YMCA of Youngstown
YMCA OF YOUNGSTOWN
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Smiling children splashing together at the edge of a YMCA pool

MAKE A SPLASH. SWIM FOR LIFE.

Friendly instructors help swimmers of every age build water confidence, learn water safety and grow skills that last a lifetime.

TEACHING YOUNGSTOWN TO SWIM FOR OVER 100 YEARS

CONFIDENCE STARTS IN THE WATER.

Guided by our mission of putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all, our lessons welcome infants through adults in a supportive place where every swimmer belongs.

  • WATER CONFIDENCE

    Swimmers get comfortable in the water at their own pace, with encouragement every step of the way.

  • WATER SAFETY LEARNING

    Every stage builds skills that help swimmers know what to do in and around the water.

  • SKILLS FOR LIFE

    Swimming is a skill and a healthy activity your family can enjoy for a lifetime.

  • VALUES IN EVERY LESSON

    Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility are part of how we teach and how we treat each other.

LESSON OPTIONS

FIND THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR SWIMMER.

YMCA swim instructors guiding young swimmers wearing life jackets in an outdoor pool

GROUP LESSONS

LEARN, LAUGH AND SWIM TOGETHER.

Group classes organized by age and stage, from parent and child lessons through teen and adult. Swimmers learn alongside others, practice water safety and celebrate progress together.

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A YMCA instructor working closely with young swimmers using foam floats

PRIVATE & SEMI-PRIVATE

FOCUSED, PERSONAL ATTENTION.

One-on-one or small shared lessons for swimmers who want more individual attention, whether they are just starting out or working toward a specific goal.

PRIVATE
One-on-one support
SEMI-PRIVATE
Small shared lessons
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Smiling swimmer wearing a blue cap and goggles while holding a float in the pool

DIVERSE ABILITIES ADAPTIVE SWIM LESSONS

DAASL: LESSONS THAT MEET EACH SWIMMER.

Adaptive swim lessons with support that fits your swimmer.

One-on-One
Personal lessons matched to the swimmer’s abilities and comfort, at their own pace.
Guided Growth
Children and caregivers learn water safety and swimming skills together in the pool.
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WHERE SWIMMING CAN TAKE YOU

YOUR JOURNEY AS A Y SWIMMER

Every swimmer’s path is their own. Lessons are the start — here are a few places the water could lead next.

  1. YMCA swim instructor helping young swimmers with foam floats

    SWIM LESSONS

    Build water confidence, safety skills and strong strokes.

    LEARN MORE
  2. Neptune swimmer in goggles and a swim cap performing the butterfly stroke

    NEPTUNES

    Swimmers who love the water can explore competitive team swimming.

    LEARN MORE
  3. YMCA instructor with a rescue tube beside swimmers in the pool

    LIFEGUARD

    Strong swimmers can learn to help keep others safe in the water.

    LEARN MORE
  4. Adult swimmer wearing goggles and a swim cap training underwater

    MASTERS

    Adults can keep training, stay fit and swim with community.

    LEARN MORE

Possible next steps, not requirements. Each program has its own expectations, and staff can help you explore what fits.

QUESTIONS?

TALK WITH OUR AQUATIC DIRECTORS

REFERENCE GUIDE

Lesson Selector & Stage Descriptions

Use this guide to get a sense of where your swimmer may begin. It is reference guidance only — instructors confirm placement by assessing skills at the first lesson.

What age group does the student fall into?

  • 6 months–3 yearsParent* & Child:Stages A–B
  • 3–5 yearsPreschool:Stages 1–4
  • 5–12 yearsSchool Age:Stages 1–6
  • 12+ yearsTeen & Adult:Stages 1–6

All age groups are taught the same skills but divided according to their developmental milestones.

Which stage is the student ready for?

Work down the questions in order. The first “not yet” points to the suggested starting stage.

  1. Can the student respond to verbal cues and jump on land?

    Not yet: start with A / Water Discovery

  2. Is the student comfortable working with an instructor without a parent in the water?

    Not yet: start with B / Water Exploration

  3. Will the student go underwater voluntarily?

    Not yet: start with 1 / Water Acclimation

  4. Can the student do a front and back float on their own?

    Not yet: start with 2 / Water Movement

  5. Can the student swim 10–15 yards on their front and back?

    Not yet: start with 3 / Water Stamina

  6. Can the student swim 15 yards of front and back crawl?

    Not yet: start with 4 / Stroke Introduction

  7. Can the student swim front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool?

    Not yet: start with 5 / Stroke Development

  8. Can the student swim front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool and back?

    Not yet: start with 6 / Stroke Mechanics

*At the Y, we know families take a variety of forms. As a result, we define parent broadly to include all adults with primary responsibility for raising children, including biological parents, adoptive parents, guardians, stepparents, grandparents, or any other type of parenting relationship.

Stage Descriptions

Swim Starters

Accompanied by a parent, infants and toddlers learn to be comfortable in the water and develop swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building experiences, while parents learn about water safety, drowning prevention, and the importance of supervision.

  • A / Water Discovery

    Parents accompany children in stage A, which introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploration and encourages them to enjoy themselves while learning about the water.

  • B / Water Exploration

    In stage B, parents work with their children to explore body positions, floating, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.

Swim Basics

Students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning two benchmark skills:

  • Swim, float, swim — sequencing front glide, roll, back float, roll, front glide, and exit
  • Jump, push, turn, grab
  • 1 / Water Acclimation

    Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and learn to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water in stage 1. This stage lays the foundation that allows for a student’s future progress in swimming.

  • 2 / Water Movement

    In stage 2, students focus on body position and control, directional change, and forward movement in the water while also continuing to practice how to safely exit in the event of falling into a body of water.

  • 3 / Water Stamina

    In stage 3, students learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages in the event of falling into a body of water. This stage also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm and leg action.

Swim Strokes

Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique, developing skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being, and foster a lifetime of physical activity.

  • 4 / Stroke Introduction

    Students in stage 4 develop stroke technique in front crawl and back crawl and learn the breaststroke kick and butterfly kick. Water safety is reinforced through treading water and elementary backstroke.

  • 5 / Stroke Development

    Students in stage 5 work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive strokes. The emphasis on water safety continues through treading water and sidestroke.

  • 6 / Stroke Mechanics

    In stage 6, students refine stroke technique on all major competitive strokes, learn about competitive swimming, and discover how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle.

Have more questions? Our front-desk staff and aquatic directors are happy to answer any questions about the swim lessons program.