Aqua Babies is a parent/child introduction to water enjoyment and aquatic safety skills for both parent and child. This class is designed to encourage parent/child learning and water adjustment through songs and games while encouraging development of motor skills such as kicking and arm movement.

Parent Child is a water enrichment class for parent and child to help begin the transition into our preschool learn-to-swim program. Through song, games, and other water activities you and your child will learn proper holds, kicking, arm movement, and become more comfortable in the water. This class is an excellent opportunity for children to begin transitioning to the pre-school swim program.

Mighty Mites is designed for children who are fearful or apprehensive in the water and not ready to take group lessons. During the class, you and your child will work on water adjustment, kicking, floating and beginning swim skills designed to prepare your child for a group lesson by themselves. This class is a great introductory level to a Pike or Polliwog class for a child who does not have much experience in the water.

Pikes introduces new little swimmers to the pool and helps them develop safe water habits in a fun and encouraging environment. Swimmers will focus on basic paddle stroke, kicking skills, blowing bubbles in the water, front and back floats, and water safety.

Prerequisites: NONE

Eels is designed for little swimmers who are well adjusted to the water and have completed Pike skills. Eel swimmers continue to build on the basics learned in pikes, such as kicking and progressive paddle stroke. Additionally, they will learn more about pool safety and develop their floating.

Prerequisites: Completion of Pike level or can swim independently on front and back 2 yards and float independently on front and back for 5 seconds.

Rays is intended to allow little swimmers a chance to begin developing endurance as well as improving stroke skills. Swimmers in rays will be introduced to rhythmic breathing, front and back crawl, treading water, and rescue skills. Swimmers will also start learning the basics of elementary backstroke and breaststroke.

Prerequisites: Completion of Eel Level or can swim independently on front and back the width of the small pool (7 yards) and float independently on back for 20 seconds and on front for 10 seconds.

Starfish is an advanced level for those swimmers who are proficient in front crawl and are comfortable in deeper water. In this level, students will build endurance and be introduced to more advanced strokes such as back crawl, elementary backstroke and breaststroke.

Polliwog introduces school-age children to the pool and helps them adjust to the water. In Polliwog, swimmers will learn front and back floating skills, paddle stroke on both front and back, personal safety and the use of floatation devices.

Prerequisites: NONE

Swimmers in Bluegill continue to gain confidence in their abilities by practicing paddle stroke skills, floating and rotary breathing without the aid of floatation devices. Children learn new skills of treading water and survival floating. Students will begin practicing front and back crawl skills and will be introduced to breaststroke, sidestroke, and elementary backstroke in the level also. Upon completion of this level interested swimmers are encouraged to join the Sharks Swim Team.

Prerequisites: Completion of Polliwog or can swim independently on front and back 15 yards and float independently on front and back for 20 seconds.

Swimmers in Guppy begin to refine their skills for breaststroke, sidestroke, and elementary backstroke while continuing to develop their front and back crawl. Swimmers will also work on survival floating and treading water and be introduced to rescue skills in this level.

Prerequisites: Completion of Bluegill or can swim 25 yards of front crawl and back crawl and tread water 30 seconds.

Swimmers in Minnow continue to work on improving their swimming stroke of front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, and elementary backstroke while increasing endurance and technique. Swimmers will be introduced to butterfly in this level and open turns.

Prerequisites: Completion of Guppy or can swim 25 yards of front and back crawl with good form and can perform breaststroke, sidestroke, and elementary backstroke for 25 yards.

Fish is an advanced level for swimmers to work on stroke refinement and endurance. Flips turns and different kinds of kicks for treading water are introduced along with first aid and CPR skills.

Prerequisites: Completion of Minnow or the ability to swim 50 yards of front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, and elementary backstroke and can swim 25 yards of rudimentary butterfly.

Flying Fish swimmers focus on perfecting their strokes and increasing their endurance with the use of open and flip turns. Swimmers are also introduced to three new strokes in this level: Inverted Breaststroke, Overarm Sidestroke, and Trudgeon Crawl.

Prerequisites: Completion of Fish or can swim 100 yards of front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, elementary backstroke, and can swim 50 yards of butterfly along with the ability to tread water and survival float for 6 minutes.

When you have passed Flying Fish, consider joining the YMCA Swim Team to increase and enjoy your swimming ability. Or for the benefit of others, enroll in upcoming lifeguard training classes or volunteer to help with swimming classes. For more information, call 387-4900.