Excel Swim School

Class Level Descriptions

The Excel Swim School classes are designed to prepare the younger swimmer to be safe in the water and learn the skills necessary to eventually transition, if desired, to our year-round competitive team or our Swim U program.


Our class levels are designed as a progression to fully prepare a swimmer to fit into our year-round competitive program. Whether your swimmer's goal is to swim on our competitive team, in our Swim U program, on a summer league team, or to simply become more adept in the water, our Swim School classes can help them.

Novice

Half-hour class, 3-student maximum per class

Prerequisite – Must be at least 3 years old on the first day of class. 

This class is an introductory class for children who have little to no experience in the water. Students will be taught basic water safety and water adaptation skills, including the list below. 



  • Put face in water. 
  • Hold breath and blow bubbles.
  • Jump off the side of the pool and roll onto their back. 
  • Floating unassisted for one minute. 
  • Develop a correct flutter kick. 
  • Kicking a short distance with face in the water and hands in superman position. 
  • Execute a correct kick - roll - kick with face in the water and hands in superman position. 


In order to move to Intermediate level lessons your child must be able to perform the above listed skills unassisted. 


The video below shows a swimmer who has successfully mastered the skills necessary to move on to the Intermediate level. Since this video was made the class names have changed from Beginner 1 and Beginner 2 to Novice and Intermediate respectively.

Intermediate

Half-hour class, 4-student maximum per class

Prerequisite – Completion of Novice class AND instructor recommendation. OR, swimmer must be able to independently jump into the water, roll onto their back and hold a float for a minute unassissted and execute a kick - roll - kick sequence with face in the water and hands in superman position.  See the video above to see these skills properly executed.


In this class proper technique for Freestyle and Backtroke will be taught. Skills taught in Intermediate are the following.

 

  • Develop a propulsive flutter kick. 
  • Swim freestyle with face in the water, breathing to the side with long arms and flutter kick. 
  • Swim backstroke in horizontal position with long arms and proper flutter kick. 


In order to move to Advanced level lessons, your child must be able to swim 12.5 yards freestyle with face in the water, breathing to their side with long arm strokes and correct flutter kick. AND 12.5 yards backstroke in a horizontal position with long arms and correct flutter kick. 


The video below shows a swimmer who has mastered all the skills taught at the Intermediate level.

Advanced

Half-hour class, 5-student maximum per class

Prerequisite – Completion of Intermediate class AND instructor recommendation. OR swimmer must be able to swim 12.5 yards freestyle with face in the water, breathing to their side with long arm strokes and correct flutter kick. AND 12.5 yards backstroke in a horizontal position with long arms and correct flutter kick.  See the video under the Intermediate description for an example of what is expected.


Swimmers in this class will continue to refine the Freestyle and Backstroke, as well as learn Butterfly and Breaststroke. Learning the skills listed below. 



  • Correct breaststroke kick and pull, and timing of breath. 
  • Correct fly kick and fly arm pull, and timing of breath. 
  • Correct use of backstroke flags.
  • Learn how to circle swim. 


In order to move to Expert level lessons, your child must be able to swim 25 yards Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly and Breaststroke with correct kick, stroke and breathing technique.

Experts

45-minute class, 7-student maximum per class

Prerequisite – Completion of Advanced class AND instructor recommendation. OR, your child must be able to swim 25 yards Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly and Breaststroke with correct kick, stroke and breathing technique. 

This is less of a swim class and more of an abbreviated swim practice. However, students will continue to be introduced to new skills as well as continuing work on the four competitive strokes. New skills will include...
 

  • Flip turns (both freestyle and backstroke),
  • Streamline dolphin kick off the wall for freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke
  • Breaststroke pull-out


Swimmers in this class can expect to swim anywhere from 300-500 yards (12-20 laps) per class.

Private Lessons

Half-hour class, 1-student maximum per class.

Semi-Private Lessons

Half-hour class, 2-student maximum per class.

Private and Semi-Private Lessons are offered at all of our year-round locations and on a very limited basis at our summer-only locations. Available lessons are posted on the website under Private Lessons. Please contact your swim school director at the location you desire with additional lesson requests.

Infant Private Lessons

Half-hour class, 1 student maximum per class.

Columbia Recreation Center ONLY!  6 month olds - 35 months old. 

Please contact swim school director at coachcat@excelaquatics.org for more information.