years old
Prerequisites: Pass level 4, 25 yards freestyle with rhythmic breathing, 25 yards backstroke, 10 yards breaststroke kick, and 30 seconds of treading water.
Description: Participants continue to develop freestyle and backstroke technique and endurance. It is common for participants to retake Level 5 to ensure readiness for Tsunami. Swimmers will learn the following:

• Standing dives
• Breaststroke 12 yards
• Sidestroke 12 yards
• Butterfly kick
• Freestyle 50 yards
• Backstroke 50 yards
• Treading water for 1 minute

Ages: 5 – 12 years old
Prerequisites: Pass level 5 or be able to continuously swim 50 yards, or 2 lengths, using both freestyle and backstroke with a basic knowledge of breaststroke.
Description: This class focuses on endurance and refining the 4 competitive strokes. Organized swimming workouts will utilize the pace clock for interval training. Open and flip turns will be taught as well as tuck and pike surface dives. The instructor is not required to be in the water.