​School Age Levels - Swimmers that are in 1st grade or above
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Beginner -  This is the introductory level for this age group.  We will work on water adjustment, breath control and floating on front and back.  Good flutter kicks and efficient armpulls will be introduced.   As the swimmer begins to combine these skills they will be able to swim greater distances.

Progression Skills:
10 bobs - 10 seconds each
Jump into deep water and swim back to side
Kick 60 feet with kick board on front and back, using good flutter kicks
Swim 60 feet (20 yds.) of back scull
Swim 50 feet on front using good kicks and armpulls, lifting head for breath 
Swim 60 feet (20 yds.) on front, turning on back to breathe and then returning to front 
Advanced Beginner - Front crawl will be introduced.  Emphasis will be placed on using proper breathing technique and developing good form.  Treading Water and Survival Float will be introduced.

Progression Skills:
  • Back scull - 20 yds.
  • Demonstrate good technique on Front Crawl drills - 20 yds.
  • Consistent bi-lateral breathing is used when swimming Front Crawl
  • Swim 30 feet of Front Crawl and roll on back and finish the length of the pool with back scull
  • Tread Water & Survival Float - 1 minute each
  • Swim 20 yds. Front Crawl - good form
Beginning Intermediate -  Back Crawl is introduced, emphasizing proper body rotation, smooth armpulls and good flutter kicks.  Swimmers will continue to work on making their Front Crawl stroke more fluid.

Progression Skills:
  • Demonstrate good technique on Front and Back Crawl drills - 40 yds.
  • Swim 20 yds. Back Crawl - good form
  • Combination Swim
  • Tread Water & Survival Float - 3 minutes each
  • Underwater Swim the width of the pool
  • Swim 20yds. Front Crawl, return with 20 yds. Back Crawl - good form
Intermediate -  Elementary Backstroke will be introduced.  Emphasis will be placed on learning a correct whip kick.  Swimmers will work on increased distances on their Front and Back Crawl swims and they will continue to fine tune the form of their strokes.

Progression Skills:
  • Demonstrate good technique on both “old” and “new” Front and Back Crawl drills - 40 yds.
  • Swim 40 yds.  Front Crawl - good form
  • Swim 40 yds. Back Crawl - good form 
  • Swim 40 yds. Elementary Backstroke - good form/legal whip kick
  • Tread Water using only hands for 1 minute and then legs only for 1 minute
  • Survival Float - 5 minutes
  • Underwater Swim for 20 feet
  • 120 yd. endurance swim - 40 yds. each of Front Crawl, Back Crawl and Elementary Backstroke
Advanced Intermediate - Breaststroke will be introduced - again emphasizing a legal whip kick.  Swimmers will continue to perfect their strokes as they swim 80 yds. each of Front and Back Crawl and 40 yds. of legal Elementary Backstroke and Breaststroke.

Progression Skills:
  • Demonstrate good technique on all stroke drills - 40 yds.
  • Swim 80 yds. Front Crawl - good form
  • Swim 80 yds. Back Crawl - good form
  • Swim 40 yds. Breaststroke & Elementary Backstroke - good form/legal whip kicks
  • Tread water using only hands for 2 minutes and then only legs for 2 minutes
  • Survival Float - 7 minutes
  • Underwater Swim - 30 feet
  • 160 yd. endurance swim - 40 yds. each of Front Crawl, Back Crawl, Elementary Backstroke and Breaststroke
Dolphin - Butterfly will be introduced.  Emphasis will be placed on learning to swim Butterfly with good body motion (using their core body muscles to swim the stroke - not just arms and legs). While students continue to work on swimming with fluid and efficient strokes, they will also begin working 
on turns, I.M.s, and longer Front Crawl swims.

Progression Skills:
  • Demonstrate good technique on new Butterfly Body Motion drills - 20 yds.
  • Swim 100 yds. each of Front and Back Crawl - excellent form
  • Swim 80 yds. of legal  Breaststroke 
  • Swim 20 yds. Butterfly - good form
  • Tread water for 10 minutes
  • Survival Float for 15 minutes
  • Underwater Swim - 40 feet
  • Swim 80 yd. I.M. - 20 yds. each of Butterfly, Back Crawl, Breaststroke and Front Crawl
  • 200 yd. Front Crawl endurance swim - working on maintaining an efficient stroke.
Swimmer I - Sidestroke will be introduced.  The length of the student’s Front Crawl endurance swim and I.M. swim will once again increase and the swimmers will be expected to complete these swims with legal turns.  Swimmers will also work on using surface dives to recover a diving brick from the bottom of the deep end.. (this is currently part of a prerequisite skill that must be demonstrated prior to entering a Red Cross Lifeguard Training class).

Progression Skills:
  • Demonstrate excellent technique on all stroke drills - 40 yds.
  • Swim 40 yds. of legal Scissors Kick
  • Swim 40 yds. of Sidestroke
  • Demonstrate legal I.M. stroke exchanges
  • Using a surface dive - retrieve diving brick from bottom
  • Underwater Swim - 50 feet
  • 160 yd. I.M. - 40 yds. each of Butterfly, Back Crawl, Breaststroke and Front Crawl
  • 300 yd. Front Crawl endurance swim with flip turns
Swimmer II -  Inverted Sidestroke will be introduced.  As the swimmers continue their work on stroke refinement and increasing their endurance levels, they will also work on more advanced water safety skills. 

Progression Skills:
  • Swim 40 yds. Inverted Sidestroke
  • Carry diving brick 20 yds. - using a lifesaving kick 
  • Underwater swim - 60 feet
  • Swim and Tread in clothes and practice how to remove clothing while treading
  • 30 minute combination of treading water and survival floating
  • Lifesaving Medley - 40 yds. each Elementary Backstroke,  Breaststroke, Regular Sidestroke and Inverted Sidestroke
  • Endurance Swim - 20 minutes continuous using any strokes