Aquatics

Aquatics have been a part of YMCA programming since 1885, when the first YMCA swimming pool was built in the Brooklyn YMCA in New York.

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The following class levels are taught at YMCAs nationally and were established by the YMCA of the USA. The aquatics staff at your branch will help to determine the proper level of instruction for each student.

Parent/Child Swim Lessons: (ages 6 months to 3 years)
A parent-child swim lesson in which children are acclimated to the water through exploratory techniques. Each class is 30 minutes.

Preschool Swim Lessons: (ages 3 to 5 years)
Children are placed according to their initial ability and advance through following levels with instructor approval based on skills learned in each level:

Pike	Preschool level 1. Children learn to build self-confidence and are introduced to skills that will help move them through the water without assistance.
Eel	Preschool level 2. Children continue to progress on their skills learned in Pike. There is continued emphasis placed on building endurance, self-confidence, and coordination. To enter Eel a child must have completed Pike or be able to swim on their front, back and side 5 feet without a floatation device.
Ray	Preschool level 3. This class continues progress on the skills learned in Eel, as well as introduces new strokes. To enter Ray a child must have completed Eel or be able to swim on their front, back and side 15 feet without a floatation device.
Starfish	Preschool level 4. This class will prepare your swimmer for our School Age lessons. The Starfish class will continue to progress on the skills learned in Ray. When a child completes the Starfish level they will have a stronger sense of self-confidence, have built endurance and worked on their coordination. To enter Starfish a child must have completed Ray or be able to swim on their front, side and back, as well as perform the front crawl, and backstroke for 20 feet without a floatation device.

Youth Swim Lessons: (ages 6 to 15 years)
Children are placed according to their initial ability and advance through following levels with instructor approval based on skills learned in each level:

Polliwog	Youth level 1. This class is for those who do not know how to swim or have never had a structured beginning level class. Children will become comfortable in the water and learn how to paddle on their front, back and sides with a floatation device.
Guppy	Youth level 2. Children continue to gain self-confidence in the water, as well as begin to learn to swim without a floatation device on their front, back and side. Front alternating paddle is also introduced. To enter Guppy a child must have completed Polliwog or be able to swim the length of the pool on their front, back and side with a flotation device.
Minnow	Youth level 3. Students are moving from beginner to intermediate by proving on their back crawl, elementary backstroke, and front crawl. This class introduces breaststroke, sidestroke, and improves on safety skills. To enter Minnow a child must have completed Guppy or be able to swim 25 yards on their front, back and sides as well as, front crawl, back crawl.
Fish	Youth level 4. This level continues to develop and perfect the skills and strokes learned in previous classes and introduce the dolphin kick. To enter Fish a child must have completed Minnow or be able to swim 25 yards front crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, backstroke, and elementary backstroke.
Flying Fish	Youth level 5. Students are introduced to the complete butterfly stroke and breaststroke, and continue to work on endurance and technique on skills previously learned. To enter Flying Fish a child must have completed Fish or be able to swim 50 yards front crawl, breaststroke, elementary backstroke, backstroke, and sidestroke.
Shark	Youth level 6. Students learn the relevance of swimming skills, lifesaving techniques, conditioning, and decision making. To enter Shark a child must have completed Flying Fish or be able to swim 100 yards freestyle, breaststroke, elementary backstroke, backstroke, sidestroke, and 15 yards butterfly.

Mission: To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.