Aquatics

The YMCA encourages teens to stay physically active through recreational swim and on clubs and teams, while offering opportunities to develop job skills for lifeguarding.

 

YMCA Teen Classes

Beginner

This is the beginning level for school-age children. It gets children acquainted with the pool, the use of flotation devices, and front and back floating. By the end of this level, they should know the front paddle stroke, side and back paddle, and some synchronized swimming and wetball movements.

Intermediate

The children continue to practice and build upon basic skills, now performing more skills without the aid of a flotation device. They are introduced to lead-up strokes to the front and back crawl, sidestroke, breaststroke, and elementary backstroke. More synchronized swimming and wetball skills are taught, as well as some diving skills.

Advanced

This is the initial intermediate skill. The children further refine the lead-up strokes they have learned as their skills become more like those normally used in swimming. They learn still more synchronized swimming, wetball, and diving skills.

YMCA Swim Teams

A number of our Branches field Swim Teams who compete against other YMCAs and swim clubs at area meets. Workouts include endurance, speed, and drill technique, with a healthy dose of teamwork and sportsmanship.

Swim Teams

Swim Clubs

  • Jamaica YMCA

 

YMCA Lifeguard Training

A nationally recognized certification course provides skills and knowledge for lifeguarding, including anticipating and preventing emergency situations and threats to life. Participants are taught safety and survival skills, accident prevention, guarding techniques, emergency systems, rescue skills, CPR, AED, oxygen administration and first aid in aquatic environments. More than 250 teens and young adults 16 and up achieve YMCA Lifeguard Certification.