Swim Lessons

More people learn to swim at the YMCA than anywhere else in the USA. Swimming builds self-confidence and develops the whole person – spirit, mind and body. Classes are divided into ability groups and trained instructors emphasize personal safety, swimming skills, endurance and social skills while guiding students with praise and encouragement.

At the Eastern Lycoming Branch YMCA, you'll be introduced to a wide variety of swim instruction, including water adjustment, stroke development, and water safety. Of course, being in a YMCA program means that we also make it fun!

Please note, at the start of each session, our staff may evaluate your child to place him or her into the appropriate class level. Children of similar ability will be grouped together. Children in adjacent levels may be grouped together to ensure classes are not cancelled.

Classes Available

> Water Babies  - 30 minute lessons

• 6 months - 3 years old

• Parent or Parents are required to be in the water during instruction

> Preschool - 30 minute lessons (45 minute lessons in summer)

• 3 - 5 years old

• Levels of Instruction:

This level helps children develop safe pool behavior, adjust to the water, and develop independent movement in the water. It is designed for new swimmers, teaching basic paddle stroke and kicking skills, comfort with holding the face in the water while blowing bubbles and swimming.

This advanced beginner level reinforces Pike skills. It is for children who are comfortable in the water. They are taught to kick, dive float, and perform the progressive paddle stroke. Children can swim across the pool without instructor assistance with or without a IFD.

   At this level, children review skills, improve stroke skills, learn more personal, safety, and rescue skills, build endurance by swimming on their front and back, and learn to tread water and perform more progressive diving skills. Children can swim across the pool on their front and back without instructor assistance with or without an IFD.

 Children at this level review previously learned skills and refine their strokes as well as their personal safety, rescue, and floating skills. They also learn underwater swimming skills. Children can swim a length of the pool on their front and back at the end of this level. 

> School-Age Youth - 45 minute lessons

• 5 - 12 years old

• Child must attend school (day care and preschools do not qualify)

• Levels of Instruction:

This is the beginning level for school-age children. Children get acquainted with the pool, the use of flotation devices, and floating. They will know the front paddle strike, side and back paddle, and some synchronized swimming and wet-ball (lead-up game to water polo) movements. Children can swim across the pool without assistance with or without an IFD.

Children continue to practice and build upon basic skills, now performing more skills without the aid of an IFD. They are introduced to lead-up strikes to the front and back crawl, sidestroke, breaststroke, and elementary backstroke. More synchronized swimming and wet-ball skills are taught plus some diving skills.Children can swim a length of the pool without assistance, with or without an IFD.

  This is the initial intermediate level. The children further refine the lead-up strokes they have learned as their skills become more like those normally used in swimming. They learn still more synchronized swimming, wet-ball, diving skills, personal safety, boating, and rescue.

 At this point students work to perform the crawl stroke, elementary backstroke, back crawl stroke, and sidestroke, with turns. They are introduced to the butterfly strike. They continue learning additional synchronized swimming movements, wet-ball skills, and diving skills.

 At this advanced level, students work on refining their strikes and increasing their endurance. They develop the ability to perform more complex combinations of synchronized swimming movements, learn to dive off the starting blocks and develop better wet-ball playing skills. They also learn more personal safety and rescue skills.

The students at this level continue to improve their strokes, with starts and turns, and are introduced to the inverted breaststroke, the trudgen crawl, and the overarm sidestroke. Opportunities are provided for further work on synchronized swimming and wet-ball.

At this final level, students are exposed to a wide range of aquatic experiences through a club or class (Swim Team or Guardstart).

Private & Semi-Private Swim Lessons

Learn to swim or enhance your technique in a private or semi-private class with our qualified instructors! Lessons are offered to ages 5 and older.

Private Lessons

• 1 Swimmer with Instructor

Semi-Private

• 2-3 Swimmers with Instructor

Note:  Participants are responsible for forming groups when registering for Semi-Private swim lessons.  When forming your group, please remember to keep all swimmers of similar age and ability.  

> Teens - 45 minute lessons

• 12 - 17 years old

•Levels of Instruction:

Beginner

This level is for teens who have not had swimming lessons before or who are not comfortable in the water. Basic swimming skills and water safety skills are taught.

Intermediate

 Teens with some swimming experience are placed in this level. They work on improving swimming, rescue and personal safety skills.

 Adult Swim Lessons - 45 minute lessons

• 18 years of age and older

• Levels of Instruction:

'Terrified of Water'

This is a special class for those who are afraid of water. Instructors work with students in a small group to help them overcome their fears and begin to develop basic swimming skills.

Beginner

This class is for adults who don't feel at ease in the water or who have never participated in swim lessons. Non-swimmers are taught basic swimming skills and water safety.

Intermediate/Advanced

These classes for adults who are comfortable in the water and who would like to work on stroke development and endurance. It is perfect for those who have limited swimming skills and would like to improve their techniques.

Not sure where to start with your swim lessons? Contact our  Aquatics Director, Ann Lawton, at 570.546.8822 or email aquatics@elymca.org