6-11 Year Olds

Classes held in the McGill Pool
Must be 6 by the first day of the session.

This program is designed to teach your child(ren) swimming and water skills while developing spiritual, mental, and physical well-being. Each of the seven levels promotes personal safety, stroke development, participation in water sports and games, personal growth, boating, and rescue skills. Incorporated into the program is the teaching of the physical and mechanical principles of swimming, an emphasis on endurance and fitness, and an orientation to movement education in the water.

Testing

If you are new to the program, please contact the Aquatics Department. A pre-test can be scheduled if necessary.

Classes

• Seals

• Designed for new swimmers who have had little or no formal swim instruction. Each class focuses on kicking, floating, and water safety. Must be able to paddle on front, back, and side, half the length of the pool (12-15 meters) with assistance before moving to the Polliwog level.
  
   

• Polliwog

• This class teaches pool rules, orientation to the water, front and back float, glide and glide with flutter kick, and paddle stroke. It also introduces synchronized skills. Must be able to paddle on front, back, and side one length of pool 25 meters) with assistance before moving to Guppy level.
  
   

• Guppy

• Floating and treading; front crawl with rotary breathing; increases confidence in deeper water; more synchronized skills; reaching, throwing assists. Must be able to swim one length of the pool (25 meters) using front alternating paddle with rhythmic breathing before moving on to the Minnow Level.
  
   

• Minnow

• Survival floating; diving and diving safety; front crawl; back crawl, breaststroke, rudimentary sidestroke with scissor kick; emergency procedures; fitness concepts before moving to the Fish Level.
  
   

• Fish

• Increase stamina in floating and treading; further refine front and back crawl; elementary backstroke (50 yds.), butterfly (25 yds.); sidestroke (50 yds.); underwater swimming; more synchronized skills; basic first aid.
  
   

• Flying Fish

   

• Extended floating and treading with eggbeater kick; elementary backstroke (100 yds.) with a glide, lifesaving stroke (50 yds.); butterfly (25 yds.); breaststroke (100 yds.) with open turns; reinforce fitness habits; extension assists, and shallow water underwater search all before becoming a Shark Level.
  
   

• Shark

• Perfection of previously learned strokes plus Trudgen crawl (50 yds.); swim individual medley (200 yds.); overarm sidestroke (50 yds.).
  
   

• Porpoise

• This program is designed for the swimmer who has obtained Shark Level in the youth swim lesson program that is age 9-13 and wants to continue swimming. Topics covered in this class include advanced stroke techniques, competitive swimming, water polo, and basic life guarding skills.