La Central YMCA
We're so excited to welcome you to swim lessons, instructional sports, and more.
Your health and well-being are the YMCA's number one priority. We're taking precautions to make sure you feel comfortable and cared for in our programs and classes. Learn more
Fall II Programming starts October 28!
Member registration opens Saturday, October 12 and community registration opens Saturday, October 19. Session availability varies by branch location. Explore your branch offerings today and Join the Y today for early access and discounts!
Instructional Sports, Art & Dance
Youth & Teen Basketball, Ages 3-17
Hip Hop, Ages 6-17
Students will learn a series of stylistic moves paired with Hip Hop music to help work on musicality, coordination, cognitive awareness, and personalization. Students will work on moving to the beat, remembering dance moves, and expressing themselves within the choreographed movement.
Ballet, Ages 3-12
Ballet is one of the world’s most graceful dance styles. Our classes teach the basic techniques of traditional ballet. We use a variety of music for our classes taking this style from classic to modern. These ballet classes will teach the basics of the dance while allowing creative movement from each dancer. It is an introductory class that will help to open the child’s eyes to the world of dance.
Capoeira, Ages 6-17
Swim Lessons, Parents & Child
Stage A: Water Discovery, Ages 6-18 months
- Qualification: None needed
- Adult participation: One parent or guardian per child must be in the pool for each lesson
The class introduces infants and toddlers to the aquatic environment through exploration.
Stage B: Water Exploration, Ages 12-36 months
- Qualification: Child is comfortable in the water or child has taken Stage A Water Discovery
- Adult participation: One parent or guardian per child must be in the pool for each lesson
Focuses on exploring body positions, blowing bubbles, and fundamental safety and aquatic skills.
Swim Lessons, Preschool
Stage 1: Water Acclimation, Ages 3-5
- Qualification: None needed. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going under water voluntarily.
- Skills Practiced:
○ Bob to submerge in water
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
○ Exit the water
Preschoolers develop comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Stage 2: Water Movement, Ages 3-5
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
○ This class is for kids who are not able to do a front and back float on their own. - Skills Practiced:
○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab
○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
○ Exit the water
Preschoolers 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 water.
Stage 3: Water Stamina, Ages 3-5
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 2 skills as follows:
○ Float on front and back unassisted
○ Push off the wall on stomach with face submerged for 10 feet unassisted
○ Swim, float, swim 15 feet unassisted
○ Jump into deep water and return to the wall unassisted
○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back. - Skills Practiced:
○ Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
○ Swim on front and back for 10 yards
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
○ Tread water for 30 seconds
○ Exit the water
Preschoolers learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. The class also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm/leg action.
Stage 4: Stroke Introduction, Ages 3-5
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 3 skills as follows:
- Submerge and retrieve an object in chest-deep water
- Swim front crawl 15 yards while taking a breath
- Swim, float, swim 15 yards
- Jump in and tread water for 30 seconds
- Swim to wall and exit
- This class is for kids who are not able to swim 15 yards of front and back crawl.
- Skills Practiced:
- Swim the front crawl with rotary breathing for 15 yards
- Breaststroke kick for 15 yards
- Butterfly kick for 15 yards
- Elementary backstroke for 15 yards
- Dive from a sitting position
- Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for one minute
- Swim any combination of strokes for 25 yards
Having mastered the fundamentals, kids learn additional water safety skills and build stroke techniques.
Swim Lessons, School Age
Stage 1: Water Acclimation, Ages 6-12
- Qualification: None needed. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going under water voluntarily.
- Skills Practiced:
○ Bob to submerge in water
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
○ Exit the water
Kids develop comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Stage 2: Water Movement, Ages 6-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
○ This class is for kids who are not able to do a front and back float on their own. - Skills Practiced:
○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab
○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
○ Exit the water
Preschoolers 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 water.
Stage 3: Water Stamina, Ages 6-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 2 skills as follows:
○ Float on front and back unassisted
○ Push off the wall on stomach with face submerged for 10 feet unassisted
○ Swim, float, swim 15 feet unassisted
○ Jump into deep water and return to the wall unassisted
○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 10-15 yards on their front and back. - Skills Practiced:
○ Retrieve an object in chest-deep water
○ Swim on front and back for 10 yards
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab 10 yards
○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
○ Tread water for 30 seconds
○ Exit the water
Preschoolers learn how to swim to safety from a longer distance than in previous stages. The class also introduces rhythmic breathing and integrated arm/leg action.
Stage 4: Stroke Introduction, Ages 6-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 3 skills as follows:
○ Submerge and retrieve an object in chest-deep water
○ Swim front crawl 15 yards while taking a breath
○ Swim, float, swim 15 yards
○ Jump in and tread water for 30 seconds
○ Swim to wall and exit
○ This class is for kids who are not able to swim 15 yards of front and back crawl. - Skills Practiced:
○ Swim the front crawl with rotary breathing for 15 yards
○ Breaststroke kick for 15 yards
○ Butterfly kick for 15 yards
○ Elementary backstroke for 15 yards
○ Dive from a sitting position
○ Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for one minute
○ Swim any combination of strokes for 25 yards
Having mastered the fundamentals, preschoolers learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique.
Stage 5: Stroke Development, Ages 6-12
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 4 skills as follows:
○ Front crawl and back crawl 25 yards
○ Swim breaststroke kick and dolphin kick 15 yards
○ Tread water using multiple kicks for 1 minute
○ This class is for kids who are not able swim the front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke across the pool. - Skills Practiced:
○ Swim the front crawl with bent-arm recovery for 25 yards
○ Breaststroke for 25 yards
○ Butterfly with simultaneous arm action and kick for 15 yards
○ Back crawl for 25 yards
○ Sidestroke for 25 yards
○ Dive from a kneeling position
○ Tread water using a scissor and whip kick for 2 minutes - ○ Swim any combination of strokes for 50 yards
Students work on stroke technique and learn all major competitive swimming strokes.
Swim Lessons, Teens, Ages 13-17
Stage 1: Water Acclimation, Ages 13-17
- Qualification: None needed. This class is for kids who aren’t yet comfortable going under water voluntarily.
- Skills Practiced:
○ Bob to submerge in water
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
○ Exit the water
Student develops comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Stage 2: Water Movement, Ages 13-17
- Qualification: Child must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
○ This class is for kids who are not able to do a front and back float on their own. - Skills Practiced:
○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab
○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
○ Exit the water
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 water.
Swim Lessons, Adults
Stage 1: Water Acclimation, Ages 18+
- Class length: 30 minutes
- Qualification: None needed. This class is for students who aren’t yet comfortable going underwater voluntarily.
- Skills Practiced:
○ Bob to submerge in water
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet with no help
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds with help
○ Roll from back to front and front to back with help
○ Jump, push, turn, grab with help
○ Swim, float, swim 10 feet with help
○ Exit the water
Students develop comfort with underwater exploration and are introduced to basic self-rescue skills performed with assistance.
Stage 2: Water Movement, Ages 18+
- Qualification: Student must be able to demonstrate all Stage 1 skills as follows:
○ Go underwater and comfortably open eyes without goggles
○ Float on front and back with minimal assistance
○ Jump into the pool, submerge, and return to the wall with assistance
○ This class is for kids who are not able to do a front and back float on their own. - Skills Practiced:
○ Submerge to look at an object on the bottom of the pool
○ Front and back glide to the wall for 5 feet
○ Front and back float for 10 seconds
○ Roll from back to front and front to back
○ Jump, push, turn, grab
○ Swim, float, swim 5 yards
○ Tread water near the wall for 10 seconds
○ Exit the water
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 water.
Private and Small Group Swim Lessons
Private swim lessons
Private swim lessons are now available for members ages 3 years and up. Contact us to learn more.