South Sound Blog

Lacey Parks and Rec has announced their swimming lessons schedule for fall 2010. The schedule is a follows:

EVENING LESSONS
When: Tue. / Thu. for 4 weeks
Where: Timberline High School Pool
Fee: $45/session
Session I Sept. 28 – Oct. 21
Session II Oct. 26 – Nov. 18
Session III Nov. 23 – Dec. 21
(no class 11/25)
6:00-6:30pm Sea Horse, Sea Puffer, Penguin
6:35-7:05pm Sea Puffer, Penguin, Otter
7:10-7:50pm Seal, Dolphin, Marlin (session I only), Barracuda (session II only), Teen (session III only)
SUNDAY AFTERNOON LESSONS
When: Sun (6 weeks)
Where: River Ridge High School Pool
Fee: $45/session
Session I Sept. 26 – Oct. 31
Session II Nov. 14 – Dec. 19
10:30-11:10am Sea Horse, Sea Puffer, Penguin
11:15-11:55am Sea Horse, Sea Puffer, Otter
12:00-12:40pm Sea Puffer, Penguin, Otter
12:45-1:40pm Seal, Dolphin, Marlin (Session I only), Barracuda (Sess. II only)

First Opportunity to Register
The first opportunity to sign up for Fall classes and programs will be during in-person registration at North Thurston High School, 600 Sleater-Kinney Road NE on Saturday, September 18, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  Doors open at 8 a.m., and staff will be available to answer questions.  Payment (cash or checks only) is due at the time of registration.

Other Opportunities to Register
If you miss initial registration, you can still enroll in remaining openings beginning Monday, September 20, at the Parks and Recreation office at Lacey City Hall, 420 College Street SE, (360) 491-0857.  Just give us a call or drop by; we’d love to help you join our programs!  Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Cash, checks, Visa and MasterCard are accepted during office registrations.

FREQUENT QUESTIONS ABOUT SWIM LESSONS
What level should I sign my child up for?
The class descriptions that follow on this page will help you determine the appropriate level for your child.  However, we strongly recommend you have your child tested to determine the proper class (generally, this is recommended for Otters and higher; lower-skilled lessons are based on a child’s age).  Free, drop-in swim tests are given at any recreational open swim.  Please call the Lacey Parks and Recreation office at (360) 491-0857 to confirm availability of testing dates and times.

If you do not have your child tested and they are registered for the wrong class, they can only be moved to the correct level on a space-available basis.
I want to sign my child up for the first and second sessions of lessons.  How do I determine what to register them for when I don’t know if they will pass until the end of the first session?

This can be a difficult decision.  If you sign your child up for the wrong class, transfers can only be made on a space-available basis.  We recommend you register your child for both sessions at the same level (i.e. Penguin for first and second sessions).  Since lower level lessons always reach enrollment capacity more rapidly than upper levels, if you’ve registered your child as a Penguin for first session and an Otter for second, but Penguin skills aren’t successfully mastered, there may not be space to repeat that class during second session.  Our instructors are always able to work with swimmers with advanced skills, so even if they retake a level they’ve passed, they’ll continue to learn and increase skills.

Will my child’s registration be changed if they pass or don’t pass a class?

No. The only time your child’s swim lesson registration will be changed is if you call the Lacey Parks office and request that we do so.
Are there any guidelines we need to know about regarding the pool facility?
Yes.  To help ensure a positive experience is had by all swimmers, please review all applicable pool rules with your child prior to the first lesson.  Please bring a lock to secure your locker.

SWIM LESSONS SKILL LEVEL DESCRIPTIONS

Sea Horse (ages 12 months to 4 years)

At least one parent is required to accompany children in this class.

Bubble blowing
Kicking while on their stomach
Kicking on their back
Torpedoes (parent to wall and wall to parent)
Jumping in from the side (parent catches)
Hanging on the wall
Submerging while hanging on the wall
Introduction to arm strokes

At age 4, children can move to Sea Puffer.

Sea Puffer (ages 4 & 5)
Face in water with eyes open
General comfort in water
Blow bubbles with arm stroke (with support of instructor)
Bob 5 times
Enter and exit water
Front float and glide with support of instructor
Leg action on front with support of instructor
Leg action on back with support of instructor
Back float and glide with support of instructor
Arm action on front with support of instructor
Arm action on back with support of instructor
Front crawl with support of instructor
Back crawl with support of instructor
Rolling front-to-back and back-to-front with support of instructor
Underwater exploration (pick up a submerged object in shallow water)

At age 6, children can move to the Penguin level even if they have not yet accomplished all the skills.
Penguin – Level I (ages 6 & up)
Fully submerge face (3 seconds)
Front float (5 seconds) with support of instructor
Back float (5 seconds) with support of instructor
Blow bubbles through mouth and nose
Exit and enter water
Front crawl w/o support (5 feet)
Open eyes underwater, pick up a submerged object
Go from front-float to standing position with support of instructor
Go from back-float to standing position with support of instructor
Roll over from front to back with support of instructor
Roll over from back to front with support of instructor
Flutter kick on front and back (5 feet)
Back crawl back (5 feet) with support of instructor
Bobs (5 times)

Must be able to do all skills listed above with ease before taking Otter level
Otter – Level II
Fully submerge head (5 seconds)
Front float, face in water (5 seconds)
Front glide (2 body lengths)
Recover from front float to standing position
Back float (5 seconds)
Recover from back float to standing position
Back glide (2 body lengths)
Front crawl with arms and legs (15 feet)
Side breathing and inhale mouth/exhale nose
Back crawl with arms and legs (15 feet)
Flutter kick (5 feet) on front and back
Simultaneous arm and leg action (5 feet; i.e. breast stroke or butterfly)
bobs (10 times)
Open eyes under water, retrieve object (3 times) in deep water
Introduction elementary backstroke
Introduction to diving

Must be able to do all skills listed above with ease before taking Seal level
Seal – Level III
Jump into deep water from side of pool
Dive from side in kneeling or standing position
Submerge retrieve object with eyes open in deep water
Front glide two body lengths with two different kicks (i.e. flutter or breaststroke)
Back glide two body lengths with two different kicks (i.e. flutter or elementary backstroke)
Back float (30 seconds)
Go from vertical to horizontal position on front
Go from vertical to horizontal position on back
Tread water (30 seconds)
Front crawl (15 yards) with side breathing & inhale mouth/exhale nose
Butterfly kick and body motion (15 feet)
Back crawl (15 yards)
Bob 15 times in deep water
Elementary backstroke (10 yards)

Must be able to do all skills listed above with ease before taking Dolphin level
Dolphin – Level IV
Standing dive from side of pool
Swim underwater three body lengths
Feet first surface dive and fully submerge head
Back float for one minute
Open turn on front and back, push off in streamlined position for two body lengths
Tread water using scissors, breaststroke, or rotary kick and sculling arms for one minute
Front crawl (25 yards) with side breathing (inhale through mouth and exhale through nose)
Breaststroke (15 yards)
Butterfly (15 yards)
Back crawl (25 yards)
Elementary backstroke (15 yards)
Swim on side with scissors kick (15 yards)
Deep-water bobs
5 minute non-stop swim

Must be able to do all skills listed above with ease before taking Marlin level
Marlin – Level V
Shallow dive from the side
Shallow dive with glide for two body lengths
Swim underwater (15 yards)
Tuck surface dive (submerge completely)
Pike surface dive (submerge completely)
Back float for two minutes
Flip turn while swimming on front and back
Tread water with two different kicks for two minutes
Front crawl (50 yards) side breathing (inhale through mouth and exhale through nose)
Butterfly (25 yards)
Breaststroke (25 yards)
Back crawl (50 yards)
Elementary backstroke (25 yards)
Sidestroke (25 yards)
Swim ten minutes non-stop

Must be able to do all skills listed above with ease before taking Barracuda level

Barracuda – Level VI
Twelve minute non-stop swim
Front Crawl (100 yards)
Back crawl (100 yards)
Breaststroke (50 yards)
Elementary backstroke (50 yards)
Sidestroke (50 yards)
Butterfly (50 yards)
Feet first surface dive
Tread water for five minutes
Tread water, without arms for two minutes
Surface dive and retrieve object at 12-foot depth
Swim on back holding 10 lb brick with face out of water (25 yards)
Back float for five minutes
Approach and hurdle from board