Aquatics program overview brochure
Summer Splash Pad Summer Hours
Monday – Thursday: sunrise to 6:00pm
Friday – Saturday: sunrise to 30 minutes before closing
Sunday: open to 30 minutes before closing
Flying Fish Swim Team
The Sumter YMCA Flying Fish gives everyone a great opportunity to achieve his or her potential! Our mission is to provide a safe environment where children can learn, improve, and enjoy the sport of swimming.
On our year-round swim team, every member has a place and every swimmer is important to our success! We offer multiple competitive and developmental groups for swimmers ages 5-21. Swimmers gain experience through YMCA and USA Swimming competitions. Many members enjoy our family and team-first atmosphere, which is easy to see at meets, social events and team practices.
COVID-19 Participant Agreement Form
Ages: 5 -21
Cost:
$25 YMCA annual registration fee
Swim team quarterly fees are based on skill level and membership.
Thinking about signing up?
Contact our aquatics office to schedule a swim test to determine your swim team level at 803-774-2495
Sumter YMCA Swim Team Records
Sumter YMCA Flying Fish earns 10% of every purchase to help buy team equipment. Click here.
Swim Lessons
The YMCA offers an extensive learn-to-swim program for all ages. Whether you are a non-swimmer or looking for advanced techniques, the YMCA has a program for you. Learn about all of your swim lesson options with our Aquatics Program Brochure or the links below. Whether you are looking for a group lesson, private lesson or semi-private lesson, we have a class to suit your needs.
To determine your child’s level, download our swim lesson selector.
Swim Lesson Schedule – TBD
Infant, Toddler & Preschool age skills
Infant & Toddler
Ages: 6 months to 3 years old
- Water Discovery – being comfortable in and around the water
- Water Exploration – body position, blowing bubbles, mild submersion and safety skills
Goals: Infants and toddlers learn to be comfortable in the water and develop swim readiness skills through fun and confidence building experiences, while parents learn about water safety, drowning prevention, and the importance of supervision.
Miscellaneous:
- Parent/Guardian must accompany child in the water.
- Children must wear a bathing suit and swim diaper.
Pre-School
Ages: 3 years – 5 years old
- Water Entry – sliding in, jumping and basic self-rescue skills
- Water Acclimation – increase comfort with underwater exploration and breathing
- Water Movement – encourages forward movement in water and basic stroke technique
- Water Stamina – develops movement and self-rescue skills at longer distances
Goals: Pre-schoolers will learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency.
Miscellaneous:
- Guardian no longer accompanies child in water
- Appropriate swim attire required
- Class progression is determined by the skills of the group
- Classes taken in succession are most effective
- 1:4 instructor to participant ratio
Youth
Ages: 5 years – 12 years old
- Water Acclimation – increase comfort with underwater exploration and breathing
- Water Movement – encourages forward movement in water and basic stroke technique
- Water Stamina – develops movement and self-rescue skills at longer distances
- Stroke Introduction – introduces basic stroke technique and reinforces water safety
- Stroke Mechanics – refines stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Goals: School age swimmers will learn waters safety skills, build stroke technique and endurance, while developing skills that will increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being.
Miscellaneous:
- Class progression is determined by the skills of the group
- Classes taken in succession are most effective
- Advanced youth must be able to swim the full length of the pool
- 1:6 instructor to participant ratio
Teen / Adult
Ages: 13 years and older
- Water Acclimation – increase comfort with underwater exploration and breathing
- Water Movement – encourages forward movement in water and basic stroke technique
- Water Stamina – develops movement and self-rescue skills at longer distances
- Stroke Introduction – introduces basic stroke technique and reinforces water safety
- Stroke Development – develops proper stroke technique and breathing and reinforces water safety
- Stoke Mechanics – refines stroke technique on all major competitive strokes and encourages swimming as a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Goals: Through group drills and individual attention, we instruct new and apprehensive swimmers as well as those looking to correct their strokes. Teen age and adult swimmers will learn water movement and stroke technique, while developing skills that prevent chronic disease, and foster a lifetime of physical activity.
Miscellaneous:
- Class progression is determined by the skills of the group
- Great class for those who are afraid of the water or never had an opportunity to learn how to swim
- Classes taken in succession are most effective
- 1:6 Instructor to participant ratio
Family Swim
Ages: All
During this unstructured swim time, families can enjoy our facility. Flotation aids other than U. S. Coast Guard approved life vests are not permitted at any time.
See our current pool schedules HERE.
Lap Swim and Fitness Swim
Whether you want to swim laps on your own or do your own fitness workout in the pool, we have special times set aside for these activities. Please check our current schedules HERE for the Warm Water Deck Pool and the Austin Francis Cool Water Pool.
Lap Swim
Lap Swimming Tips: Please enter the pool from the shallow end. To avoid accidents, when entering an occupied lane, please get the first swimmer’s acknowledgment that you are there.
Directions for Adult Lap: If there are 1 or 2 swimmers in a lane, they may elect to split the lane in half. The entrance of a third person immediately changes the lane to “circle” swimming format.
Speed: Please choose a lane with swimmers that most nearly match your speed.
View our schedules on the Schedules Page
Swim Testing
The YMCA reserves the right to swim test all children under the age of 16 in order to prevent drownings and accidents. We strictly enforce this policy to ensure the safety of the children who use our pools.