THE REGIONAL

YMCA OF WESTERN CT

Aquatics

Aquatics

Here at the YMCA, a wide variety of aquatic programs are offered to meet the needs of swimmers of all ages and abilities. Swim lessons swim teams, therapy programs, lifeguarding certification and exercise classes are held in our year-round pools. Certified instructors staff all of our classes, with your safety and enjoyment in mind.

Interested in recreational swim? Lap lanes are available every hour we are open where members can use the pool to swim in a continuous pattern—sometimes in designated lanes that might be shared with others. Open swim is a designated time when the pool or a section of the pool can be used for recreational swimming or family time.

Aquatics Contact:

Alexandra Hall-Heron
Aquatics Director
203.775.4444 x 133

ahall-heron@regionalymca.org

In order to protect and ensure the safety of all our members, YMCA of the USA and our Insurance Company will now require us to swim test anyone between the ages of 5 and 17.

If the child/teen can proficiently perform the following skills they will be given a band, which allows them in the deep end of the pool:

  • Swim 25 yards unassisted and without rest
  • Tread water for 30 seconds
  • Jump in the pool, float on back for 10 seconds, swim to side and exit the pool

If you do not pass the swim test and the water is more than armpit deep, you will need to have a Coast Guard Approved Personal Floatation Device (PFD).

Contact the aquatics department to arrange a swim test.

If your child attends our swim lessons, Level 4 and above, and they are a full members, they will receive a band in class. They will also receive a band if they are on the MAKO Swim Team.

You will only be allowed in the shallow end of the pool if you do not pass the swim test or forget your band.

The World is

71% Water

Children are

100% Curious

Teaching children how to be safe around water is not a luxury; it is a necessity. The YMCA’s Safety Around Water program can help you make sure they learn essential water safety skills, which can open up a world of possibilities for them to satisfy their curiosity safely.

What Is Safety Around Water?

Through learning how to perform a sequenced set of skills over eight lessons of 40 minutes each, the risk of drowning is reduced, giving your child confidence in and around water.

Session Activities

  • Exercises to help kids adjust to being in water
  • Instruction in “Jump, Push, Turn, Grab” and “Swim, Float, Swim,” two skill sets kids can use if they unexpectedly find themselves in the water
  • Specific safety topics, like what to do if you see someone in the water who needs help
  • Fun activities that reinforce skills

Help Keep Your Children Safe

Drowning can happen nearly anywhere with standing water. But, as a parent or caregiver, you can’t keep your children sidelined. You need to equip them with the tools they need to be confident in and around water so they don’t lose out on the health benefits of exercise, the opportunities to bond with family and friends and the sense of accomplishment when they learn new skills.

Enroll in a YMCA swim lesson or group exercise class to keep up your aquatic skills and be water smart from the start.

boy smiling with towel

Aquatics Contact:

Alexandra Hall-Heron
Aquatics Director
203.775.4444 x 133
ahall-heron@regionalymca.org