Franklin Knolls Swim Lessons

MASTERS SWIM EXTENDED INTO AUGUST
If there is enough interest, we will continue Masters Swim in August from 6:15 – 7:15 am on August 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, and 22 (Tuesdays and Thursdays). Total cost for the six-workout session is $60. We need a minimum of 12 people (members only) to sign up in order to extend the program, and we need just a few more to reach that number. If you are interested, please complete this form by July 31st and send $60 via Venmo to @FKPswim with “MASTERS – your name” in the memo line, or bring a check to the pool with you on August 6th. We will send emails to members who sign up to let them know whether it’s a go by August 1st.

SWIM LESSON OVERVIEW
The Franklin Knolls Gator Swim Team offers swim lessons as a fundraiser for the team from mid-June to late-July. Group lessons are designed to introduce children as young as three to the water, to build their comfort and confidence in the water, and to help them learn basic swimming skills. Children must be three years old by June 1st, and reliably potty trained to participate in swimming lessons. We also offer more advanced classes to help young competitive swimmers to improve their strokes, starts, and turns.

Registration for lessons is closed for the 2024 season. Information about the Summer 2025 season will be posted on this page in the Spring. Questions can be directed to FKPswimlessons@gmail.com, but please know that this mailbox is not monitored frequently during the off-season.

LESSON DESCRIPTIONS

Beginner I Low is for a child without much experience in the water. The lessons will be focused on putting their face in the water, blowing bubbles, and feeling comfortable in the water. Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Submerge face up to (in including) nose
Blow bubbles
Supported float on front
Walk in chest deep water for about 5 yards, comfortably
Walk 5 yards in chest deep water with alternating arm action

Beginner I Medium is for a child with some experience in the water, is comfortable getting their face wet, and is looking to put their new water skills together by learning to float independently and kick & blow bubbles at the same time. Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Independently put face under water – 1 second
Front float
Kicking on front while blowing bubbles (supported)
Jump from side of pool, feet first

Beginner I High is for the child who is gaining confidence in the water and learning to move independently forward in the pool. The class will continue to support those skills and start to teach students how to feel comfortable floating and kicking on their backs. Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Submerge whole head – 3 seconds
Supported float on back
Supported kicking on back
Basic safety rules and importance of following them
“swimming” at least 5 strokes
Wear life jacket on deck and enter water

Beginner II is for the child who has mastered skills in the Beginner I series and is ready to start swimming more independently in the water. The students will practice holding their breath under water, bobbing in the water, gliding and floating, turning in the water, and will start to put arm strokes together. Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Bob x10
Breath-holding (does not have to be underwater) – 10 seconds.
Submerge and retrieve objects from chest deep water
Prone float
Prone glide – 10 feet
Back float
Back glide – 6 feet
Prone glide with kick – 10 feet
Back glide with kick – 10 feet
Beginner arm stroke – 5 feet (arms only)
Finning or sculling – 10 feet (arms only)
Finning with kick on back -5 years (or any other backstroke)
Jump in chest-deep water, push off bottom of pool, get out at side
Demonstrate back crawl arms
Turn front to back, back to front
Safety skills: float with a lifejacket with face out, watch rescue breathing

Beginner III is for the child who is ready to start combining kicks and arms to learn front crawl stroke with breathing, jumping into the water, and reversing direction. Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Retrieve object from bottom, eyes open, in chest deep water
Bob x5 in chest deep water
Bob to side of pool
Jump into deep water
Dive into deep water from side of pool
Prone glide two body lengths with push off
Front crawl with breathing – 10 yards
Back crawl 10 yards
Elementary backstroke kick
Reverse direction swimming on front and back
Safety – diving rules, treading water, jumping to deep water with lifejacket on, HELP position, huddle position, open airway for rescue breathing

Advanced Beginner is for the child who is starting to learn the fundamentals of swimming breaststroke and elementary backstroke, improving crawl stroke with rotary breathing, treading water and floating for extended periods of time, and diving into the water. Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Deep water bobbing
Show buoyancy by floating
Rotary breathing – can be in water or on land
Standing front dive
10 yards elementary backstroke
5 yards or 15 seconds sculling on back
25 yards front crawl with rotary breathing
5-10 yards of whip kick with kickboard
5-10 yards of scissors kick with kickboard
Turn at wall
Tread water 2 minutes
Mouth to mouth breathing

Intermediate I is for children who need to gain comfort in deeper waters and wants to improve crawl and backstroke, and practice the kicks necessary to swim breast stroke. Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Deep water bobbing
Show buoyancy by floating
Rotary breathing
Standing front dive
10 yards elementary backstroke
5 yards or 15 seconds sculling on back
25 yards front crawl with rotary breathing
5-10 yards of whip kick with kickboard
5-10 yards of scissors kick with kickboard
Turn at wall
Tread water 2 minutes

Intermediate II will teach children how to put kicks and arms together to form breaststroke, sidestroke and backstroke, and will start to learn dolphin kick and breath control/underwater swimming. Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Alternate breathing in water
Standing front dive from board or side of pool
Long shallow dive
Breaststroke – 10 yards
Side stroke – 10 yards
Underwater swim – 3 body length
Elementary backstroke – 25 yards
Dolphin kick – 10 yards (with or without kickboard)
Front crawl – 50 yards, using correct turns
Back crawl – 50 yards, using correct turns
Tread water two minutes using at least two different kicks
Feet first surface dive

Stroke and Turn is for athletes who already know how to swim all four strokes and want to improve their technique and competitive starts, turns, and pull-outs to drop time. As interest allows, we like to offer two sections, one for ages 8 and under and the other for ages 7-12+
Skills that will be taught and practiced:
Breaststroke – kick, arm pull, breathing, coordination
Butterfly – kick, arm pull, breathing, coordination
Backstroke – kick, head and hip placement, pull and body roll
Freestyle – breathing, arm catch, kick, and coordination/placement in water
Learn and practice competitive diving positioning on deck and under water
Learn and practice proper underwater opening pulls
Learn and improve competitive turns and pull-outs for all four strokes and individual medley
Learn strategies for minimizing number of breaths per length
Relay starts and good sportsmanship