Learn-To-Swim

Winter Dates: January 27 to March 21

Learn-to-Swim Schedule: 

This program is based on a logical, six-level progression that helps swimmers six years of age and up, develop their water safety, survival, and swimming skills. It is designed to give participants a positive learning experience. The American Red Cross offers this comprehensive, developmentally appropriate swimming and water safety program that teaches youth how to swim skillfully and safely and think and act safely in, on, and around the water.

Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills: Helps participants feel comfortable in the water.

Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills: Gives participants success with fundamental skills.

Level 3: Stroke Development: Builds on the skills in Level 2 through additional guided practice in deeper waters.

Level 4: Stroke Improvement: Develops confidence in the skills learned and improves other aquatic skills.

Level 5: Stroke Refinement: Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes.

Level 6: Swimming and Skill Proficiency: Refined the strokes so participants swim with ease, efficiency, power, and smoothness over greater distances.

Click to register at your preferred Club location!

Pedersen-McCormick was our first site out of the four to re-opened its door after being impacted by COVID-19. We immediately had a large interest in participants between the ages of 5-7. While many participants were interested in participating in our open swim sessions or learning about water polo, many had not yet taken any swim lessons. As an organization, we have committed ourselves to providing accessible and affordable opportunities for our youth to learn life-long skills. We immediately began offering free swim lessons for our members aged 5-18, available for all skill levels. This was when we met Charlie Alexander, one of our youngest members at our Pedersen-McCormick Club. By age five, he had already been through two water incidents requiring rescue. His parents heard about the free and accessible swim lessons we had launched at the club and enrolled him as soon as the lessons started! After only three 8-week sessions with us, he has learned to freestyle and backstroke his way through the pool! Charlie has successfully passed our swim competency test and is now comfortable swimming in the deep end. As a six-year-old, he continues learning to be safe in and around the water!

Questions? 

For more information or general questions, contact Cynthia Bedolla, Director of Aquatics Operations, at CBedolla@bgcc.org or call 312-763-3868 ext. 8051.