Swim Lessons – First Day Procedures

Welcome to swim lessons! Here is some information to review before your first lesson to ensure the best experience possible!

1. When you arrive at the Y please check in at the membership desk and proceed to the Aquatics table just down the hall. Here you will be greeted by one of our staff and they will direct you to the proper pool for your lesson as well as show you a photo of your teacher so you can easily know where to direct your child.
2. The first day is usually a little more hectic so please do your best to arrive early so as not to miss any class time or interrupt a class in progress. Additionally, the first day you may find that after evaluation your instructor, or perhaps a director, will recommend moving your child to a different level class. Sometimes even with all of the brochure information and your best efforts, kids get misplaced. Children progress at their own pace and it’s normal for a swimmer to remain at the same level for a while. Pushing them up before they are capable of mastering foundational skills will only impede their progress in the long run.
3. Please Always shower before swimming. Have your child visit the restroom so they do not need to do so during class. Be sure to bring a towel, non-slip shoes, and goggles for levels 4, 5 and 6. Please have all goggles adjusted prior to class! Long hair should be secured with a band or swim cap as it prevents kids from proper breathing while in the water. Any baby or toddler not yet potty trained must be in a swim diaper. If you forget we have them available for $1.00 at our front desk.
4. Swim Shirts/Rash Guards are NOT recommended for any age! It’s best if parents avoid placing additional clothing on your children. Learning to float, balance and swim in the water is hard work and the more material your child is wearing the more weighted down they become. Shirts cause even more drag as your child progresses into swimming laps. Swim shirts are meant to prevent sunburn and rash from sand etc. Thankfully none of this is an issue for an indoor swimming pool.
5. Parents and guardians are encouraged to stay and view lessons; however we ask that you keep your distance from the pool for safety reasons and also to minimize distractions. Never block a lifeguard’s view. In the rare occasion that your presence affects your child your instructor or a supervisor may ask that we try to have you wait outside the pool. In our experience this often helps and usually after a couple weeks you can return to deck with no issues. Additionally, some well-meaning parents get too involved in the lessons and it causes a distraction to no only their child, but to the class. Praise, accolades and parental coaching are all awesome and are encouraged, just please keep them for after the lesson concludes.
6. Please be present at the end of your child’s lesson. Teachers and lifeguards are not permitted to be babysitters and your child cannot remain alone and unsupervised.
7. If another pool offers an open swim after your child’s lesson and they choose to utilize that open time, please understand that they still need to pass our swim test, follow all the standard protocols, and wear their green band in the pool.