Level Information
Level I - Introduction to Water Skills
There are no pre-requisites for this course. The objective of level I is to help students feel comfortable in the water and to enjoy the water safely. They will learn good attitudes, safe practices around the water, following directions and exploring movements in the water in a fun atmosphere.
Level II - Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Students entering this course must have Level I or must be able to demonstrate those skills. Students will learn to float without support and to recover to a vertical position. This level is the beginning of true locomotion skills. Students explore simultaneous and altering arm and leg actions on the front and back to lay the foundation for future strokes.
Level III - Stroke Development
Students entering this course must have Level II or must be able to demonstrate those skills. Students will learn to coordinate the front and back crawl. They will learn elements of the butterfly and treading water. Students will also learn the rules for headfirst entries and will learn to enter the water headfirst from the side of the pool.
Level IV - Stroke Improvement
Students entering this course must have Level III or must be able to demonstrate those skills. In this level, students will develop confidence in the strokes learned so far and improve other aquatic skills. Students will improve their skills and increase their endurance by swimming familiar strokes for greater distances. They will continue to build on the butterfly and will be introduced to the elementary backstroke, breaststroke and elements of the sidestroke. Basics of turning at the wall are also introduced.
Level V - Stroke Refinement
Students entering this course must have Level IV or must be able to demonstrate those skills. Participants will refine all of the strokes - front crawl, back crawl, butterfly, breaststroke, elementary backstroke and sidestroke – and increase their distances. Flip turns on the front and back are also introduced.
Level VI - Swimming and Skill Proficiency
Students entering this course must have Level V or must be able to demonstrate those skills. The objective of the course is to refine strokes so students swim them with more ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances. This course will prepare students to participate in more advanced courses such as water safety instructor and lifeguard training.