-Schools and Classes-

Class size, and length are determined by the age and ability of the swimmer. Accordingly the lessons are first split into three “schools”.

  • The Water Babies Preschool program consists of two separate classes that are geared for swimmers nine months to three years old.
  • The Swim School comprises three levels ranging from comfort and submersion to rotational breathing and treading. Swim School classes are geared towards swimmers ages 3-8 years old with the White level accepting students as young as 2.5 years old.
  • In the Stroke School, swimmers refine freestyle and backstroke, and/or learn about breaststroke and butterfly. Accordingly, Stroke School classes are intended for more advanced swimmers who are usually 5 years and older, but we are willing to work with swimmers who may be younger if they are comfortable with the pace of the class

Water Babies:

Overlee’s Water Babies Preschool is intended for children who are 9 months to 2.5 years old. Swimmers will be accompanied by their parents or guardians. The focus of this class is on helping children become acclimated to the water, instructors, and basic swimming skills. The class follows a flexible model that balances a basic outline of skill with each family’s goals.  In turn, parents/ guardians become familiar with how to support their swimmers’ acclimation and progression.

 

Swim School:

As previously mentioned, Overlee’s Swim School encompasses all swimmers between the ages of three and eight years old. This program consists of 3 different levels that each have an individual intermediary and benchmark goal.. The three classes are dedicated to teaching children the fundamentals of swimming, which culminates in the development of a rudimentary freestyle, and mastering the basic skills of backstroke. Each level is designed to meet the needs of students based on age and ability. White level is intended for students 2.5-5 years old. Orange classes within this school are separated between two age groups: ages three to five, and ages five to eight. Black level is intended for students 5 years and older.

Swim School Levels

Level

Swimmer Is Able To:

Focus

Intermediary Goals

Benchmark Goals
White

 

2.5- 5 Years

  

Comfortable being away from parent or caregiver for 30 minutes.

  

Comfort &

Submersion
  • Submerge independently for 5 seconds.
  • Assisted Front-float
  • Assisted Back-float

 
  • Independent front float (with face submerged) and back float for 5 seconds. Get in and out of position.

Orange

3-5 Years

Or

5 & Up

  

Comfortable with submersion.

 

Float and basic kick without assistance.

Body Position

&

Forward Motion
  • Jump into water, kick to the surface, and use arm circles and kick to swim 4 yards.
  • Kick on back for 4 yards.
  • Jump into water, kick to the surface, and use arm circles and kick to swim 8 yards.
  • Kick on back for 8 yards.

Black

5 Years & Up

  

Maintain forward motion with kick and rudimentary arm circles for 8 yards (~⅓ across pool) with no support or breaks.

  

Rotational (Side) Breathing and Introduction to Backstroke
  • Tread water for 30 seconds.
  • Jump into water, kick to the surface, and swim freestyle ½ way across the pool (13 yards) breathing to the side efficiently.
  • Tread water for 1 minute.
  • Jump into water, kick to the surface, and swim freestyle ½ way across the pool (13 yards) breathing to the side efficiently. Then return.

 

Stroke School:

The remaining levels, known as the Stroke School, are reserved for more advanced swimmers who want to further develop the freestyle technique in addition to mastering the other two competitive strokes of breaststroke, and butterfly. As students are usually more mature,  all sessions of stroke school are 45 minutes.

Stroke School Levels

Level

Swimmer Able To:

Focus

Intermediary Goal

Benchmark Goal

Stroke School 1

45 Minutes

5 & Older

  

Swim freestyle breathing to the side halfway across the pool then complete the length.

 

Tread for one minute.

 

*See Black Level

Freestyle and Backstroke
  • Swim 25 yards of freestyle using proper technique (pattern breathing, high elbow recovery, etc)
  • Swim 25 yards of backstroke using proper technique.
  • Swim 50 yards.
  • 25 yards freestyle and 25 yards backstroke counting to 5 between lengths.
  • Competitive starts and flip turns.

Stroke School 2

45 Minutes

5 & Older

 Swim 50 yards.

 

25 yards freestyle and 25 yards backstroke.

 

See Stroke School  #1

(Suggested not Required)

Breaststroke

 and Butterfly
  • Swim 25 yards of breaststroke with proper timing, breath, and extension.
  • Complete 13 yards (½ length of pool) of butterfly lifting face to breathe, and finish length in freestyle.
  • 25 yards breaststroke Count to 5 between lengths. Swim 25  yards of butterfly.

 

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