SWIM CLASSES / LESSONS
BABY SWIM
Requirements: Participants must be under 3 years old and accompanied by a water safe parent or guardian
These classes allow parents and their infants or toddlers to explore the new environment of aquatics together. Using songs and interactive play, you and your child will be guided by one of our passionate instructors through a series of activities that are not only fun but also target the development of their social, cognitive, and motor development. Participants will learn how to do assisted submersions, practice floating, and learn safety best practices.
YOUTH SWIM
Requirements: Participants must be at least 3 years old.
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Learn and progress through the fundamentals of swimming in a fun, challenging environment.
ADULT 1
Requirements: At least 13 years old with little to no swim experience
It is never too late to learn how to swim. These classes are designed to assist first-time swimmers with learning the essentials of swim or refreshing participants that have had long lapses in their swimming. Rather than focusing on swimming at the top of the water in a straight line, these lessons encourage participants to explore the dynamic motions made possible in an aquatic environment. Buoyancy and breath control are the two most important skills for swimming and will be a primary focus of lessons.
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ADULT 2
Requirements: At least 13 years old with moderate swim experience
These classes will equip participants with an introduction to swimming for fitness and fun. By progressively building upon the components of stroke mechanics, proper form and technique is maintained to avoid over-straining joints that are sensitive to aggravation. Please make sure to review the goals that are unique to your experience with your instructor so the two of you can partner to plot a roadmap to success.
ADULT 3
Requirements: At least 18 years old with advanced swim experience
These classes offer experienced swimmers an opportunity to refresh their skills and refine their technique. Since improper technique can cause serious damage to joints with many swimmers that swam at a high level, these classes are an excellent way to equip participants with the skills to swim in from young adults to Masters and senior triathlons.
CLASS STAGES
Beginner
Requirements
Participants must be at least 3 years old with no swimming experience.
These classes focus on building student comfort in the water. Key skills and activities include learning how to hold their breath, independently float on their front and back, and gliding smoothly and independently. Since the learning process is centered around trust and confidence, our instructors for this stage will often emphasize interactive play as a teaching tool to promote exploration of the water in a safe and constructive environment. Students that graduate from this level are confident and comfortable at self submerging, holding their breath and gliding as much as 3 body lengths.
Intermediate
Requirements
Graduate from Beginner Stage OR participant is capable of independently floating on back and front as well as glide with perfect balance 2 to 3 body lengths.
These classes focus on developing the breath control of students and prepare them for swimming independently. An important landmark for this stage is beginning to learn kicks to create propulsion. Students will also be introduced to a basic assisted dolphin kick at this stage, which is the foundation for butterfly. Students that graduate from this level are equipped with the basics of movement in water, including diving for rings and swimming short distances independently.
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Advanced
Requirements
Graduate from Intermediate Stage OR participant is capable of consistently and independently rolling over with perfect form as well as swim independently 10 yards and retrieve rings from 4 ½ feet deep water.
These classes will refine the foundations of all four of the competitive strokes: kicking. Through guided hands-on instruction participants will master flutter- whip- and dolphin-kicks as they prepare for moving on to learn freestyle and backstroke in the following stage. Posture and balance are two keys to success in swimming for life, and this stage emphasizes perfecting form to ensure that participants learn the correct technique. Graduates of this level have demonstrated mastery of flutter kick on their front and back, make the complex compound motions involved in starts and finishes appear natural and smooth, and confidently tread water for over a minute.
Stroke stage
Requirements
Graduate from Advanced Stage OR participant is capable of consistently swimming 10 yards in streamline on front and back in perfect form as well as assisted whip kick and treading water independently.
These classes will introduce students to stroke mechanics, putting the pieces that they have learned in previous stages and levels together. Freestyle and backstroke are the primary strokes targeted with participants continuing to perfect and maintain their skills with dolphin swimming and whip kick which are the cores to butterfly and breaststroke, respectively. Graduates of this level are consistent and well-balanced freestyle and backstroke swimmers.
Certification Stage
Requirements
Graduate from Stroke Stage. Students that are new to our program must first receive an evaluation in a stroke class before enrolling in Certification Stage classes.
These classes are the final stages offered in the Learn to Swim program at Sutton Swim School. Participants swimming at this level will be held to a rigorous standard as each competitive stroke is perfected.
Certification classes that are currently offered train participants in preparing for Bronze and Silver evaluations. In the future, they may be changed to instead target one certification at a time to expedite the learning process.
Participants that earn both their Bronze Award and Silver Award will earn the Gold Award and graduate the Learn to Swim program.
