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Swim Lessons

Which other sport may save your child’s life?
The YMCA Swim Lesson Program is an instructional swimming program
designed to teach all the swimming skills your child needs to be safe in and
around the water for a lifetime. Our program focuses on personal water safety
and the skills necessary to become a proficient swimmer. In the process,
each child develops their ability to swim using basic swim strokes. The YMCA
Swim Lesson classes are taught using skilled instructors who are “water
safety instructor” or “lifeguard “ certified through the YMCA or American Red
Cross.

YMCA OF PONCA CITY SWIM LESSONS SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES
The YMCA of Ponca City swim lessons are taught in seven different levels.
Each level consists of several advancement goals and objectives, which
represent skills that the child will learn before advancing to the next level.
Each child progresses at his/her own rate, advancing to the next level only
when the child is ready, while others who are not ready remain in that level.

PIKE:
Beginner Level
NO swimming skills required
Introduction to water and swimming
Students will be taught the basic paddle stroke and
kicking skills, pool safety, proper use of PFD's and
develop comfort and confidence in the water.

Swim Lesson Levels and Course Descriptions

SUMMER 2009 SWIM LESSON SESSION DATES AND TIMES

PRE SCHOOL - AGES 3 - 5

EEL:
Intermediate
Ability to put face in water
Ability to swim with float belt without assistance
This class introduces front and back paddle skills and
breath control.

STARFISH:
Advanced
Ability to swim on front and back without a float belt
Tread water for 30 seconds
Swim to touch the bottom in 4 ft of water
Students will review previous skills, improve stroke
skills, learn personal safety and rescue skills, and
build endurance

YOUTH AGES 6 - 12 YEARS OLD

POLLIWOG:
No swimming skill requirements
Introduction to water and swimming
Children are acquainted with the pool, use flotation devices, floating, front and back
paddle strokes

GUPPIES:
Ability to swim without float belt the width of the pool
Students are introduced to the front and back crawl, sidestroke, breaststroke and
elementary backstroke

MINNOW:
Ability to swim with face in the water
Student should have elementary knowledge of front crawl, back crawl, sidestroke and
breaststoke
Endurance to swim length of pool with multiple strokes
In this class students will further refine the stokes they have learned and will master
the front crawl with face in the water

FISH:
Know and be able to confidently swim the following strokes:
Front crawl with rotary breathing
Backstroke
Breaststroke
Sidestroke
Ability to tread water for 1 minute
Endurance to swim multiple lengths of the pool
Students will be introduced to the dolphin kick and basic butterfly