Group Lessons

This class is for swimmers who are 6 months to 3 ½ years old. Swimmers will be learning how to be comfortable around, in, and under the water. Swimmers are required to wear swim diapers. At least one adult per child is required to be in the water. Both parents are welcome to attend the class with their swimmer. Spectators are allowed on the deck for the first and last 5 minutes of class. This class is 25 minutes long.

CLICK HERE  to register for group lessons

This class is for the more advanced toddler. They should enjoy being in the water, be comfortable going under water, and not get upset when they are with someone who is not their parent. We will be working on survival skills in the water along with Level 1 skills. During the class the parents will be led by the instructor and parents will often switch their children around to give the swimmer a chance to experience working with a stranger. The goal with this class is to make the swimmer water safe and to help ease the transition from Parent-Tot Classes to group lessons. Spectators are allowed on the deck for the first and last 5 minutes of class. This class is 25 minutes long.

We offer a variety of groups for this class. 3 years – 5 years ( 15 min – 2 participants maximum, 20 min – 3 participants maximum, 30 min 4 participants maximum) and 6 years – 12 years (30 min – 6 participants maximum). This class has been designed to be very engaging and is filled with introductory skills that can be practiced at home or during open swimming. Due to the lack of movement at this level, most children start to get chilled when in the water for longer periods of time. This is why we have the variety of class lengths available for you to choose.

We reserve the right to remove any swimmer who does not meet the prerequisites listed below. If you are unsure of which level your swimmer should be in, please email us to set up an assessment. If you cannot set up an assessment, under estimate your swimmer’s abilities, and they will get a good review!

Prerequisites:

• • At least 3 years old
• • Comfortable being in the water without parents
• • Potty trained or wearing a swim diaper

Skills that will be taught:

• • Blowing bubbles through the nose and mouth
• • Submerging unassisted for 3 seconds
• • Relaxed front floating with equipment for 5 seconds
• • Relaxed back floating with equipment for 5 seconds
• • Climbing in and out of the pool unassisted

CLICK HERE to Register

We offer two groups for this class. 3 years – 5 years (2 participants minimum and 2 participants maximum) and 6 years – 12 years (2 participants minimum and 3 participants maximum). This class has been designed with limited participants, is very engaging, and is filled with introductory skills that can be practiced during open swimming. Due to the lack of movement at this level, most children start to get chilled when in the water for longer periods of time. This is why we have limited the class to 15 minutes.

We reserve the right to remove any swimmer who does not meet the prerequisites listed below. If you are unsure of which level your swimmer should be in, please email us to set up an assessment. If you cannot set up an assessment, under estimate your swimmer’s abilities and they will get a good review!

Prerequisites: SEE VIDEO HERE

• • At least 3 years old
• • Potty trained or wearing a swim diaper
• • Blowing bubbles through the nose and mouth
• • Submerging unassisted for 5 seconds
• • Front floating with equipment for 5 seconds
• • Back floating equipment for 5 seconds
• • Climbing in and out of the pool assisted

Skills that will be taught:

• • Streamline glide
• • Kicking with equipment unassisted
• • Jump into the water unassisted
• • Retrieving objects under water
• • Climbing in and out of the pool unassisted

CLICK HERE to Register

We offer two groups for this class. 3 years – 5 years (6 participants maximum) and 6 years – 12 years (6 participants maximum). We reserve the right to remove any swimmer who does not meet the prerequisites listed below. If you are unsure of which level your swimmer should be in, please email us to set up an assessment. If you cannot set up an assessment, under estimate your swimmer’s abilities and they will get a good review!

Prerequisites: SEE VIDEO HERE

• • Streamline glide for at least 3 feet
• • Kicking with equipment unassisted for at least 5 feet
• • Jump into the water unassisted
• • Retrieving objects under water
• • Climbing in and out of the pool assisted

Skills that will be taught:

• • Bobs and breath control (blowing bubbles and taking breaths)
• • Streamline kicking from the wall to the flags without breathing. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the eyes will remain looking down, and the arms will be in streamline position.
• • Catch-up freestyle from the wall to the flags without breathing. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the eyes will remain looking down, and the arm movement will be controlled.
• • Kicking on the back from the walls to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, and the arms will be at their side.

CLICK HERE to Register

We offer class for 5 years – 12 years (6 participants maximum). We reserve the right to remove any swimmer who does not meet the prerequisites listed below. If you are unsure of which level your swimmer should be in, please email us to set up an assessment. If you cannot set up an assessment, under estimate your swimmer’s abilities and they will get a good review!

Prerequisites: SEE VIDEO HERE

• • Catch-up freestyle from the wall to the flags without breathing. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the eyes will remain looking down, and the arm movement will be controlled.
• • Kicking on the back from the walls to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, and the arms will be at their side.

Skills that will be taught:

• • Side kicking from the wall to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water, and breathing will be relaxed and controlled. The arm on the leg will be relaxed and not be used to keep afloat.
• • Side breath rotation from the wall to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water when taking a breath, the eyes will remain down when the face is in the water, they will blow bubbles when the face is in the water, and breathing will be relaxed and controlled. The arm on the leg will be relaxed and not be used to keep afloat.
• • Catch-up freestyle with side breathing one length of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water when taking a breath, the eyes will remain down when the face is in the water, they will blow bubbles when the face is in the water, breathing will be relaxed and controlled, and the arm movement will be controlled.
• • Kicking on the back from the walls to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, one arm will be on the leg and the other above the head touching the ear.
• • Hesitation backstroke one length of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, one arm will be on the leg and the other above the head touching the ear. Every 1 to 2 seconds the arms will switch positions in an efficient and controlled manner.

CLICK HERE to Register

5 years – 12 years (6 participants maximum) – We reserve the right to remove any swimmer who does not meet the prerequisites listed below. If you are unsure of which level your swimmer should be in, please email us to set up an assessment. If you cannot set up an assessment, under estimate your swimmer’s abilities and they will get a good review!

Prerequisites: SEE VIDEO HERE

• • Catch-up freestyle with side breathing the length of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water when taking a breath, the eyes will remain down when the face is in the water, they will blow bubbles when the face is in the water, breathing will be relaxed and controlled, and the arm movement will be controlled.
• • Hesitation backstroke one length of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, one arm will be on the leg and the other above the head touching the ear. Every 1 to 2 seconds the arms will switch positions in an efficient and controlled manner.

Skills that will be taught:

• • Butterfly body movement of shoulder, hips, feet
• • Butterfly arms
• • Butterfly timing
• • Butterfly one length of the pool with the proper body motion of arms, hips, feet, kick. The body should be moving in a smooth, controlled manner, eyes should be down, feet should remain together throughout the stroke, arm motion should be smooth and controlled, and palms should be facing up during the recovery.
• • Breaststroke kick
• • Sculling using an “I – Y” motion
• • Breaststroke one length of the pool with proper timing of breathe-pull-kick-glide. Body should remain at or near the surface, eyes should be down when the head is in the water, the head should remain stationary when breathing, the pull should not pass the chest, the feet should have toes pointed out and move at the same time within the same plane, and the body should return to a streamline position before the next cycle begins.
• • Catch-up freestyle with bilateral breathing (taking a breath every third stroke) two lengths of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water when taking a breath, the eyes will remain down when the face is in the water, they will blow bubbles when the face is in the water, breathing will be relaxed and controlled, and the arm movement will be controlled.
• • Backstroke two lengths of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, one arm will be on the leg and the other above the head touching the ear. The arms will switch positions constantly in an efficient and controlled manner.

CLICK HERE to Register

This class is for anyone 12 and over who does not qualify to join our Riptides Pre-competitive program. (Class sizes will vary with available pool space.) We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced classes. The classes are 30 minutes long.

Beginner skills that will be taught:

• • Blowing bubbles through the nose and mouth
• • Submerging unassisted for 5 seconds
• • Bobs and breath control (blowing bubbles and taking breaths)
• • Relaxed front floating unassisted for 5 seconds
• • Relaxed back floating unassisted for 5 seconds
• • Streamline glide
• • Kicking with equipment unassisted
• • Streamline kicking from the wall to the flags without breathing. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the eyes will remain looking down, and the arms will be in streamline position.
• • Catch-up freestyle from the wall to the flags without breathing. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the eyes will remain looking down, and the arm movement will be controlled.
• • Kicking on the back from the walls to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, and the arms will be at their side

Intermediate skills that will be taught:

• • Side kicking from the wall to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water, and breathing will be relaxed and controlled. The arm on the leg will be relaxed and not be used to keep afloat.
• • Side breath rotation from the wall to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water when taking a breath, the eyes will remain down when the face is in the water, they will blow bubbles when the face is in the water, and breathing will be relaxed and controlled. The arm on the leg will be relaxed and not be used to keep afloat.
• • Catch-up freestyle with side breathing one length of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water when taking a breath, the eyes will remain down when the face is in the water, they will blow bubbles when the face is in the water, breathing will be relaxed and controlled, and the arm movement will be controlled.
• • Kicking on the back from the walls to the flags. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, one arm will be on the leg and the other above the head touching the ear.
• • Hesitation backstroke one length of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, one arm will be on the leg and the other above the head touching the ear. Every 1 to 2 seconds the arms will switch positions in an efficient and controlled manner.

Advanced skills that will be taught:

• • Butterfly body movement of shoulder, hips, feet
• • Butterfly arms
• • Butterfly timing
• • Butterfly one length of the pool with the proper body motion of arms, hips, feet, kick. The body should be moving in a smooth, controlled manner, eyes should be down, feet should remain together throughout the stroke, arm motion should be smooth and controlled, and palms should be facing up during the recovery.
• • Breaststroke kick
• • Sculling using an “I – Y” motion
• • Breaststroke one length of the pool with proper timing of breathe-pull-kick-glide. Body should remain at or near the surface, eyes should be down when the head is in the water, the head should remain stationary when breathing, the pull should not pass the chest, the feet should have toes pointed out and move at the same time within the same plane, and the body should return to a streamline position before the next cycle begins.
• • Catch-up freestyle with bilateral breathing (taking a breath every third stroke) two lengths of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, head will remain flat with one ear in the water when taking a breath, the eyes will remain down when the face is in the water, they will blow bubbles when the face is in the water, breathing will be relaxed and controlled, and the arm movement will be controlled.
• • Backstroke two lengths of the pool. The body must remain horizontal, the feet will remain at the surface, the head will remain still, one arm will be on the leg and the other above the head touching the ear. The arms will switch positions constantly in an efficient and controlled manner.

CLICK HERE to register

Prerequisites: SEE VIDEO HERE

Potential swimmers must evaluated before singing up for Pre-Comp. Pre-Comp participation does not guarantee later enrollment into OCA. To qualify for Pre-Comp, swimmers should be able to meet the graduation requirements of Level 5.

This program is for swimmers 6 years to 18 years old. Swimmers are divided into the following groups: White (Introductory), Red (Intermediate), and Black (Advanced). This program focuses on, technique, exercise and preparation for swimmers to possibly compete competitively. Several times a year, swimmers will have the opportunity to participate in inter-squad meets that we call “Mini Meets” where they will win prizes and gain competitive experience.

->To schedule a tryout for Pre-Comp, please email swimschool@mercerislandpool.com

For more detailed information, CLICK HERE

This class is only for swimmers who attend Country Village Day School. Swimmers are evaluated on the first day of swimming to determine their placement in Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. Beginners will be learning breath control, how to go under water, and to float independently. Intermediates will work on improving their beginning skills and will learn backstroke and freestyle with side breathing. Advanced swimmers will work on improving intermediate skills and will learn proper breaststroke and will be introduced to butterfly. Once swimmers are strong in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and have a good understanding of butter butterfly, they will be encouraged to join the Riptides pre-competitive program. If your child attends Country Village Day School. This class is 25 minutes.