The Greater Naples YMCA offers a wide variety of aquatics programs – swim lessons, lap swimming, water fitness opportunities, and competitive swim teams for youth and adults. We have two outdoor aquatic facilities: our 25-yard pool on the main campus of the Naples YMCA, which features eight lap lanes and a diving well with two one-meter boards; and our 50-meter Norris Aquatic Center for competitive and lap swimming on Livingston Road.
Members ages 12 years and up have access to the pool on the main campus of the Naples YMCA without adult supervision after passing a swimming competency test. Members may also use the Norris Aquatic Center during scheduled open swim times; please see the Schedules page for more details.
Our aquatics offerings include:
Swim Lessons - Youth
The Greater Naples YMCA offers a variety of group swim lessons for youth starting at 6 months of age. Please download our 2010 schedules for upcoming class information or see the class descriptions below for more details about our program.
Class Descriptions
i) Parent/Child Classes (Ages 6-36 Months)
This class teaches basic water safety and swimming skills. Emphasis is placed on enjoyment, pre-learning activities, development of swimming confidence and basic water safety, use of personal flotation devices, diving safety, and non-swimming rescues for backyard pools and open water areas.
Children under 3: Learn about water adjustment. Must be accompanied in the pool by parent(s) or adult at all times for the safety and comfort of each child. Songs and games provide a fun atmosphere for learning while parents guide children to learn water adjustment, pool safety and stroke development skills.
| Level |
Age |
| Shrimp |
6-8 Months
|
| Kippers |
9-12 Months
|
| Innia |
13-18 Months
|
|
Perch
|
19-36 Months
|
ii) Preschool Levels (Ages 3-5 Years Old)
| Level |
Description |
| Pike |
Designed for beginner level swimmers. Unaccompanied by parents in the water, students explore basic paddle stroke, kicking skills and pool safety. The goals for the pike level are as follows: confidence in the water, swim 10 feet on the front, and submerge underneath the water.
|
| Eel |
Children will learn how to move in the water independently, front float, back float, and treading. The main focus is to take a breath with arm recovery while building endurance and swimming longer distances.
|
| Ray/Starfish |
This class is designed for advanced 3-5 year olds. Prerequisite to this class is the ability to swim the width of the shallow-end of the pool front and back. At this level the child will work on the details of the freestyle and backstroke and will also be introduced to the breaststroke, elementary backstroke, and butterfly.
|
iii) Youth Swim Program (Ages 6-12 Years Old)
| Level |
Description |
| Polliwog |
This level is for children who have never had any experience with swimming, or are a little apprehensive in the water. This class will focus on skill objectives including voluntary water entry, water adjustment, floating, kicking, pulling and breath control. Independent movement in the water is the main focus of this class.
|
| Guppy |
Students continue to refine basic skills of the front and backstroke. Bilateral breathing will be introduced along with correctly body position. The breaststroke, elementary back stroke, treading water and under water swimming will be introduced. Our goal, with much practice of these strokes and drills, is to have each student swim 25 years of each stroke.
|
| Minnow |
Students continue to refine the front and backstroke, breaststroke, and elementary backstroke. Swimming a distance of 50 yards of each stroke and continuous improvement of endurance are the goals of this class
|
|
Fish/Flying Fish/Shark
|
The butterfly, sidestroke, and flip turns are taught at this level. Refinement of competitive strokes and techniques are perfected.
|
Swim Lessons – Private
The Greater Naples YMCA seeks to teach swimming and water safety to as many students as possible through our group lesson program. As a supplement to that, we offer private and semi-private swimming lessons for our members.
| Swim Lessons - Private |
| Ages |
All |
| Cost |
Varies by number of lessons and membership type; lessons starts at $30 per half hour for YMCA Members
|
| Days/Times |
To be determined by participant and instructor. |
| Registration |
Ongoing |
| Additional Information |
Private lessons are defined as one participant and one instructor. Semi-private swim lessons are defined as two participants and one instructor.
|
Competitive Aquatics – Swim Florida
The Greater Naples YMCA coordinates with T2 Aquatics- Swim Florida to hold a year round competitive swim team with professional coaches. To register for the Swim Team please visit www.t2aquatics.com or stop by the Norris Aquatics Center for an evaluation, to determine team placement and receive your registration forms. Registration payments can be made online or at the Norris Aquatics Center. When you register for the Swim Team you will also become a YMCA member and enjoy all the benefits of YMCA membership. For more details on the T2 Aquatics- Swim Florida schedule, please visit the Schedule page. For information on membership fees, please visit T2 Aquatics website.
Masters Swim Team
Training for a triathlon or just need to perfect your stroke? The Greater Naples YMCA collaborates with T2 Aquatics to offer professional coaches to help guide the competitive masters program. The program emphasizes values through competition for swimmers who want to improve their skills, speed, and endurance. For more details on Masters Swim Team current practice schedule, please visit the Schedules page. For Additional information on the programs fees, please visit T2 aquatics website.
Lifeguard Class
The YMCA offers a lifeguard class throughout the year for anyone age 16 or older. Each session runs over two consecutive weekends and participants successfully completing the class will be certified in Lifeguarding, First Aid, CPRPR, and AED. For more details on upcoming classes and fees, please visit the Schedules page.
SCUBA Certification
SCUBAdventures organizes this certification course for the YMCA. Participants must be age 12 and up and be able to swim 200 yards above water, 25 feet underwater, and float for 10 minutes. Learn theory, skills and techniques. There are 6-10 students per class. Class ends with open water dive in the Florida Keys. Please call SCUBAdventures at (239) 434-7477 for more information.
Dive Lessons
Private dive lessons are available upon request. Please contact Monica Leatherman at (239) 597-3148 for more details or click on the link below to download a Private Dive Lesson request form.
Private Dive Lesson Request Form
For additional information contact:
Monica Leatherman (click to e-mail)
(239) 598-5156
