Teaching the science of swimming since 2003!

PHD SWIM SCHOOL

Beginning StrokeFACTS:

For students who have outgrown our maintenance program

Teaches foundations of freestyle and backstroke

Beginning Stroke

Why should my child do stroke classes?
Even after becoming quite competent as a maintenance-level student, if a student does not practice their skills for a long period of time they can lose their confidence in their skills.  Students in this level are usually still very young, and as such they need regular practice to reinforce the motor skill of swimming.  Many families also choose to continue in these classes because they want their children to learn a good foundation for competitive stroke work.  Some may begin to desire competitive swimming experiences for their children, and beginner stroke classes provide an excellent opportunity to build the skills they will need for these programs.

Can my child start your program in this class?
We will accept a new student only if they can demonstrate that they can swim-float-swim at least 10 meters with good kick technique on the first day of class. 

What age is this appropriate for?
Generally children are ready to begin the skills learned in this program sometime between age three and age six.

Why do you recommend semi-private lessons?  Can we do private lessons?
At this level it remains critical for students to increase their independence and learn to rely even more on themselves and not their teacher.  Sharing with another student of similar age and ability allows them to see another child doing the activities and to participate alongside them while the teacher observes and facilitates.  This increases their confidence that they can do it all by themselves!  It is also great fun to swim with a friend and fosters social development to interact with another child.  In special circumstances we will accept a private lesson, but we highly encourage semi-private. 

What are the skills-specific goals of this level?
-- Continue to reinforce the goals of Fundations classes 
-- Learn recovery-focused, front quadrant freestyle
-- Learn recovery-focused, front quadrant backstroke
-- Learn freestyle side breathing and coordinate with arms and strong kick
Students who are finished with this level will generally be able to swim 15-25 meters depending on age of coordinated, well executed freestyle and backstroke. 
The underwater phase of freestyle arm movement ("pulling") is not taught in this level, nor is side breath recovery.  Students are discouraged from attempting side or front breathing outside of class.

Beginning Stroke

This class is for children who are strong swimmers and are starting to outgrow FUNdations.  The purpose of this class is to continue good swimming habits learned in FUNdations and introduce arm movement.  Students will learn a modified freestyle with recovery-focused arm movements in this level, while continuing to reinforce a strong kick with good head and body position.  This class is ideal to prepare children for their first year of an amateur swim team.