Important Update: Changes to YMCA Swim Lessons
At the YMCA, we believe swimming is an essential life skill. Our swim lessons are designed to help children build confidence, develop strong swimming abilities, and stay safe in the water. With our progressive lesson structure, swimmers of all levels can grow and improve in a supportive environment.
What’s Changing?
We’ve heard your feedback! We understand how important consistency is for your child’s progress, and we’re updating our swim lesson registration process to provide a more structured experience. This change takes effect with registration for April 2025 lessons and beyond.
Group Swim Lessons
Preschool Class Ratio: 3 students per instructor
School-Age Class Ratio: 5 students per instructor
Teen/Adult Class Ratio: 4 students per instructor
Parent/Child Class Ratio: 10 parents/children per instructor
Registration will open on a priority basis, where current swim lesson participants have the opportunity to continue and members have the opportunity to register before lessons open to the community. Each group lesson meets once weekly for four weeks.
Our registration schedule is as follows:
| SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | |
| Week 1 | Lessons begin | ||||||
| Week 2 | Priority registration opens for current swim lesson participants for the following month (register in person at the Y or by calling (757) 962-5555) | ||||||
| Week 3 | Priority Y member registration opens in person and online for the following month | Registration opens in person and online for all | |||||
| Week 4 | Registration continues for all | ||||||
Ongoing Private Swim Lessons
For a more personalized experience, we’re also launching ongoing private swim lessons!
- Choose a day and time.
- Keep that same continuous schedule until you choose to cancel.
- Lessons are paid by recurring automatic draft on the 1st of each month.
As we get started, registration will open on a priority basis as listed below, and will remain open:
| Current Swim Lesson Participants (register in person at the Y or by calling (757) 962-5555) | Registration opens March 9, 2025 |
| Y members (register in person and online) | Registration opens March 16, 2025 |
| Community (register in person and online) | Registration opens March 20, 2025 |
FAQ
We’ve moved to a priority registration system to provide a more consistent learning experience.
We heard your concerns about scheduling frustrations and lesson continuity. This new system helps swimmers progress smoothly without interruptions.
- Use our Swim Lesson Finder on the YMCA website.
- Come to Sea Where You're At Saturday and our instructors will assess your child's swim abilities and make a recommendation.
- Instructors will assess your child’s skills during the first lesson and recommend the next level.
- By the second week of your group lesson, you’ll receive a priority enrollment form to register for the next session at the Welcome Desk.
- Your child’s recommended level will also be available in the YMCA app under Account > Skills Assessments.
If your preferred time is full, join the waitlist. We’re actively hiring instructors to expand availability, and we’ll notify you when a spot opens. We'll also reach out to see if another available time would fit your schedule.
We appreciate your feedback! Thank you for your patience and input as we work to improve your swim lesson experience.
For any questions, please contact us or reach out to the aquatics team at your YMCA.