Children's Instructional Skill Level Descriptions
Age 3
Class Size: 5
Prerequisites: Must be 3 years of age, toilet trained, and able to be independent of a caregiver for 30 minutes
In Splash students develop confidence and independence while learning basic water safety skills and having fun. Students advance to Level 1 at age 4. Students are encouraged to take this class multiple times.
The following skills are developed in Splash
- Place face in the water and blow bubbles
- Safety enter/exit pool using the ladder (unsupported)
- Jump into the water (with instructor)
- Straight leg flutter kick on front—with or without barbell or noodle
- Straight leg flutter kick on back
- Instructor supported front float
- Instructor supported back float
- Streamline arm positioning
- Bobbing under water 5 times with rhythmic breathing
Ages 4+
Class Size: 5
Prerequisite: Children must be able to attend to an instructor for 30 minutes.
Students learn correct body position and breathing for efficient swimming while continuing to focus on comfort in the water and safety skills.
Successful completion of Level 1 requires:
- Put face in water and blow bubbles
- Bobbing under water 5 times with rhythmic breathing
- Safely enter/exit the pool independently
- Unassisted jump into water
- Independent horizontal straight leg flutter kick on front
- Independent horizontal straight leg flutter kick on back
- Unassisted front float (hold for 10 seconds)
- Unassisted back float (hold for 10 seconds)
- Streamline positioning
- Back sculling
Ages 4+
Class Size: 5
Prerequisite: Level 1 Skills
For Level 2, students must be able to propel themselves through the water with a straight leg kick (while holding a barbell), maintain a horizontal body position while breathing, and hold a 10-second unassisted front float (with head in the water), and a 10-second unassisted back float.
Successful completion of Level 2 requires:
- Front and back streamline push-offs from wall with flutter kick
- Somersault
- 6-1 Backstroke
- Sitting Dive
- Beginning to Treading Water
- Beginning Underwater Shooters
- Roly Poly Oly
- Rhythmic bilateral side breathing, face aligned in water, straight leg kicks, and correct body position
Ages 4+
Class Size: 5
Prerequisite: Level 2 Skills
Level 3 introduces students to the foundations of freestyle, the fundamental stroke, and many will repeat this level in order to master the skills. Students are also introduced to backstroke, swimming underwater, and kneeling dives.
Successful completion of Level 3 requires:
- Freestyle "Catchup" Drill with kickboard
- 3-1 Backstroke
- Underwater streamline shooters on front and back
- Tread Water (30 seconds)
- Complete a streamlined kneeling dive with push and hands-first entry
- Flip Turn Drill
- Beginning Breaststroke Kick
- Beginning Dolphin Kick
Ages 4+
Class Size: 5
Prerequisite: Level 3 Skills
Level 4 builds on the freestyle and backstroke skills learned in Level 3.
Successful completion of Level 4 requires:
- Backstroke with streamline shooter underwater push-off
- Flip Turn
- Standing Dive
- Tread water (1 minute)
- Beginning Breaststroke
- Beginning Butterfly
- Dolphin kick
- "Superman Catchup" Drill with underwater push off
Ages 4+
Class Size: 5
Prerequisite: Level 4 Skills
Level 5 builds on the breaststroke and butterfly skills learned in Level 4. Students increase endurance and demonstrate the ability to swim all 4 strokes with proper techinique.
Successful completion of Level 5 requires:
- 25 yards freestyle
- 25 yards breaststroke
- 25 yards backstroke
- 25 yards butterfly
- Backstroke start
- Backstroke flip turn
- Racing dive from starting block
- Beginning IM
Adult Instructional Skill Level Descriptions
Class Size: Max 5
New to the water? Hesitant or fearful? Can’t float, or swim?
Beginner 1 students focus on safety and comfort in the water, and skills for correct body position and breathing for efficient swimming.
Successful completion requires:
- Put face in the water and blow bubbles
- Fully submerge head/bobs/ring off the bottom
- Moving from horizontal to vertical position (swimming to standing)
- Sculling (lateral motions of the hand/arm to produce lift and propulsion)
- Independent front float (hold for 10 sec)
- Independent back float (hold for 10 sec)
- Introduction to front and back flutter kicks and basic freestyle (moving from point A to point B with arms and legs)
- Shallow jumps/aided deep water jumps
Class Size: Max 5
Students learn correct body position, propulsive flutter kick on front and back, and are introduced to freestyle with side breathing and basic backstroke.
Successful completion requires:
- Straight leg flutter kicking on front and back (T-Press)
- Streamline/glides on front and back
- Introduction to breaststroke arms
- Introduction to freestyle with side breathing
- Introduction to backstroke
- Foundation of treading water
- Unaided deep water jumps
- 25 yards continuous swimming
Class Size: Max 5
Students continue to develop freestyle fundamentals with an emphasis on breathing, timing, and forming the correct pull pattern. Backstroke skills continue to build and students progress to sculling with breaststroke and dolphin kicks.
Successful completion requires:
- 50 yards thumb touch catch up freestyle
- 50 yards backstroke with rotation
- 25 yards 6 kick and roll on back
- 25 yards breaststroke kick
- 10 yards underwater streamline on front
- Introduction to underwater back streamlines
- Introduction to somersaults
- 1-minute treading
Class Size: Max 5
Students continue to develop freestyle with the addition of rotation, high elbow catch, and improved breathing. At this point, a combination of technique and fitness elements are introduced. Students will be competent enough to begin swimming longer distances in freestyle and backstroke, maintaining a steady kick--increasing cardio output while continuing to master technique. Lessons will shift to include drills and continuous swimming, averaging 500 to 1000 yards per session.
Successful completion requires:
- 100 yards of freestyle with correct body position, pull pattern, 6 beat kick, and rotation
- 50 yards backstroke with correct body position, pull pattern, 6 beat kick, and rotation
- 25 yards breaststroke
- Underwater streamlines on front and back
- Continue dive progression
- Introduction to flip and open turns
- 200 yards continuous flutter kicking
Class Size: Max 6
With increased confidence, students at this level are now able to swim longer distances in both freestyle and backstroke, while continuing to work on technique. The pace clock will be used as a tool for managing workouts and gauging overall times. Flip turns and breaststroke pullouts are introduced.
Successful completion requires:
- 100 yards freestyle with flip turns
- Backstroke flip turns
- 50 yards breaststroke with pullouts
- Racing starts
- Dolphin kick
Class Size: Max 6
Students at this level should feel confident attending a Master’s Team program workout, comfortable swimming multiple repeats of varying distances in three of the four strokes. Fitness becomes increasingly important. Students will be able to complete 500 yards of continuous swimming, freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke, and will be introduced to interval sets.
Successful completion requires:
- 500 yards freestyle with flip turns
- Starts and breakouts
- 10 x 50 yards kicking at 1:00 w/fins
- 100 yards breaststroke with pullouts
- Optional intro to butterfly work