General Information
All sessions are conducted in nine or ten consecutive days, usually including weekends. The final schedule for a particular session will be confirmed at the time of registration.
LESSONS WILL BE HELD REGARDLESS OF WEATHER
Allow 30 minutes at the pool for one child. The actual water time will be determined by the coach to suit the individual needs of the child. Under no circumstances should you be concerned with the number of minutes, but rather the quality of the instruction.
Water Temperature is 92 degrees
Continuity is the key to success. Once started, attend all classes in succession. Be on time. There are no make-ups for voluntary absences. If possible, have the same person bring the child to class each day.
VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY PERMITTED AND ENCOURAGED.
When to HELP and HOW
Needless to say, help when necessary, but calmly. Do not panic, but be reassuring at all times.
Oftentimes when first swimming with a parent, the child will make a U-turn back to the adult. Resist the impulse to “rescue” the swimmer but instead, redirect him back to his original destination.
To redirect, use your hand on the back of his head while he is still underwater and guide him until he has reached the safety of the steps or side. He will not remember your redirection, but he will remember the rescue. In an accident, his first and immediate reaction must be survival, not hesitation or a search for Mom or Dad.
After The Lessons
As with any area of education, practice is vital to the success of the new swimmer. While she will have all of the necessary skills and training, practice will reinforce the lessons and create a conditioned response. The rapid, conditioned response is what saves the child’s life.
Use the same drills that we used during the lesson. The side of the pool and the steps are your partner. If two adults are available, have the child swim between the two. Extend distances as the ability increases.
Maintain credibility by having the child swim fixed distances. Do not back up as he is swimming. If you want an 8-foot swim, stand 8 feet from his starting position and say, “Swim.”
Be in charge. The parent must dictate any activity that requires a mature and responsible decision. Swimming is just one of many life areas where the child is not equipped to make a quality decision.
Do not ask, tell. Use a calm, reassuring voice with lots of encouragement and smiles. But still tell.
Promote slow swimming. This keeps the new swimmer relaxed and focused as she builds confidence, comfort, and fundamental skills.
Transition to other venues (lakes, ocean, rivers)
Walk the child by the hand into knee-deep water to get him used to the irregular bottom. Have him swim back and forth between two adults who are standing at chest depth, 6-8 feet apart. Alternatively, have one adult at chest depth send the swimmer to the shore having her find the bottom and stand by herself.