"Beginner" level classes are where children learn to be comfortable in the water by learning basic water safety & acquiring basic water skills.
Beginner 1 B1 Yellow
This is the level for the child that is afraid of thewater. If a child has no water experience but has no fears and is ready to get going they should skip this level. In B1 children are taught that water won't hurt them, how to trust their instructor, how to blow bubbles and how to put their face underwater. Typically B1s do not stay B1s very long. B1s will wear small fins to aid in the learning process.
Beginner 2 B2 Orange
This is the level for the beginner that is ready to start learning. They will be introduced to a
multitude of basic skills that will show them how to enjoy being in the water. These skills
include: blowing bubbles, floating (w/help),
proper kicking, climbing out of the pool, jumping in, being comfortable going underwater and basic hand strokes. Most
skills will be done with the help of the instructor. B2s will wear small fins to
aid in the learning process.
Beginner 3 B3 Purple
This level is an extension of B2 but in B3 the
swimmer learns how to do many of the same
skills independently. They will also learn the
next step for many of those skills. Upon
completion of this class a child will be able
to float (front & back), pick up toys from the
bottom of the pool, perform the very basics
of swimming on their front and back. B3s
will sometimes wear small fins to aid
in the learning process.
"Advanced" level classes are where children start to learn the strokes
& the more advance water skills.
Advanced 1 A1 Green
At A1 the Beginner level skills in will continue to be built upon. A significant focus will be placed on performing a proper freestyle. A1s will be introduced to the strokes performed
on the back, taught to dive and to tread
water. A1s may occasionally wear fins to assistance in propulsion but they must
perform skills without fins to pass.
Advanced 2 A2 White
In A2 is when your swimmer will really start
to look like an independent swimmer. Their
freestyle will continue to be refined and they will continue to build upon the basic skills.
They will learn backstroke, elementary
backstroke, surfacing dives, swimming
underwater, be introduced to the
breaststroke, sidestroke & butterfly kicks
and the very basics of those strokes.
A2 swimmers will not wear fins.
Advanced 3 A3 Red
In A3 the focus will be to bring all of the strokes together. They will work on their freestyle, backstroke, elementary backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke and butterfly. A3s
will also be introduced to freestyle and backstroke flip turns. To pass A3 a
swimmers strokes must be very proficient. Upon completion of A3 your swimmer will
be ready to join their local summer
club swim team.
"Swimmer" level classes are where
the strokes are refined and
competitive skills are introduced.
Swimmer 1 S1 Blue
An S1 swimmers will spend their time on
refining their competitive strokes, the
freestyle and backstroke flip turns,
swimming underwater and treading water.
They will also be introduced to the breaststroke and butterfly turns. Upon completion of S1 they will be ready to
join any swim team.
Swimmer 2 S2 Gold
An S2 swimmer spends their time refining
the competitive strokes and skills. This process should continue throughout their competitive years. Theres always something
to make just a little bit better. They will also learn the transitional turns needs to perform
and Individual Medley (for example
butterfly to backstroke).
We teach our swimmers through a
progression of building block skills. You
will see these skills in progressive tiers but
they will be taken to higher & higher levels.
In time this progression will take your
swimmers from a beginner to being
accomplished in the various swimming
strokes, skills & activities that make being
in the water fun. There is no way of
predicting the timeframe for this
progression. Every child is different and
will learn at a different rate.
Copyright Smilefish Swim School 2009
