Flying Fish Swim School
Note: We are taking this time to make some much needed upgrades to our aquatics facilities, so our building is not open to the public and our pool is still closed. Stay healthy and check back with us for updates in late August!
Not knowing how to swim can be a matter of life and death. We teach more than 1,200 children to swim each year with classes ranging from introductory lessons to pre-swim team instruction.
With two pools – a cool, deep-water pool and a warm, shallow-depth pool – we can accommodate both beginning and more experienced swimmers.
Our instructors, many of whom have been with the YWCA for more than 10 years, have a wealth of experience working with children of all ages and abilities.
So what makes our swim school special?
- We are child-centered. We take time to get to know your child and how best to teach them.
- Our instructors are experienced — most of them are adults who have been with the program for many years.
- We have two pools, a warm, shallow depth pool for younger swimmers and a cool, deep water pool for more advanced swimmers.
- Our environment is family-friendly and inclusive.
- We are a non-profit community-focused social justice organization.
Flying Fish Swim School offers quality swim classes for every level of swimmer from toddler to advanced. Parent/Tot Swim Lessons are available for children ages 6 months through 2 years and are designed to help parents teach their children basic skills while discovering the joys of water together. Beginning levels are taught in our warm water pool and classes are small, providing lots of time for individualized instruction.
Questions?
Contact Peter Raffel, Flying Fish Swim School Manager at praffel@ywca-ens.org.
Pools
We have two pools – a cool, deep water pool and a warmer, shallow depth pool. Both pools are used for lessons.
Generally, beginners and younger swimmers are in the shallow pool for lessons and more experienced swimmers are in the bigger pool, but when it’s appropriate we may switch pools so that children gain experience in both swimming environments.
Lap swimming and aqua aerobics are in the deep water pool. Both pools are handicapped accessible.
Locker rooms
The girls’ locker room is in the northwest corner of the first floor. The boys’ locker room is in the basement; and there is a small family changing room in the basement. Boys five and under who are accompanied by a parent or caregiver may use the girls’ locker room; and girls five and under who are accompanied by a parent or caregiver may use the boys’ locker room. Both girls’ and boys’ locker rooms have lockers (you provide a lock), showers with liquid soap, and bathroom facilities. Anything you don’t lock up you should keep with you.
Instructor training
All of our instructors have 5-15 years of training and experience, and each is certified in CPR, First Aid, and Lifeguarding. Instructors are sometimes assisted by older swimmers on the swim team.
Instructor/swimmer ratio
At our beginning levels, there are five swimmers per instructor. In groups where children are
swimming more independently, there are five to seven swimmers per instructor.
Equipment
Other than a bathing suit and towel, equipment needs are few! Caps and goggles are not necessary, but are useful. If your child has long hair and doesn’t want to wear a cap, please tie their hair back from their face. If they are reluctant to put their face in the water without goggles, you may want to purchase a pair. Goggles are always available for purchase at the front desk.
Observing
Please have your child use the bathroom (though it is normal for them to need to go again during class). Enter the pool area from the doors off the shower area of the locker room – a coach on deck will show you to your class and instructor.
Parents are welcome to stay on the pool deck, but it is not recommended that you talk to your child or sit close to their class. Their instructor will speak to you if they need assistance.
If your child is 6 and under and you need to leave the building during their lesson, please let your child’s instructor know.
Pool deck rules
No food, drink, or outside shoes are allowed on pool deck.
Bubbles
We use flotation bubbles on new swimmers for safety. We also occasionally use them for more independent swimmers as an aid to developing proper swimming mechanics.
Free time
Swimmers always get a little free time at the end of class. Though you may be tempted to leave, try to stay – free time is a great period for relaxed exploration in the water.
Exiting the pool area
Upon leaving the pool, swimmers must access the locker rooms by walking through the big pool area. (Health regulations
require that you enter and leave the pool area through the shower area.)
We have a paved parking lot on the south and west sides of the building, and have overflow parking in the unpaved parking lot at the back (north side) of the building.
Parking in the lot at the YWCA is free and open to anyone who is using our facilities. Most of the time, finding available parking in our lot is not a problem. Only during the most popular swim lesson times and during occasional swim meets does it get difficult.
We are always in the process of exploring how to make parking easier. We limit the number of children in our classes based on parking, but still there are times it can seem crazy (on Saturday mornings and during occasional swim meets). If you know it’s always like that when you’re at the YWCA, you may want to save yourself the hassle and park on Asbury, just one block away.
Consistency is one of the most important aspects of a swimmer’s development. Because of this, we ask that you make your child’s lessons a priority, even when it may not be convenient.
Missed classes
Our make-up policy allow for two make-up lessons per session at a cost of $5 per lesson. These make-ups must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, by email, and must be within the session for which your child is currently enrolled. Make-ups are by no means guaranteed. We do our best to accommodate, but they are subject to availability as to not disrupt another child’s progress. Email Peter Raffel at praffel@ywca-ens.org to schedule.
Refunds/Credits
In the case of a serious illness/injury, we may extend a credit for a future session. This offer will only be good for four months. Please request these credits via email, and provide that email as confirmation upon usage. Email praffel@ywca-ens.org to request a credit.
Cancelled classes
If we need to cancel a class, we’ll either credit you for that class or try to schedule a time to make it up.
Registration is online until 1 day before a session begins. After that time, you must register in person at the front desk.
Pre-registration for a swim school session is open only to those swimmers currently enrolled. Pre-registration generally begins 2 weeks before open registration.
Open registration is for all swimmers not currently enrolled (whether or not you have taken swim classes at the YWCA in the past). Because many of all of our classes fill up at the most popular times, you may not get the day and time you choose.
We will call you to let you know whether or not you got into the class (or classes) of your choice. If you didn’t get into your preferred class, we’ll let you know which classes are open.
If you are new to lessons at the YWCA, contact us at flyingfish@ywca-ens.org or call us at 847-864-8445 to determine what level would be appropriate for your child.
If your child is 8 or older and is not swimming at an age-appropriate level, you are encouraged to enroll him/her in private lessons to get up to speed.
