Dear Participants and Parents/Guardians,
Thank you for enrolling yourself and/or your student(s) in the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA’s swim lesson program. You are in for a fun, safe, and positive experience!
Swim Bay City’s goal is to increase student confidence in an aquatic environment to achieve an overall goal of swim competition, recreation, and safety. Our YMCA is dedicated to this goal by providing swim lessons for all ages and abilities.
Our programs start at the fundamentals, including a subconscious understanding of body mechanics in water and how to relax and perform water safety skills with little or no fear, and leads up to participants performing at a competitive level at completing a 100 Individual Meledy or at a water recreation level of performing the sidestroke and treading water for an extended period.
Each station has a benchmark that tests a specific swim mechanic necessary for a successful stroke. These mechanics are continually taught, practiced, and tested throughout the lessons so that participants quickly learn and master the skill(s) needed to graduate. Upon graduation, the student immediately moves to the next station so that students are never bored or learning skills they’ve already mastered.
At the Y, we celebrate students’ achievements, giving a sense of belonging to the larger Aquatics and Water Safety community, and build positive relationships. To foster this, Swim Bay City will teach the whole student through integration of character and safety lessons throughout the swim experience. Parent-Child participants will receive a weekly Talking Points letters that will discuss childhood development and how to protect yourself and loved ones around water.
If there are any limitations or needs that could affect you or your student(s) health, safety, or the ability to understand and follow directions or perform skills in this program, please contact us before the session begins so we can provide any assistance and accommodations necessary.
All Water Safety Instructors are equipped with teaching techniques to best reach students with diverse abilities. We know that many parents and guardians (old and new to the program) can have many questions. For this reason, we are providing this handbook that has all the information required to have a safe and successful swim experience.
Inside is information such as locker room usage, rules and policies, guidelines, and other common concerns for both seasoned and first-time swim lesson participants. Please take the time to read and review this handbook. Please note that upon registration, you and your student(s) in the program agree to all the policies listed in this document and will follow the requests given by Aquatic staff.
Thank you for choosing our Y to teach you and your loved ones this important life skill!
We want you to have a positive experience in the Swim Bay City program. Feel free to contact us with any additional questions or concerns that you may have by emailing:
Lead Aquatics Manager, Abby Taylor at ataylor@ymcabaycity.org
Assistant Aquatics Director, Anna Kuehne at akuehne@ymcabaycity.org
or Aquatics Director, Rob Hendry at rhendry@ymcabaycity.org.
Dear Participants and Parents/Guardians,
Thank you for enrolling yourself and/or your student(s) in the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA’s swim lesson program. You are in for a fun, safe, and positive experience!
Swim Bay City’s goal is to increase student confidence in an aquatic environment to achieve an overall goal of swim competition, recreation, and safety. Our YMCA is dedicated to this goal by providing swim lessons for all ages and abilities.
Our programs start at the fundamentals, including a subconscious understanding of body mechanics in water and how to relax and perform water safety skills with little or no fear, and leads up to participants performing at a competitive level at completing a 100 Individual Meledy or at a water recreation level of performing the sidestroke and treading water for an extended period.
Each station has a benchmark that tests a specific swim mechanic necessary for a successful stroke. These mechanics are continually taught, practiced, and tested throughout the lessons so that participants quickly learn and master the skill(s) needed to graduate. Upon graduation, the student immediately moves to the next station so that students are never bored or learning skills they’ve already mastered.
At the Y, we celebrate students’ achievements, giving a sense of belonging to the larger Aquatics and Water Safety community, and build positive relationships. To foster this, Swim Bay City will teach the whole student through integration of character and safety lessons throughout the swim experience. Parent-Child participants will receive a weekly Talking Points letters that will discuss childhood development and how to protect yourself and loved ones around water.
If there are any limitations or needs that could affect you or your student(s) health, safety, or the ability to understand and follow directions or perform skills in this program, please contact us before the session begins so we can provide any assistance and accommodations necessary.
All Water Safety Instructors are equipped with teaching techniques to best reach students with diverse abilities. We know that many parents and guardians, old and new to the program, can have many questions. For this reason, we are providing this handbook that has all the information required to have a safe and successful swim experience.
Inside is information such as locker room usage, rules and policies, guidelines, and other common concerns for both seasoned and first-time swim lesson participants. Please take the time to read and review this handbook. Please note that upon registration, you and your student(s) in the program agree to all the policies listed in this document and will follow the requests given by Aquatic staff.
Thank you for choosing our Y to teach you and your loved ones this important life skill!
We want you to have a positive experience in the Swim Bay City program. Feel free to contact us with any additional questions or concerns that you may have by emailing:
Lead Aquatics Manager, Abby Taylor at ataylor@ymcabaycity.org
Assistant Aquatics Director, Anna Kuehne at akuehne@ymcabaycity.org
or Aquatics Director, Rob Hendry at rhendry@ymcabaycity.org.
Please arrive/enter the locker room and pool area no more than 15 minutes early. If already prepared, we will ask them to wait on the pool deck, and not to enter the water until their instructor is ready.
Swim Bay City is a monthly program where students receive 4 lessons. We offer Stations for all levels and abilities. Swim Bay City is split by 4 main categories:
Our class ratios for Parent-Child course are 1 instructor: 12 participants. Our Preschool, School Age, and Adult courses take a ratio of 1-3 instructors: 10 participants. Some classes may be smaller if the roster is not filled. No classes will be cancelled due to low participants.
Registrations months from January to December are open beginning November of the previous year. Registrants can sign up for multiple or all months for a continuous swimming experience. For a more accurate timeline of registration dates can be found either on our website at www.ymcabaycity.org or through print copies found at our front desk. While our ratios are large, class days are limited; we recommend you register early to avoid being waitlisted.
When registering, please place the student’s name that is participating in the lesson. Substituting the adult’s name leads to confusion when your instructor verifies their students on their roster.
There are several ways to register for Swim Bay City. If you are unable to stop by our Y to register, you can visit us online at www.ymcabaycity.org. You can also call our Member Service Desk at 989-895-8596. Due to the high volume of calls our Member Service Desk can receive, we ask that you have your class day(s) and time(s) and payment information ready.
Throughout the lesson month, students will be continually tested to the benchmark(s) outlined for that station level. Upon successful completion of the benchmark, a student immediately moves to the next station and begins learning the new material. There are two exceptions to this rule: should a student graduate fewer than 5 minutes before class ends, or the next station level occurs in a different time-slot. In such cases, the student will attend the next station level the next week.
At the 4th session week, each student will be officially tested to the benchmark(s) listed. Your instructor will notify you should your student move up to the next station level or if they should stay in the same station for the next session month.
For first-time participants or those who have been away from the Swim Bay City program longer than 2 months, we recommend attending a free Evaluation Day. This 5-7 minute assessment allows the instructor to test the student to the benchmarks from each level and give you a definite answer to which level would be best. We host our Evaluation Days once a month after Saturday’s lesson time. You can find more information of those days on our website www.ymcabaycity.org.
Should you be unable to attend one of these Evaluation Days, you may register and place a student according to their swim ability. Please use the benchmarks to best determine their placement; we recommend placing a student at one level lower than where you perceive their ability to be. Keep in mind that abilities fluctuate over time, and it is much better to assign a student to a lower placement and be quickly moved to a higher level rather than being unable to achieve a complex benchmark and forced backwards.
While you may place a student at a level of your choosing, the YMCA and the Aquatics department hold the right to move a student to the appropriate level based on their observed swim ability.
For first-time participants or those who have been away from the Swim Bay City program longer than 2 months, we recommend attending a free Evaluation Day. This 5-7 minute assessment allows the instructor to test the student to the benchmarks from each level and give you a definite answer to which level would be best. We host our Evaluation Days once a month after Saturday’s lesson time. You can find more information of those days on our website www.ymcabaycity.org.
Should you be unable to attend one of these Evaluation Days, you may register and place a student according to their swim ability. Please use the benchmarks to best determine their placement; we recommend placing a student at one level lower than where you perceive their ability to be. Keep in mind that abilities fluctuate over time, and it is much better to assign a student to a lower placement and be quickly moved to a higher level rather than being unable to achieve a complex benchmark and forced backwards.
While you may place a student at a level of your choosing, the YMCA and the Aquatics department hold the right to move a student to the appropriate level based on their observed swim ability.
Swim Bay City fees are non-refundable and there are no make-up days except under these conditions:
Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older in the pool area. When enrolled in Swim Bay City, a responsible adult or guardian must escort a child to and from the program.
Any participants registered for the Parent-Child courses must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older in the water and no further than an arm’s reach away from the child.
For each participant to receive the best possible learning experience, it is required for every person to come to the lesson with an open mind and willingness to learn. Safety is our number one concern at the YMCA, and to have a fun learning environment, all swimmers, instructors, staff, and those on the deck must follow all pool rules and regulations asked by the Aquatics department. We ask that students are respectful to themselves, others in the class, the instructors, and our lesson equipment.
For observers, parents, guardians, and those waiting on the pool deck, we ask that you sit or stand by the blue chairs for a good viewing experience. Chairs must not be moved at any time, and observers are not allowed to sit in the green lifeguard chairs. You may choose to also wait in the soft seating area that oversees the leisure pool for a more comfortable experience. Approaching the poolside to watch your student is unfair to other observers, and it can be distracting to the learning environment. We will signal if we need your assistance.
Only students actively participating in Swim Bay City are to be in the water. Should you have other students who are waiting for their time or who have finished their lesson, they must wait on the pool deck or in the soft seating area. Please do not allow siblings who are observing to be disruptive or unsafe (i.e. running on the pool deck, going toward the water, standing on the chairs). They will be asked to leave the pool deck if they are disruptive or in danger of hurting themselves and/or others.
Failure to be safe or respectful in these ways can result in time away from the learning experience and potential removal from our swim program or facility.
Phones must be on vibrate or silent during lessons. If you need to have a phone conversation, we ask that you step out of the pool area.
Out of respect for all those in our pool area and their privacy, you are not allowed to take any photos or videos during the Swim Bay City program. It is disrespectful to assume that those also in the photo or video wish to be captured in media and shared with others, including social media. If you are seen taking photos or videos at any time, our Aquatic staff will ask you to stop and delete them.
It is the policy of the YMCA to make membership and programs available to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or financial circumstance without discrimination.
Jeff Buczek, a longtime lifeguard and friend of the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA, passed away in 2015. In honor of his life and love for his community, the YMCA created a scholarship fund in Jeff’s name that will go towards providing free youth programs.
The Jeff Buczek Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA allows qualifying kids in our community to participate in our sports leagues or programs such as YMCA Basketball League (YBL), YMCA Volleyball League (YVL), Flag YMCA Football League (YFFL), Youth Swim Lessons, and more with 100% of their costs covered.
This scholarship helps strengthen and enrich the lives of the youth in our community and supports our cause of Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility. You can learn more about the Jeff Buczek scholarship and find the application steps through our website www.ymcabaycity.org or you can call our Member Service Desk at 989-895-8596.
Swimming attire must be clean, modest, and designated for pool use. No undergarments, thongs, overly revealing garments, or street clothing is allowed. Swimsuits must not be transparent when wet. Children in diapers or newly potty-trained children must wear a swim diaper. Do not change children on the pool deck; please use the locker rooms for changing.
Students may wear water shoes, flip flops, or sandals in the locker rooms and pool deck. When attending Swim Bay City, we require students to be barefoot. Water shoes weigh the legs down and lead to difficulty learning the proper kicking techniques and supporting themselves in the water.
We highly recommend students wearing swim googles during their lesson. We do not allow snorkel goggles; we do not recommend nose plugs or any other pieces that block the nose. This is to practice correct breathing patterns vital to water safety and swimming techniques.
We also recommend students with longer hair tying it in a ponytail, in braids, or placing it in a swim cap. Damp hair or hair in the water gets into a swimmer’s eyes easily, and we want students to focus on using their hands for propulsion rather than pushing hair out of the face.
For the safety of all participants and to respect others’ privacy, we have several rules for locker room usage. Boys and Girls ages 13-17 must use the Boy’s and Girl’s locker rooms respectively. Those under 18 years or are not allowed in the Men’s or Women’s locker rooms and will be asked to move back to the Boys and Girls locker rooms. Should a parent/guardian and student(s) all be of the same sex, they may enter the Boys and Girls locker rooms together. Parents or guardians assigned to a locker room differing from their child under 13 years old must use the Private Changing Rooms.
The Dow Bay Area Family YMCA is not responsible for lost or stolen articles. While you may use a lock on a locker to protect articles, it must be removed before leaving the facility. Any locks left will be cut after 48 hours.
We ask adults to encourage their students to use the restroom before lessons begin. If a student under 12 requires the restroom during their lesson, an adult must accompany or escort them to the restroom. Swimmers ages 3 and older are not permitted to wear any type of diapers, including swim diapers. Children who are 3 years old must be potty-trained to participate in the Preschool lessons.
This is an important step in helping keep the pool clean and protect your skin.
Taking a shower to remove body oil, lotion, sweat, deodorants, and perfumes enables us to use fewer chemicals and lessens the likelihood of adverse reaction happening to one’s skin. Showering with cool or cold water also helps lower a person’s body temperature, so there is no shock to the body when entering cold water.
Students must wait on the pool deck until it is time for their lesson to begin. An instructor will announce when the class begins, the level they are teaching, and the people listed on the roster. Please attend to your student so they get to the correct lesson and spot. It is highly recommended to have your student’s towel in the pool area for easy access once their lesson is completed. We recommend writing your student’s name on the towel to avoid confusion with other’s towels.
Please meet your student, especially if they are young, in the pool area once class concludes. They will be waiting on the pool deck for your arrival, and the instructor may take a minute to discuss their current progress before attending another lesson. All our instructors are happy to answer any questions you may have. Should your conversation be longer than 2 minutes, we encourage you to talk to the Aquatics Manager on Duty or contact the Assistant Aquatics Director.
At the Dow Bay Family Area YMCA, we abide by regulations regarding blood-borne pathogens and other bodily fluids that can quickly pass onto others. Participants with open wounds, cuts, blisters, inflamed eyes, contagious skin rashes, or any other contagious diseases/illnesses are not allowed in the pool until they are healed or well. Anyone who has had diarrhea in the past two days should refrain from using the pool.
It is common for first time participants, especially if they are young, to be overwhelmed by the swim lesson experience. It is not unusual for a participant to become upset when in unfamiliar surroundings or in larger groups. Your child may show great apprehension or cry during the first few weeks of lessons. They may not wish to return or may pretend to be ill. Be persistent and they will overcome these fears of the swim lesson routine.
For students who refuse to participate in class, these cases do happen. Many times, there are other factors and experiences outside of the lesson that are affecting behavior and performance. Other times it can be from discomfort or apprehension with a certain skill or the pool temperature. Instructors will attempt to be persistent and ask students to participate. Should students continually refuse, they will be asked to exit the pool and follow up with their parent/guardian for any further action necessary.
Our instructors are trained to handle these situations. The best thing you can do for your student in these circumstances is to give them to the instructor and leave the pool area immediately. Sometimes parents feel their child will be more comfortable with them on the pool deck, but this can be a distraction to the lesson environment and makes the instructor’s job more difficult. Please allow our trained instructors to work with your child.
During Swim Bay City, we do not allow swimmers to have any personal lifejackets. Swimming aids such as noodles and kickboards are teaching aids to gain knowledge in proper form rather than personal flotation devices. We want to encourage swimmers to find comfort and confidence in the water without these aids early; this prepares them for self-rescue without the use of a flotation device.
Each student differs in their progress in all activities, including swimming. With the skills they learn, we want to celebrate all achievements and attempts – however big or small. Our instructors have the training, experience, and knowledge to cater to a student’s specific learning needs. Therefore, we cannot formulate a timeline between graduating from one level to the next. Please do not be discouraged if your student does not seem to be doing well as others in the lesson. The learning process can be challenging at times, and having patience and a listening ear can do wonders for a student’s self-esteem and confidence practicing their skills.
Some examples of what can cause slow progress:
Placement of students is based on their ability to perform the benchmarks. While it would be great to run all our stations at the same time, this is not feasible due to pool space and number of staff available. Placing a student in an incorrect level for this purpose or to be with another sibling can harm their self-confidence, cause detachment to the learning experience, decrease the other sibling’s learning opportunities, and disrupt others’ learning experiences. Should you wish for your children or friends to be in the same group, please consider our Private Group Lesson program.
The focus of our Station Levels is to prepare students for swim competitions. This would include a student being interested in middle or high school swim and dive teams, swim clubs, and training for personal bests (PBs) in officiated swim events. Stations 1-3 will focus on the basics of water comfortability and progress into Station 4 and above for the purpose of refining the competitive strokes.
The focus of our Starfish and Ray courses is to prepare students for water safety and recreational swim. This would include a student being interested in:
Stations 1-3 will focus on the basics of water comfortability and progress into Starfish and Ray. These courses will cover strokes and skills not found in competition events, including how to tread water and how to perform a survival float and stroke.
The YMCA is always looking for volunteers; the more helping hands we have in the water, the more students we can serve in our community! If you or know someone that has free time during the day and would enjoy volunteering in our swim programs, please contact the Aquatics Director or Assistant Aquatics Director.
We want both you and your child to have a positive experience. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rob Hendry, Aquatics Director at rhendry@ymcabaycity.org OR Anna Kuehne, Assistant Aquatics Director, at akuehne@ymcabaycity.org
Thursdays from 4:30 PM-5:30 PM
For children 18 years old and under. Parents and guardians can pick up one bag per child in their care.
Hampton Township Public Safety
745 W. Center Rd.
Essexville 48732
Individuals will not be turned away from participating in programs, activities, and/or membership due to their inability to pay. The Y maintains a generous financial assistance program for youth, adults, and families who demonstrate financial need. Funding for this program is provided by fundraising events at the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA and community-wide donors.
There is a reduced joining fee. $25 for Youth/Teen, $25 for Adult, and $50 for Household memberships.