Click the links below or scroll down to see descriptions of levels 1-5.

• Level 1 (private swim lessons only)
• Level 2 (private swim lessons only)
• Level 3
• Level 4
• Level 5
• Level 6

Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills (Ages 4+)

Children must be at least 4 years old to participate. This class is designed to help students feel comfortable in the water and learn a variety of fundamental skills such as arm and leg movements, floats, and blowing bubbles. Participants will learn how to:

• Enter and exit water safely
• Submerge mouth (head) independently
• Exhale underwater through mouth and nose
• Open eyes underwater, pick up submerged object at least 2 times
• Float on front and back with support
• Swim on front and back using arm/leg actions
• Rollover front to back, back to front w/support
• Treading – explore arm and hand movements in chest-deep water
• Follow basic water safety rules, helping others
• Use a life jacket

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Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills

Children will learn how to swim independently with the fundamental skills learned in Level 1. They should be comfortable submerging their head and being in the water by themselves. Participants will learn how to:

• Enter water independently, jumping from the side, in chest deep water
• Exit water safely using ladder or side
• Swim on side
• Submerge entire head, at least 5 seconds
• Rhythmic pattern of exhaling while head is submerged (bobs)
• Open eyes underwater, pick up a submerged object, at least 3 times in shallow water
• Float on front and back unsupported
• Perform front and back glide, unsupported
• Roll over from front to back, back to front
• Swim on front and back using combined strokes, at least 15 feet unsupported
• Treading using arms and legs unsupported in chest-deep water
• Water safety rules, helping others, swim while wearing a life jacket

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Level 3: Stroke Development

Children will build on the skills learned from Level 2. Students should be able to swim on their own with out the support of the instructor. This level is designed to further develop strokes through additional guided practice. Participants will learn how to:

• Jump into deep water from the side
• Dive from kneeling or standing position, in water at least 9 feet deep
• Perform front & back float at least 30 seconds
• Submerge and retrieve an object
• Bob with the head fully submerged, chest deep
• Perform front & back glide w/2 different kicks
• Use rotary breathing in horizontal position
• Perform front and back crawl, 15 yards
• Butterfly - kick and body motion, 15 feet
• Perform the HELP and Huddle position
• Change from horizontal to vertical position on front and back
• Water safety rules, perform a reaching assist

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Level 4: Stroke Improvement

Students will develop the confidence, endurance, and strength to improve skills learned in previous levels. They will be introduced to new aquatic skills such as the butterfly, turns, and surface dives. Participants will learn how to:

• Shallow dive or dive from stride position, in at least 9 feet of water
• Swim underwater, 3 body lengths
• Front and back float, survival float, 1 minute
• Perform feet-first surface dive
• Perform open turn on front/back using any stroke
• Tread water using sculling arm motions and various kick, 1 minute
• Use safe diving rules, water safety rules, perform a throwing assist
• Care for conscious choking victim
• Perform compact jump a height while wearing a life jacket
• Perform the following:
  • Front and back crawl, 25 yards
  • Breaststroke & Elementary backstroke, 15 yards
  • Butterfly, 15 yards
  • Swim on side w/scissors kick, 15 yards

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Level 5: Stroke Refinement

Students will continue to further their coordination and refinement of the different strokes learned in Level 4. They should be able to perform front and back crawl proficiently and will be swimming further distances. Participants will learn how to:

• Tread water w/ two different kicks, 2 minutes
• Learn survival swimming, 2 minutes
• Survival floating, 2 minutes
• Water safety, helping others, rescue breathing
• Perform the following:Standing dive, Shallow dive, glide two
  body lengths and begin any front stroke
  • Sidestroke, elementary backstroke 25 yds
  • Tuck & pike surface dive
  • Front and back flip turns
  • Front and back crawl, 50 yards
  • Butterfly, breaststroke 25 yards

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Level 6: Swimming and Skills Proficiency

Students will refine the strokes they learned in previous levels. They will be able to swim them with ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances. This level is designed with 4 different class options that each focus on preparing students to participate in more advanced courses. Options will be determined before the start of a session. These options include:

• Personal Water Safety
• Lifeguard Readiness
• Fundamentals of Diving
• Fitness Swimmer

All options include these endurance skills and turns:

• Front and back crawl, 100 yards
• Breaststroke, 50 yards
• Sidestroke and butterfly, 50 yards
• Elementary backstroke, 50 yards
• All open turns and flip turns while using swimming strokes

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