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Kids & Teens Swim & Aquatics Classes Offered at Farmington Valley YMCA

 

Certifications & Training

Red Cross Lifeguard Training (Ages 15 & up)  [click for more]

Red Cross Lifeguard Training (Ages 15 & up) Schedule
Schedule
American Red Cross Lifeguard Training provides the skills, knowledge, and professional development necessary to keep aquatic facility users safe in and around the water. Those completing the course will be certified. CPR for the Professional Rescuer, First Aid/AED, and administering emergency oxygen are included in the training. Contact us for all prerequisites needed.
 
 

Parent/Child Aquatic Lessons (6 months - 3 years)

Parent/Child Swim Lessons (6 months - 3 years)  [click for more]

Parent/Child Swim Lessons (6 months - 3 years) Schedule
Schedule
Children, 6 months to 3 years, will enjoy the many water-readiness activities provided by our YMCA aquatics instructors. This is one of the most important skills every child should master—feeling safe in the water. Children progress from water adjustment to basic skills while working with parents. One adult must be in the water with their child at all times. Ratio is 10:1.
 

Perch (Ages 2 – 3)  [click for more]

Perch (Ages 2 – 3) Schedule
Schedule
This class, designed for children ages 2 to 3, adapts swimming skills to your child’s developmental level. Participants will progress from water adjustment to basic swimming skills, both with the instructor and with a parent.  One adult must be in the water with their child for a portion of the class. Ratio is 6:1.
 
 

Swim Lessons (Ages 3 - 5 years)

1. Pike / Pike 2 (Ages 3-5)  [click for more]

1. Pike / Pike 2 (Ages 3-5) Schedule
Schedule
This class is designed for children ages 3 to 5 years.  The child will concentrate on becoming more comfortable in the water, getting their face wet, blowing bubbles, floating on their fronts and backs with assistance, and working with lesson equipment independently.
 

2. Eel (Ages 3-5)  [click for more]

2. Eel (Ages 3-5) Schedule
Schedule
This level is for children ages 3 to 5 who are now swimming more independently minimizing the use of the waist support. The child can get their face wet, kick independently, floats on front and back comfortably with or without assistance. Continues to improve on glides, arm movements, kicking, and safety in and around water.
 

3. Ray (Ages 3-5)  [click for more]

3. Ray (Ages 3-5) Schedule
Schedule
This level is for the child who can swim without a waist support and is comfortable on their front and back in deep water with and without equipment. Performs rhythmic breathing, floats on their back, and can transition from a back float to a front position to swim the width of the pool.
 

4. Starfish (Ages 3-5)  [click for more]

4. Starfish (Ages 3-5) Schedule
Schedule
This level is for the child who can swim front crawl, back crawl and on their side. The swimmer should demonstrate endurance and comfort in the water. They will refine their diving and safety skills.
 
 

Swim Lessons - Semi-Private & Private

Private Diving Lessons  [click for more]

Private Diving Lessons Schedule
Schedule
Private diving lessons are perfect for the participant who wants to learn the fundamentals of diving. No experience necessary.
 

Private Swim Lessons  [click for more]

Private Swim Lessons Schedule
Schedule
Private lessons allow for accelerated learning due to the one-on-one student-to-teacher ratio.
 

Semi-Private Swim Lessons  [click for more]

Semi-Private Swim Lessons Schedule
Schedule
This class is meant for 2 - 4 participants of similar skill level and age. Perfect for siblings or friends who want to learn together.
 
 

Swim Lessons – Kids to Teens (Ages 6 years and up)

1. Polliwog (Ages 6 & Up)  [click for more]

1. Polliwog (Ages 6 & Up) Schedule
Schedule
Instructional swimming without a waist support. This class is designed for the beginner swimmer who will swim in shallow and deep water with emphasis on endurance, back and front float, flutter kick, paddle stroke, and personal water safety.
 

2. Guppy (Ages 6 & Up)  [click for more]

2. Guppy (Ages 6 & Up) Schedule
Schedule
This class is designed for the swimmer who has learned front crawl with rotary breathing and can switch from their front to their back (back float) while swimming 25 yards. Emphasis will be on front crawl, back strokes, side swimming, kneeling dives, endurance, and personal water safety.
 

3. Minnow (Ages 6 & Up)  [click for more]

3. Minnow (Ages 6 & Up) Schedule
Schedule
This class is designed for the swimmer who can swim 25 yards of front crawl with rotary breathing and backstroke. Minnows will work on their personal safety skills, and increasing endurance with front crawl, rotary breathing and back stroke. This level introduces sidestroke, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, and standing dives.
 

4. Fish (Ages 6 & Up)  [click for more]

4. Fish (Ages 6 & Up) Schedule
Schedule
This class is designed for the swimmer who can swim 50 yards of the front crawl stroke, back crawl stroke, sidestroke and elementary backstroke. The Fish will work on increasing endurance, fundamentals of all strokes along with underwater swimming, and personal safety skills. Introduces the dolphin kick for the butterfly stroke.
 

5. Flying Fish (Ages 6 & Up)  [click for more]

5. Flying Fish (Ages 6 & Up) Schedule
Schedule
This class is designed for the swimmer who can complete 100 yards of front crawl stroke and back crawl stroke, 50 yards of breaststroke, and 50 yards of elementary backstroke. The class will review front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, and breaststroke. Introduces dolphin kick and butterfly, while developing individual medley skills, starts, and turns.
 

6. Shark (Ages 6 & Up)  [click for more]

6. Shark (Ages 6 & Up) Schedule
Schedule
Swimmer must be able to complete a 200 yard individual medley. Swimmer will learn lifesaving strokes, competitive strokes and will review all swim skills; including further development of butterfly stroke.
 

Beginner Springboard Diving  [click for more]

Beginner Springboard Diving Schedule
Schedule
Students work on dive safety, basic front and back dives, and work on correct water entries.
 

Intermediate Springboard Diving  [click for more]

Intermediate Springboard Diving Schedule
Schedule
Students work on 5 compulsory dives: front, back, front with ½ twist, inward, and reverse.
 
 

Swim Teams and Clinics - Farmington Valley

01. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Breakers Developmental Team - Recommended ages 5-8  [click for more]

01. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Breakers Developmental Team - Recommended ages 5-8 Schedule
Schedule
This is an introductory group that teaches basic competitive skills in all four competitive strokes, starts and turns.  Skills will be taught with an emphasis on fun.  Recommended ages 5-8.

Pre-requisites: Swimmers should be able to continuously swim 25 yards of freestyle and backstroke, current GHYMCA membership.  Please contact the YMCA to set up an evaluation/swim test if you are unsure about your child’s swimming ability.

Practice Attendance: For regular improvement, swimmers are encouraged to attend each practice.

Meet Attendance: Swimmers are encouraged to swim at the team’s home swim meets (usually a total of four Saturday meets during the Fall/Winter season and two Friday late afternoon meets in the Summer season).
 

02. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Riptides Developmental Team - Recommended ages 5-10  [click for more]

02. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Riptides Developmental Team - Recommended ages 5-10 Schedule
Schedule
The Riptide group is designed to help swimmers continue to refine the major skill components of each start, stroke, turn and finish as well as develop swimming endurance.  Pool sessions will include a series of start, stroke, turns & finish progressions, kicking, and basic timed endurance swims. In addition swimmers will participate in a basic dry-land/stretching program designed to build general body strength, enhance technique and improve overall flexibility.

Prerequisites: Each swimmer must have the ability to continuously swim 25 yards of freestyle and backstroke.  Each swimmer should also have a working knowledge of breaststroke and butterfly. Swimmers must demonstrate the emotional maturity needed to follow practice sessions.  Program is for ages 5-10, including all previous age 8 & under YMCA Yankee Cluster/Winter Invite Swimmers and all 9/10 yr. old beginning competitive swimmers.
 
Practice Attendance: For regular improvement, swimmers are encouraged to attend at least 2 of the 3 practices offered per week.

Meet Attendance:Swimmers are encouraged to attend YMCA meets throughout the season based on the recommendation of the group coach.
 

03. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Seismics 1 - Recommended ages 8-12  [click for more]

03. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Seismics 1 - Recommended ages 8-12 Schedule
Schedule
The Seismics I group is designed to provide swimmers with the physical and technical fitness necessary to compete at the YMCA Yankee Cluster/YMCA Winter Invite and USA Regional Levels.  Pool sessions will continue to emphasize advanced series of start, stroke, turn & finish progressions, as well as beginning to introduce the differences between workout sets, sprint sets, quality kick sets, and race rehearsal.  In addition to an extensive in-water program, the Seismics I Level will offer a dry-land training program designed to build general and specific swimming strength, enhance technique, reduce injuries and improve overall flexibility.

Prerequisites: Each swimmer must be able to swim 50 yards (2 lengths) freestyle and backstroke without stopping and swim butterfly and breaststroke for a minimum of 25 yards, GHYMCA membership. Swimmers must demonstrate the emotional maturity needed to follow practice sessions. Participants under the age of 10 or with no previous competitive swimming experience should be evaluated before joining. Program is for ages 8-12, including age 8 & under YMCA New England Championship swimmers, 9/10 yr. old YMCA Yankee Cluster/YMCA Winter Invite/USA Regionals Swimmers, and all 11/12 yr. old beginning competitive swimmers.

Practice Attendance: For regular improvement, swimmers are encouraged to attend at least 3 of the 4 practices offered per week.
 

04. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Seismics 2 - Recommended ages 9-15  [click for more]

04. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Seismics 2 - Recommended ages 9-15 Schedule
Schedule
The Seismics II Level will provide swimmers with the physical and technical fitness necessary to compete at the YMCA Yankee Cluster /YMCA Winter Invite/YMCA New England and USA Regional /Age Group levels. Additional competitive skills are introduced, including training etiquette, advanced stroke mechanics, training and race strategies, goal setting, proper nutrition, and mental preparation. Pool sessions will include low, medium and high intensity endurance training, technical-sprint sets, quality kick sets, race rehearsal and advanced start, stroke, turn and finish progressions. Yardage and intensity will vary depending on time of year. In addition to an extensive in-water program, the Seismics II Level will offer an advanced dry-land training program designed to build general and specific swimming strength, enhance technique, reduce injuries and improve overall flexibility.

Prerequisites: Each swimmer must be able to swim 100 yards (4 lengths) of freestyle and backstroke without rest or stopping and swim butterfly and breaststroke correctly for a minimum of 50 yards, GHYMCA membership. Swimmers must demonstrate the emotional maturity needed to follow practice sessions. Swimmer must be able to sustain a pace to improve endurance in practice.  Program is for ages 9-15, including 9/10 yr. old YMCA YMCA New England and USA Age Group Swimmers, 11/12 yr. old YMCA Yankee Cluster/YMCA Winter Invite Swimmers and USA Regional Swimmers, and 13/Over beginning competitive swimmers. Participants under the age of 10 or with no previous competitive swimming experience should be evaluated before joining.

Practice Attendance: For regular improvement, swimmers should attend at least 4 of the 5 practices offered per week.
 

05. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Rogues - Recommended ages 11-18  [click for more]

05. Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunamis - Rogues - Recommended ages 11-18 Schedule
Schedule
The Rogues Level will provide swimmers with a two-fold focus - to provide swimmers with the physical and technical fitness necessary to compete at the YMCA New England/YMCA National Level, USA Age Group, USA Senior and beyond. Practices will be split up into different groups according to ability.  Pool sessions will include low, medium and high intensity endurance training, technical-sprint sets, quality kick sets, race rehearsal and advanced start, stroke, turn and finish progressions. Yardage and intensity will vary depending on time of year.  In addition to an extensive in-water program, the Rogues Level will offer an advanced dry-land training program designed to build general and specific swimming strength, enhance technique, reduce injuries and improve overall flexibility.

Prerequisites:
Each swimmer must be able to swim 100-200 yards of the 4 competitive strokes correctly with turns, GHYMCA membership. Swimmers must demonstrate the emotional maturity needed to follow rigorous practice sessions as well as the desire to grow as an athlete and individual. Program is for ages 11 to 18, including 11/12 yr. old YMCA New England or USA Age Group Swimmers and 13/Over YMCA Winter Invite, YMCA New England or USA Age Group Swimmers.   Participants under the age of 12 or with no previous competitive swimming experience should be evaluated before joining.

Practice Attendance:
Swimmers are expected to attend 4 of the 5 practices offered per week.
 

08. CT Swimming/USA Swimming  [click for more]

08. CT Swimming/USA Swimming Schedule
Schedule
This program is for swimmers that would like to broaden their experiences by participating in a program that will create more competition and more opportunities to swim at invitational and championship meets throughout the season.  In addition to regular YMCA dual meets, swimmers will participate in meets in various pools throughout CT.  They will also have the opportunity to participate in Sectional and National level meets.  Swimmers that are participating must be serious about continuing their development as a swimmer.

Prerequisites: For participants registered in the Seismics I/II or Rogues levels and with approval of the head coach.

Practice Attendance: Each USA Swimmer is expected to be at 4 out of the 5 practices each week.  

Meet Attendance: USA Swimmers will participate in most YMCA meets as well as USA Meets.

**Program Fee does not include yearly USA Swimming registration fee for athletes.  It does not nclude meet entry fees that will need to be paid when signing up for meets. Please note: Registration Closes on September 14th for the Short Course (Fall/Winter) Season.