Swim Instructor T.J. Britt (right) stops to give client Craig Goodwin some pointers Tuesday afternoon at FirstHealth Center for Health and Fitness. Britt is part of the team that gives year-round swim lesson to children and adults at the center.
Year-round swim classes for all different age groups are available at FirstHealth Richmond Center for Health and Fitness, and Patti Friedman, center operations director, said everyone can benefit from the water safety and fitness information the classes offer.
“Once you’ve learned to swim, it’s a great form of overall fitness and cardio that you can do at any age,” she said. “In beginner classes we teach the basics. A client may be afraid of the water, so we help them overcome that and teach them basic strokes and safety moves, like how to float.
“In the advanced classes they can learn more strokes; we work on things like rhythm, and they will hopefully be able to swim laps at the end.”
Swim instructors Kristie Parks, T.J. Britt, Mike Russell and Friedman are all certified by the American Red Cross. The organization sponsors the swim lessons, which is why each class features a 10-minute safety component.
“Kids learn how to be safe around the water; for example, if they’re at a lake and someone in the water starts calling for help, what do they do?” said Friedman. “We teach them how to get help, or different things that they can throw out to the victim. Sometimes even adults don’t realize; they think ‘I’ll go in and get them,’ but if they do that, there’s a good chance the person they’re trying to save will take (the rescuer) down too.’”
Instructor T.J. Britt has been teaching children’s swim lessons at the center for more than two years, and he said one of the biggest challenges kids face is fear.
“You have to take your time with them, and they will eventually become confident in the water,” said Britt. “It’s great exercise for the kids.”
Friedman said that while the student-to-instructor ratio is 6-to-1, private lessons are available for anyone who needs more preparation before going to a group class.
“I recently had a little boy who was very fearful of the water,” said Friedman. “So we did four private lessons first; we did things to get him adjusted - he would put his face in he water and blow bubbles, or float on his back, things like that. It took him a while, but at the end of those four lessons he had the basics down and was ready to move to a group session.”
Children and adult swim lessons are available year-round at FirstHealth Richmond Center for Health and Fitness. Youth Camps and “Mom and Tot” classes are also offered. For more information or to register contact Friedman at 410-0123.
Current classes are as follows:
Spring Break Youth Camp: Kids will have a variety of activities, fitness games, pool time, crafts and fun . From April 13-17 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Fee for members $45, community $55
Swim Lessons: Toddlers (Ages 3 to 4), 3:30 to 4 p.m.; Beginner intro to water skills, 4 to 4:45 p.m.; Advanced / Beginner fundamental aquatic skills, 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. Classes are Monday through Thursday from April 6-16th and April 20-30. Fee for members $40, community $50.
Adult Swim Lessons: Beginner, Monday through Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., April 6-16th and April 20-30th, Fee for members $40, Community $50.
Advanced: Monday through Thursday, 6:15 p.m. to 7 p.m., April 6-16th and April 20-30th. Fee for members $40, community $50.
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