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American Red Cross Certified Swim Lessons

Swim Lessons

Aquatics & Outdoors

Learn to swim at your own pace in classes taught by certified, knowledgeable instructors in a safe environment. Developed by the American Red Cross, Learn-to-Swim classes will help adults and children at every skill level improve and gain confidence.

Jump to: Private lesson information

Summer 2024 group lessons for children 

Registration opens 6 a.m. Monday, April 1 

Group lessons are held in the outdoor pool. Patrons are notified if lessons are moved to the HPE indoor pool due to inclement weather.

Lesson information for children aged 6 months - 3 years:

Our Parent and Child sessions are very different from other group lessons. Expand the item below to view details including cost, session dates, times and registration deadlines.

Parent and Child sessions

Parents or guardians of children 6 months to 3 years of age will actively participate in their child's swim lessons. You must be in the pool with the child during the lesson. This not only helps increase the child's comfort level in the water, but can help parents understand the process and practice skills with their children between classes.

  • Age: 6 months to 3 years
  • Class covers:
    • Familiarizing children with the water
    • Introducing swimming readiness skills
    • Games, songs and activities are integrated to keep children engaged and comfortable.
    • Parents are provided with safety information and teaching techniques they can use to help their children get accustomed to the water.
  • Criteria to advance: Age, along with child being able to move freely through water without parents

Session details:

Cost: $35 for members, $50 for non-members. Parking permits are not included in the swim lesson fee.

This class is a four-day session.

Session One
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 3-6May 298-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Two
*No lessons June 19. These are rescheduled to Friday, June 21.
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 17-21* June 128-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Three
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 8-11July 38-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Four
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 22-25July 178-8:30 a.m.--

Preschool-aged children and older:

Cost: $65 for members, $80 for non-members. Parking permits are not included in the swim lesson fee.

Session dates and registration deadlines
SessionLesson DatesRegister ByLesson Times
OneJune 3-6 
June 10-13
May 29Based on class level
TwoJune 17-21* 
June 24-27
June 12Based on class level
ThreeJuly 8-11
July 15-18
July 3Based on class level
FourJuly 22-25
July 29-Aug. 1
July 17Based on class level

*The Student Recreation Center will be closed Wednesday, June 19 for Juneteenth. Lessons for this day are rescheduled to Friday, June 21.

Class levels and lesson details

Explore the description of each class level below to determine which level is right for your child. Adjustments may be made on the first day of lessons to accommodate skill level and class size.

Preschool: 4-5 years

  • Age: 4 to 5 years
  • Skills taught:
    • Blowing bubbles
    • Opening eyes underwater and fully submerging
    • Floating on back and front for three seconds
    • Making alternating and simultaneous leg and arm movements on front and back
  • Criteria to advance: Moving independently through the water (submerging head and being comfortable making front movements and being on back)
Session One
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 3-6 
June 10-13
May 298-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Two
*No lessons June 19. These are rescheduled to Friday, June 21.
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 17-21* 
June 24-27
June 128-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Three
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 8-11
July 15-18
July 38-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Four
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 22-25
July 29-Aug. 1
July 178-8:30 a.m.--

 

Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills

Children who have had little to no experience in water are encouraged to start on this level.

  • Age: 5/6+ years
  • Skills taught:
    • Floating on back
    • Kicking and making arm movements on front and back
    • Submerging body
    • All skills will be done mostly independently but with some help from instructors.
  • Criteria to advance: Performing skills independently and being able to submerge whole body comfortably
Session One
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 3-6 
June 10-13
May 298-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Two
*No lessons June 19. These are rescheduled to Friday, June 21.
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 17-21* 
June 24-27
June 128-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Three
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 8-11
July 15-18
July 38-8:30 a.m.5:30-6 p.m.
 Session Four
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 22-25
July 29-Aug. 1
July 178-8:30 a.m.--

 

Level 2: Fundamentals of Aquatic Skills

  • Age: 6+ years
  • Skills taught:
    • Rotary breathing (side-to-side breaths)
    • Different types of floats
    • Improving alternating kicks and arm movements
    • Combined kicks and arm movements while floating on back or stomach
  • Criteria to advance: Swimming independently using combined arm and leg actions on front for five body lengths and float for 15 seconds
Session One
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 3-6 
June 10-13
May 298:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Two
*No lessons June 19. These are rescheduled to Friday, June 21.
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 17-21* 
June 24-27
June 128:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Three
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 8-11
July 15-18
July 38:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Four
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 22-25
July 29-Aug. 1
July 178:45-9:15 a.m.--

 

Level 3: Stroke Development

  • Age: 7/8+ years
  • Skills taught:
    • Improving treading and stroke development for freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke
    • Dolphin and scissor kicks
  • Criteria to advance: Swimming front crawl for 15 yards and changing direction as necessary and swimming 15 yards of elementary backstroke
Session One
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 3-6 
June 10-13
May 298:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Two
*No lessons June 19. These are rescheduled to Friday, June 21.
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 17-21* 
June 24-27
June 128:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Three
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 8-11
July 15-18
July 38:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Four
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 22-25
July 29-Aug. 1
July 178:45-9:15 a.m.--

 

Level 4: Stroke Improvement

  • Age: 8+ years
  • Skills taught:
    • Improving proficiency in performing the swimming strokes introduced in Level 3 and all the stroke techniques learned throughout Learn-to-Swim program
    • Butterfly stroke
  • Criteria to advance: Performing a feet-first entry into deep water, swimming front crawl for 25 yards, changing direction and swimming elementary backstroke for 25 yards
Session One
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 3-6 
June 10-13
May 298:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Two
*No lessons June 19. These are rescheduled to Friday, June 21.
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
June 17-21* 
June 24-27
June 128:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Three
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 8-11
July 15-18
July 38:45-9:15 a.m.6:15-6:45 p.m.
 Session Four
Lesson DatesRegister ByMorning LessonsEvening Lessons
July 22-25
July 29-Aug. 1
July 178:45-9:15 a.m.--

 

 

Group lesson registration

Online registration for group lessons will open 6 a.m. Monday, April 1. Specific levels in a session will automatically close once it has reached capacity.

View group swim policies. After registering, you will receive an email confirming your registration.

 

Private lessons

Based on the swim ability of each individual, private swim lessons are one-on-one sessions that are 30-minutes in length with a certified American Red Cross swim instructor. There is limited availability so register today!

  • Through March 8: private swim lessons for adults only
  • March 18-Aug. 31: private swim lessons are open to any age

Cost per six 30-minute sessions

  • $100 for members
  • $130 for non-members
Private lesson registration information

Register online for private lessons. Submissions will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. You'll be contacted to schedule a time slot, with lesson sessions offered during outdoor pool hours.

Once a schedule is confirmed, you'll receive an online payment link. Lessons may begin once payment has been received and all lessons must be completed by Aug. 31, 2024 unless authorized by Campus Recreation staff. Canceled lessons may be rescheduled at the discretion of staff members within the aquatics program.

 

Contact

Campus Recreation
936.468.3507
campusrec@sfasu.edu
Staff directory

Hours of Operation

Physical Address:
Student Recreation Center
1817 Wilson Drive

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 13016, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962