An official army family and MWR Site

Swim Lessons

 

Due to the pandemic, Summer swimming lessons are canceled. We hope to resume in the fall.

 

Learn to swim with confidence. We offer swim lessons for infants, children, teenagers and adults. With classes for those ages six months and older, you and your entire family can learn to master the skills needed to help you swim safely.

 

Listed below are descriptions of the skills or knowledge that will be taught during each level.

 

Parent and Child: (6 mths. – 3yrs.)  Introduction to the water. Parents must accompany each child in the water. Purpose of this course is to familiarize children with the water and teach swimming readiness skills. Provide safety information for the parents and teach parents techniques they can use to orient their children to the water.

Preschool Aquatic Levels 1-3:  (3-5yrs.) the child must be willing to leave the parent and be able to stay with the class group.

  •  PSA level 1: Orients children to be safe in, on, and around the water and gain basic skills. Enter and exit water safely, blow bubbles, submerge mouth, nose, and eyes. Open eyes under water to retrieve an object. Glide on front and back, recover to a vertical position, float on back, roll from front to back and back to front. Use arm and leg action on front and back, and treading with arm and hand action.
  •  PSA level 2: Helps children gain greater independence in their skills and develop more comfort in, on, and around the water.  Enter and exit by using the pool deck, bobbing 5 times, opening eyes under the water and retrieving an object, submerging the full face. Front and back glides, recover to vertical position, float on back 5 seconds, roll from front to back and back to front, tread water 15 seconds, combined arm and leg action on front and back.
  •  PSA level 3: Helps children gain greater basic swimming propulsive skills to be comfortable in, on, and around the water.  Enter water at shoulder depth, exit safely by use of ladder, wall, or steps. Fully submerge and hold breath, bob 10 times, demonstrate rotary breathing, Front and back glide to vertical position, back float 15 seconds, tread water 30 seconds, combined arm and leg actions on front and back, change direction of travel while swimming on front or on back.

Learn to Swim: 6 levels (5 – 12yrs.)

  •  Level 1: Introduction to water skills

Help to the student feel comfortable in, on, and around the water.

Enter and exit safely by use of ladder, wall, or steps, blow bubbles 3 seconds, bob 5 times, submerge face, open eyes under water and retrieve an object, back float 5 seconds, roll from front to back and back to front, tread water using arm and hand action, combined arm and leg action on front and back.

  •  Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills

Give participants success with fundamental skills.

Enter water at shoulder depth, exit safely by use of ladder, wall, or steps. Use rotary breathing, open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects, bob 10 times, front float 10 seconds, back float 15 seconds, front and back glide, recover to a vertical position, tread water 15 seconds, change direction while swimming on front and back, combined arm and leg action on front and back, finning action while on back.

  •  Level 3: Stroke Development

Expand proficiency of pervious learned skill by providing additional guided practice.

Jump into deep water from side, submerge and return to side, headfirst entry from sitting and kneeling positions, bobbing while moving to safety, rotary breathing, survival float 30 seconds, back float 1 minute, tread 1 minute, push off streamline position on front begin kicking, swim front crawl and elementary back 3-5 body lengths or 15 yards, demonstrate flutter, scissor, breaststroke, and dolphin kicks.

  •  Level 4: Stroke Improvement

Participants improve their aquatic skills and increase their endurance by swimming the strokes learned in level 3 with more advanced proficiency.

Headfirst entry in compact and stride positions, feetfirst surface dive, swim underwater, tread using 2 different kicks, survival swim for 1 minute, front crawl 25 yards, elementary back 25 yards, breaststroke 15 yards, back crawl 15 yards, butterfly 15 yards, sidestroke 15 yards, open turns front and back, flutter and dolphin kick on back, push off streamline on back begin kicking on back.

  •  Level 5: Stroke Refinement

Refine performance of all six strokes and increase distances that they swim. Participants also learn flip turns on front and back.

Shallow- angle dive, tuck and pike surface dive, tread water 5 minutes, tread water using only legs 2 minutes, sculling 30 seconds, front crawl and elementary back 50 yards, breaststroke, butterfly, back crawl, sidestroke each 25 yards, front and back flip turns.

  •  Level 6: Personal Water Safety

Increasing endurance and distance for all strokes, front, back, and side. Using flip turns and open turns, demonstrating specialty knowledge for surface dives and survival skills, also show knowledge of Water Safety.

Front crawl, elementary back 100 yards, back crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, butterfly 50 yards, demonstrate open and flip turns while swimming, demonstrate HELP, HUDDLE positions at least 2 minutes in deep water, feetfirst, tuck, and pike surface dives in deep water, back float and survival float 5 minutes, survival swimming 10 minutes, tread water legs only 2 minutes, surface dive in water 7 – 10 feet, retrieve an object, Knowledge of Water Safety.

  •  Level 6: Fundamentals of Diving

Participants must have a basic level of swimming all 6 strokes while using flip and/or open turns. Demonstrate basic knowledge of dive progression.

Front crawl, elementary back 100 yards, back crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, butterfly 50 yards, use turns while swimming, dive progressions from poolside then diving board, knowledge of water safety.

  • Level 6: Fitness Swimmer

Like level 5 this is increasing endurance and lengths. The fitness swimmer will also be using devices such as kickboards, pull buoys, swim paddles, fins, flippers, stop watch, pace clock or other timing devices.

Front crawl, elementary back 100 yards, back crawl, sidestroke, butterfly, breaststroke 50 yards, use flip turns and open turns while swimming, specialty knowledge and skills in circle swimming, using pull buoys, kick boards, swim paddles, timing devices, calculate target heart rate, surface dives and retrieve objects from the bottom of the pool at least 10 feet deep, demonstrate aquatic exercise, have knowledge of Water Safety.

Adult Swim:  (13yrs. and up)

  •  Adult Learning Basic: is learning the basic, being comfortable in, on, and around the pool. Submerging the face, opening eyes under the water to retrieve an object, front and back glide and return to a vertical position, treading water using arm and finning action. Combined arm and leg actions on front and back, back float 3–5 seconds, learn to recognize an aquatic emergency in order to help themselves or others.
  •  Adult Improving skills and strokes: Goals to improve participants proficiency in basic aquatic skills and the basic 6 strokes. Improve ability to swim continuous and build endurance. Learn safety skills and safe behavior in, on, and around the water.  Enter by jumping or stepping from the side, exit safely, rotary breathing, front crawl, elementary back, and breast stroke 50 yards at level 5 proficiency, back crawl, sidestroke, 25 yards at level 5 proficiency, optional stroke: butterfly, 25 yards at level 5 proficiency, swim underwater, feet first, tuck and pike surface dives, treading water using 2 different strokes and treading legs only, safety skills and safe behavior around the water.
  •  Adult Swimming for Fitness: Refining swim strokes, front crawl, back crawl, and breast stroke, turns and endurance. Participants also learn skills and concepts needed to be safe in, on, and around the water. Swim strokes at a level 5 proficiency. Front crawl 100 yards, back crawl 50 yards, breast stroke 50 yards, butterfly is optional for Adult Swim, 50 yards, use both flip and open turns during continuous swimming throughout the course, knowledge in swimming etiquette circle swimming, using a pace clock, calculating target heart rate, setting up an exercise program, using training equipment such as pull buoys, kick boards, swim paddles, flippers.

Other News

Sesame Street Casting Call
Army Emergency Relief (AER) Donation Drive!
American Red Cross Lifeguard Classes
Join Our Team!
Come Work at Aquatics!
CYS Recruitment Fair

More Child & Youth Services

Play Morning

Prepare to have a blast with Army Community Service (ACS) and other families during this fun learning experience.

Mar 22 10 am - 12 pm
thumbnail

Play Morning

Prepare to have a blast with Army Community Service (ACS) and other families during this fun learning experience.

Mar 22 10 am - 12 pm
thumbnail
thumbnail

Monthly OCONUS/PCS Orientation

Prepare for your new assignment and make your move with confidence.

Mar 26 1 pm - 2 pm
thumbnail

Coffee and Conversations

Promoting healthy families through important conversations with the Family Advocacy Program.

Apr 4 10 am - 11 am
thumbnail

American Red Cross Lifeguard Class

Learn the skills to help others stay safe in, on and around the water.

Apr 5 4 pm - 8 pm
thumbnail

Springfest Presented By PENFED

Join the festivities as we celebrate our military children and youth!

Apr 6 12 pm - 3 pm
thumbnail

Play Morning

Prepare to have a blast with Army Community Service (ACS) and the Fort Belvoir Police Department for a special storytime experience.

Apr 26 10 am - 12 pm
thumbnail

CYSitters Course

Learn to provide quality child care as a skilled babysitter.

May 3 8 am - 9 am