The Y strives to help all ages learn how to swim, so they can stay safe around water and learn the skills needed to make swimming a lifelong pursuit for healthy living. View our various swim offerings below to see how you can get active in the water!

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SWIM LESSONS

The YMCA of Ross County offers swim lessons for all ages and capabilities all year long!

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Parent/Child Swim Lessons: 6 - 36 months
This program promotes water enrichment and aquatic readiness for children from six to 36 months. Parents will accompany their child in the water during the lessons and will learn ways to help their child become more comfortable in and around water.

 

Stage A: Water Discovery 

Introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment. A parent or guardian at least 16 years of age must be in the water.

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 10 Parent/Child Pairs

 

Stage B: Water Exploration

Focuses on exploring body positions, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills. A parent or guardian at least 16 years of age must be in the water. Children MUST pass Level A: Water Discovery to register for this class. 

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 10 Parent/Child Pairs

 

Preschool Swim Lessons: 3 - 5 years
This progressive program teaches water adjustment and basic swimming skills for children ages three to five years of age. Children will progress through three levels as they develop skills.

 

Stage A: Water Acclimation 

Increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduces basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance. Skills introduced: Bobs, front and back float, jump, push, turn, and grab, and swim float swim.

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 5 students

Stage B: Water Movement 

Encourages forward movement in water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently.  Participants must successfully demonstrate all Level 1 skills prior to moving to Level 2. New Skills introduced: Submerging to look at an object and treading water.  

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 5 students

Stage 3: Water Stamina 

Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than previous stages.  Participants must successfully demonstrate all Level 2 skills prior to moving to Level 3.  New Skills Introduced: swim on front, swim on back, submerge and retrieve and object.

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 5 students

Stage 4: Stroke Introduction 

Introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl, nd reinforces  water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke.  Participants must successfully complete Level 3 prior to advancing to level 4.  New skills introduced are swimming 25 yards of each stroke, rotary breathing, diving, breaststroke, resting strokes, and butterfly.

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 5 students

 

Youth Swim Lessons: 6 - 12 years
This student-centered program allows each child to progress at his or her own pace. Students are grouped by ability levels as follows:

 

Stage 1: Water Acclimation  

Increases comfort with underwater exploration and introduces basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance. Skills introduced: Bobs, front and back float, jump, push, turn, and grab, and swim float swim.

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor:  6 students

Stage 2: Water Movement

Encourages forward movement in water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently.  Participants must successfully demonstrate all Level 1 skills prior to moving to Level 2. New Skills introduced: Submerging to look at an object and treading water.

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 6 students

Stage 3: Water Stamina

Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than previous stages.  Participants must successfully demonstrate all Level 2 skills prior to moving to Level 3.  New Skills Introduced: swim on front, swim on back, submerge and retrieve and object.

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 6 students

Stage 4: Stroke Introduction 

Introduces basic stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl, and reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke.  Participants must successfully complete Level 3 prior to advancing to level 4.  New skills introduced are swimming 25 yards of each stroke, rotary breathing, diving, breaststroke, resting strokes, and butterfly.

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 6 students

Stage 5: Stroke Development

Introduces breaststroke and butterfly, and reinforces water safety through treading water and sidestroke. Participants must successfully complete Level 4 prior to enrolling in Level 5. New skills introduced: sidestroke and swimming 50 yards of each stroke.  

Class Ratio: 1 Instructor: 6 students

Stage 6: Stroke Mechanics

Refines stroke techniques on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle. New skills: flip and open turns, and swimming 150 yards of each stroke.

 

Adult Swim Lessons: 13 years +
Instructors will work with all levels of swimmers to increase their comfort and competency in and around water.

 

Adult Group Lessons
For swimmers ages 13 and older who need to improve their stroke, want to enter the world of swimming workouts or to overcome their fear of water.

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LIFEGUARD TRAINING & CERTIFICATION

Build a skill. Save a life.

Whether you are looking for a great summer job or career as a professional lifeguard, the YMCA Lifeguard program is the place to begin! Through classroom activities, group discussion, online e-learning, and hands-on practice, you’ll learn the skills you need to work as a lifeguard.
 
Our comprehensive Lifeguard Training course includes accident prevention, lifeguarding techniques, emergency systems, and rescue skills. Course will also include CPR for the professional Rescuer with AED, Emergency Oxygen Administration and First Aid.
 
Upon successful completion of the course the participant will be certified in:
YMCA Lifeguarding (valid for two years)
American Safety and Health Institute CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer (valid for one year)
American Safety and Health Institute Basic First Aid and Emergency Oxygen Administration (valid for two years)

Training Prerequisites:
Must be at least age 16 for YMCA Lifeguard certification
Tread water for 2 minutes using legs only then swim 100 yards front crawl
Swim 250- yards combining Front crawl with head up, Sidestroke, Breaststroke, Breaststroke with head up, and elementary backstroke kick with hands on the chest then perform a feet first surface dive in 8 to 10 feet of water and once under swim underwater for 15 feet.
Sprint for a distance of approximately 60 feet in the water, and then perform an arm-over-arm surface dive in 8 to 10 feet of water and pick up an object from the bottom of the pool, surface, tread water for at least 1 minute with legs only, and replace the object back to the bottom of the pool where it was found.
Immediately begin compressions on an adult manikin for 1 minute or 100 compressions; stand and listen to directions from instructor.
 

Certification Requirements:
To receive Lifeguard Certification a participant must:

Attend 100% of all class sessions
Arrive on time for all class sessions
Participate 100% in all class sessions
Pass written and skills test
Demonstrate maturity, respect and responsibility regardless of passing written and skill test
Certification confirmation documents will be sent to participant 4-6wks post-course completion.

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COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM

YMCA Swim Teams are competitive programs that focus on the development of all ages and abilities.

Our trained coaches work to improve swimmers' skill level, endurance and to promote a healthy lifestyle. Our program embraces the YMCA core values and promotes progression at an individual level. Individual teams are organized by ability levels and are designed to help team members improve and refine the four competitive strokes, starts and turns, and finishes. Our Swim Teams compete in the Southeast Ohio YMCA Swim League, against other Y’s and in USA swim meets as well.

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Workouts include endurance, speed and drill techniques, with a healthy dose of teamwork and sportsmanship.