Swimming Lessons at the YMCA: Creating Confident Swimmers

The world is 71% water; your child is 100% curious. Swim Instructor, Ulivia Cruz, shares that knowing how to swim is a life-saving skill for every individual, especially in Tampa Bay. There are in-home pools, lakes, rivers, streams and oceans and it’s crucial for your family to be water smart from the start.

The Tampa Y offers swim lessons for all ages. Everyone, from babies to seniors, should learn how to be safe and confident in and around water. Ulivia teaches at the Northwest YMCA and shares five basic swimming techniques to ensure her students have the knowledge and skills to enjoy the water and not fear it. These techniques include breathing, floating, coordinated body movements, kicking and getting in and out of the water.

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As “Americas Swim Instructor,” swimming lessons at the YMCA teach >1 million children invaluable water safety and swimming skills each year. As summer approaches and temperatures rise, we know people want to cool off, and we are making water safety our top priority. Ulivia shares, “I love teaching parent and child swim lessons. The child and parent are in the water together, creating a beautiful bonding experience. Additionally, parents can see firsthand the skills their children are learning and putting into practice.”

Like all of our YMCA Aquatics staff, Ulivia works to create a meaningful bond with her students and their parents. She shares that many children often struggle with submerging their face in the water, and it’s one of her top priorities to ensure each student feels confident and comfortable doing so. Before each lesson, Ulivia likes to talk with her student to learn about their day, how they are feeling, and the skill they would to focus on first.

As students’ progress past the five basic swimming techniques and feel comfortable submerging their face underwater, they will be presented with new swimming skills and challenges to overcome. Ulivia adds, one of my favorite quotes I share with my swim families is, “Yesterday’s efforts are today’s success.” Ulivia encourages her students to practice their swimming techniques with their families in a safe and controlled environment or at their Y pool.

To join Ulivia and our numerous swim coaches for an upcoming lesson, visit our website www.tampaymca.org.

*Presented by The Tampa YMCA.