In 2005, of all children one to four years old who died, almost 30 percent died from drowning, and in children ages 1 to 14 fatal drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As a result of these staggering statistics, it makes perfect sense that a growing number of parents have enrolled their children in swimming lessons. 

Although different swimming programs offer lessons that have different names, at Metro Parks Swim America Youth Swim Lessons are offered in ten stations that comprise the skills that many swimming programs include. 

The stations are as follows:

Station 1:  teaches beginning swimmers basic swimming skills such as submersion of the face, and blowing bubbles.

Station 2:  includes performing 10 relaxed bobs with air exchange, front and back floats, as well as a back glide.

Station 3: holding breath and floating on front and back, and kicking skills.

Station 4:  master breath control, body position and kicking on their front and back on top of the water, learn the side-glide, and the crawl arm stroke.

Station 5: learn the crawl stroke without breathing for 20 feet with good technique, and learn the crawl stroke with side breathing and the back stroke.

Station 6: crawl stroke with side breathing and ability to swim on your back, learn extended crawl, backstroke and treading water.

Station 7: swim the crawl stroke for 75 feet and backstroke for 30 feet, and learn the breaststroke and butterfly kick.

Station 8: swim 50 yard crawl stroke, 25 yard backstroke and kick breaststroke for 20 feet with good technique, learn crawl stroke, backstroke endurance, breaststroke and butterfly technique.

Station 9: swim 100 yard crawl stroke, 25 yards breaststroke and butterfly for 30 feet, learn sidestroke and lementary backstroke.

Station 10: learn extended swimming and technique refinement in all major strokes and turns.  Swimmers graduate as they swim 300 yards freestyle, 100 yards backstroke and a 100 yard IM.

Whether the program is offered using these stations as stations, or the lessons are a variance of this, a number of public facilities offer swim lessons at reasonable rates for children and adults of all ages.

Below is a list of some popular public sites that offer swim lessons:

Morgan Family Branch of Pierce County YMCA
1002 South Pearl Street
564-9622  

This location offers group swimming classes for children starting at age 3.  These classes are included in a family's monthly dues, so if you are a member of the YMCA, there is no additional cost.  The YMCA splits the class offerings into preschool classes that are geared for kids 3-5 years old, youth classes that serve ages 6-15 years old, and advanced swimmers can enroll in lifeguard classes.

Visit the YMCA Web site for other locations and information: www.ymcapkc.org.

Metro Parks Tacoma Swimming Pools

The Tacoma metro parks offer 30 minute lessons at six locations for children starting at age 3 without a parent.  Lessons are offered as follows: parent/ child (ages 6 month to 36 months) Eastside; preschool (ages 3- 4) Eastside, Mt. Tahoma, Stewart Heights, and Foss; Youth (ages 5- 14) Eastside, Mt. Tahoma, Stewart Heights, Titlow, and Foss; adults (15 years and up) Eastside.

Register on-location, online, www.Metroparkstacoma.org, or by phone at 591-2042.

Eastside Pool - 3524 East L. Street

Mt. Tahoma High School Pool - 4634 S. 74th Street

Titlow Pool - 8355 6th Avenue

Stewart Heights Pool - 402 East 56th Street

Centre at Norpoint Pool - 4818 Nassau Ave, NE

Wilson High School - 1202 N. Orchard St.

Joint Base Lewis- McChord
Kimbro Pool in McVeigh Gym
Bldg. 2161
967-5026

Swim lessons at Kimbro Pool are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays for three weeks. Lessons are available for children starting at age 3 for $20 per session.  To enroll your child in these lessons you must take them for placement testing on May 25-27 from 4 to 6 p.m. prior to registration.  Upon completing placement testing take the form to the CYSS Central Registration located in Bldg. 2295, 967-2494, for enrollment in the June 1 to 17session, and payment.

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