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There is a reason why the YMCA is referred to as America’s Favorite Swim Instructor. In Y classes, not only are you taught in a caring way how to swim, you also learn a lot more. Every YMCA swim class includes instruction in five topic areas: personal safety, personal growth, stroke development, water sports and games and rescue. At the Cadillac Area YMCA, we are starting our swim program with beginning level classes and in the future will offer advanced level classes as our students’ progress. If you are interested in more advanced classes, please let us know so we plan for it in the future. Only the classes we are currently offering are listed below. |
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Parent/Child Classes
The primary objective of these classes is to get both the parent and child comfortable in the water. Classes are designed to allow the child to have fun in the water while the parent guides him or her to learn aquatic skills. The child will be exposed to games that use basic movements in the water, such as kicking, arm strokes, and breath control. |
Youth Classes (ages 6 and up) |
Polliwog -. This class is the beginning level for school-age children. This level helps the child develop safe pool behavior, adjust to the water, and begins to teach him/her to swim on his/her front, back and side. To pass this class the student will have to swim 20 feet without an IFD on front, back and side. |
*Guppy I* – This class continues to build on basic skills. It is for a child who is comfortable with his/her face in the water and can swim on his/her front, back and side 20 feet without an IFD. This class will focus on learning proper form and building endurance in the front crawl with rotary breathing, back crawl, and elementary backstroke. To pass this class the student will need to swim these strokes 40 feet without an IFD. |
*Guppy II* – This class continues on from Guppy I and is for children who can swim the front crawl with rotary breathing, back crawl and elementary backstroke 40 feet without an IFD. Guppy I is a prerequisite (or an analogous class) for Guppy II. This class will focus on learning proper form and building endurance in the sidestroke and breaststroke and will continue work on front crawl with rotary breathing, back crawl and elementary backstroke. To pass this class the student will need to swim each stroke 40 feet without an IFD. |
* Minnow-Fish-Flying Fish-Shark-Porpoise *
This series of classes begins with Minnow, which is the initial intermediate level and is for children who can swim front crawl with rotary breathing, back crawl, elementary backstroke, sidestroke and breaststroke 40 feet without an IFD. As students progress through this series, stroke development for each stroke becomes more refined, butterfly along with other modified strokes are introduced and skill levels and endurance increase. As the level increases, so does the requirement to apply their swimming skills to expand their capabilities in personal growth and safety, water games and sports, and rescue. Levels within this series are determined by the instructor. |
.* Participants enrolled in Guppy I and higher classes need to provide and wear goggles.* |
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Shrimp (6-18 months) This class introduces the aquatic environment to parents and their children. They learn basic aquatic safety and have a positive experience with their child that helps them bond. The children are exposed to basic skills and have fun playing with toys and flotation devices. The program also provides opportunities for parent/child teams to socialize with each other. |
Perch (19 months to 3 yrs) Children start moving more independently through the water under their parents’ guidance. Parents learn more about aquatic and boating safety, and children begin to learn something about these topics as well. The children learn and practice basic skills and have fun playing with toys and flotation devices. |
Preschool and Youth Program
These progressive series start by teaching children the basic skills that are the building blocks of swimming. In each level children work on front, back and side stroke development and the use of instructional flotation devices (IFDs). As they progress, the skills they work on becomes more technically refined and endurance becomes more important. They learn about water safety and rescue as it relates to pools, lakes and boating, including the use of personal flotation devices (PFDs). These classes also include activities that build self-confidence and teach values as well as water games and sports. |
Preschool Classes (ages 3 to 5 yrs) |
Pike – This class is the beginning level for pre-school age children. This level helps the child develop safe pool behavior, adjust to the water, and begins to teach him/her to swim on his/her front, back and side. To pass this class the child will need to swim five feet without an IFD on front, back, and side. |
Eel – This advanced beginner level reinforces Pike skills. It is for children who are comfortable in the water and can swim on his/her front, back and side approximately five feet without assistance. To pass this class the child will need to swim 15 feet without an IFD on front, back, and side. |
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