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MTSU Campus Recreation

Swim Lessons

Swimming is for everyone, regardless of age or ability. Our instructors are American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors. We also have an instructor certified in the Swim Whisperers Program Leve1 with Swim Angelfish, an adaptive aquatics training organization. We have group lessons year-round for students as young as six months. 

American Red Cross group lessons focus on water competency and safety skills. Students progress through the levels at their own pace, mastering the skills in one level before advancing to the next. Group sizes are based on the class level. Less advanced levels have a lower student to instructor ratio. 

We are currently working on the spring 2025 schedule and hope to have it posted the first week in December. You can follow our Instagram page for more information @mtsu.aquatics

Fees

  • 50-Minute Sessions: Students $65, Employees $80, Guests $90
  • 30-Minute (PCA Only): Students $35, Employees $50, Guests $60

Refund Notice

  • 100% 14 days before class
  • 50% 8-13 days before class
  • No refund one week before class

Parking

  • Vehicle make, model and plate number will be collected during the registration process
  • Parking pass will be waiting for you in the Campus Rec office on the date of your first lesson (If lesson begins at 5pm or later, you will not need a parking pass and can park in any lot without being ticketed). 
  • Must park in one of the 3 assigned lots (Campus Rec Lot, Softball Lot, One Stop Visitors lot)
  • Click here to download a parking map. 

If you have read all of the class descriptions and are still unsure what level to sign up for, you can fill out the Swim Level Questionnaire and someone from our team will follow up within 48 business hours to confirm.

Parent and Child Aquatics (PCA): For 6-months to 3 years old
Parents and children learn together to increase a child’s comfort level in the water and build a foundation of basic skills. This class is fun filled and helps introduce water safety concepts, encouraging healthy recreational habits.

Preschool Aquatics (PRE): For 3- to 5-year-olds  

  • Level 1: Introduces basic water skills which children progress through levels 2 and 3. This level is a good starting point for kids who are fearful of the water.  
  • Level 2: Further develops basic water skills. Children will perform the skills from level 1 but a further distance. This is when kids start to first try some skills independently. This level is for kids who can’t swim but are not fearful of the water.  
  • Level 3: Increase the child’s proficiency in the previously learned skills by increasing the distance and time skills are performed. This level’s goal is to perform all skills independently.  
  • Please note that all these classes happen at the same time so we can easily sort kids into the right group on the first day.

Learn-to-Swim (LTS): For 6-year-olds to teens 
Designed to help participants achieve maximum success, Learn-to-Swim courses are based on a logical, six-level progression that helps swimmers of varying ages and abilities develop their water safety, survival, and swim skills. 

  • Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills. Helps participants feel comfortable in the water and includes skills such as entry/exit, floating, supported gliding, and basic water safety rules. The goal is for your child to be comfortable going underwater and swimming a short distance on their stomach.  
  • Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills. Participants continue to build basic skills including breath-holding, retrieving objects, swimming longer distances, front and back floating without support, and personal safety and rescue skills.
  • Level 3: Stroke Development. Builds on skills in Level 2 and includes deep-water skills, diving from a kneeling position, building endurance, treading water, and flutter and dolphin kicks.
  • Level 4: Stroke Improvement. Focuses on improving the different swimming strokes.  Builds other water skills such as swimming underwater, treading water for longer periods of time and diving. This class will help prepare participants for a swim team or our Swim Express Camp.
  • Level 5: Stroke Refinement. Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes. Includes skills such as sculling, stride jump entry, tuck and pike surface dives, and front and back flip turns while swimming. This class is a great way for competitive swimmers to refine their strokes.

Adult Swim: For teens to adults
The American Red Cross Adult Swim Program is intended for teens and adults who wish to improve their aquatic knowledge and skills. This class has a wide skill range. The instructor will group participants by level and then float between everyone giving practice and feedback. Participants range from fearful and wanting to learn the basics to improving their lap swimming.

Registration

  • Once you click the registration button, you will be directed to the programs page of our web portal. 
  • If you do not immediately see swim lesson options, you may need to navigate to the “summer semester” on the left-hand column. 
  • Once you choose the desired option, you will see a button that says sign-in. Click this. You will see another box pop up to sign in.
    • MTSU Fac/staff or students sign in by pressing the top button that says Press this button even if you don’t currently have an MTSU Campus Recreation account. After pressing you will need to create an account. 
    • For those who have or have had Campus Rec memberships, log-in using your email or username. 
    • All others will need to create an account for yourself. 
    • Once you’ve created a profile for yourself, you will then“Add Family Members” to your account.
      • To do this, click on your account in the upper right-hand corner and then select “profile”.  
      • Scroll to the bottom of the profile to where it says “Add Family Member”. 
      • Add Family member(s) and save.  
      • Now, when you register for a program, you will be asked which family member you are registering. This allows you to register multiple children for the same programs. 
  • After circling back to the swim lesson page, you will need to select which option you’d like. Now you may go through and complete the steps for registering your child. 
  • Select the appropriate class level (descriptions listed above and on each lesson registration page)
    • If you are not sure which class is best, complete the Swim Level Questionnaire to have an Aquatics staff member review the participant’s abilities and provide the appropriate class.
 Click Here to Register Now!

Private lessons are for those seeking one-on-one swimming instruction. Private lessons are a half-hour per session and focus on the goals of the participant. See “Pricing & Payment Information” for options.

Registration

If you are interested in private swim lessons, please send an email with your availability to [email protected].

Call 615-898-2104 for more information.

Payment information will be send once an instructor is assigned.

Pricing is based on per 30-minute lesson. Discounts will be applied for MTSU Students.

  • 1 Lesson:  $40
  • 2 Lessons:  $80
  • 3 Lessons:  $115
  • 4 Lessons:  $150
  • 5 Lessons:  $175

Campus Recreation accepts in-person, phone, or online payments.

Parent and Child Aquatics (PCA): For 6-months to 3-year-olds
Parents and children learn together to increase a child’s comfort level in the water and build a foundation of basic skills. The two levels are fun filled and help introduce water safety concepts, encouraging a healthy recreational habit.

  • Level 1: Basic skills of buoyancy on front and back, entries and exits, and submersions are taught to parents and children to help orient them to the water and to help them develop a level of comfort in the water.
  • Level 2: Builds upon the skills learned in Level 1 and provides experiences and activities to develop advanced skills without support from parents.

Preschool Aquatics (PRE): For 3- to 5-year-olds
Throughout the three levels, preschool-age children are taught basic aquatic safety and progressive swimming skills while increasing their comfort level in and around the water with age-appropriate skills.

  • Level 1: Orients children to the aquatic environment and helps them gain basic aquatic skills.
  • Level 2: Helps children gain greater independence in their skills and develop more comfort in and around the water.
  • Level 3: Helps children start to gain basic swimming propulsive skills to be comfortable in and around water.

Learn-to-Swim (LTS): For 6-year-olds to teens
Designed to help participants achieve maximum success, Learn-to-Swim courses are based on a logical, six-level progression that helps swimmers of varying ages and abilities develop their water safety, survival, and swim skills.

  • Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills. Helps participants feel comfortable in the water and includes skills such as entry/exit, floating, supported gliding, and basic water safety rules.
  • Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills. Gives participants success with fundamental skills including breath-holding, retrieving objects, combined stroke, front and back floating with minimal support, and personal safety and rescue skills.
  • Level 3: Stroke Development. Builds on skills in Level 2 and includes deep-water skills, diving from a kneeling position, back and survival floats, treading water, and flutter and dolphin kicks (no support).
  • Level 4: Stroke Improvement. Develops confidence in skills learned and improves other aquatic skills such as swimming underwater and various strokes (elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke, and butterfly).
  • Level 5: Stroke Refinement. Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes. Includes skills such as sculling, stride jump entry, tuck and pike surface dives, and front and back flip turns while swimming.
  • Level 6: Swimming and Skill Proficiency. Refines the strokes so participants swim them with ease, efficiency, power, and smoothness over greater distances. Level 6 is designed with “menu” options that focus on preparing participants for more advanced courses. Options include Fitness Swimming, Personal Water Safety, and Fundamentals of Diving.

Adult Swim: For teens to adults
The American Red Cross Adult Swim Program is intended for teens and adults who wish to improve their aquatic knowledge and skills. There are three Adult Swim courses offered:

  • Learning the Basics
  • Improving Skills and Swimming Strokes
  • Swimming for Fitness

Everyone who parks on campus before 5:00pm is required to have a parking permit.

  • Make sure to have your license plate number, vehicle make, and vehicle model when you register for swim lessons so you can be issued a parking permit
    • Your parking pass will be waiting for you in the Campus Rec office on the date of your first lesson
  • If lesson begins at 5:00pm or later, you will not need a parking pass and can park in any lot without being ticketed
  • You must park in one of the 3 assigned lots (Campus Rec Lot, Softball Lot, One Stop Visitors lot)
  • Failure to obtain a parking pass or parking in a different lot may result in a parking ticket

FAQs

Please review the following Frequently Asked Questions. If you cannot find an answer to your question, please contact the Campus Recreation office. 

Do I need a parking pass? 

Yes, if you have a lesson before 5pm on weekdays. Parking passes will be ready for you on the first day. You can pick up these parking passes in the front office either before, during or after your lesson. 

Where can I park? 

If you have a lesson before 5PM on weekdays, you will need to park in one of the three assigned lots found on the parking map. (Campus Rec Lot, Softball Lot, One Stop Visitors Lot). If you have a lesson after 5pm or the weekends you will not need a parking pass.  

What do I do if I receive a parking ticket? 

You will need to appeal your ticket through MTSU Parking Services.  

Click here to download a parking map

How do I stay up to date with the new swim lesson sessions?

You can find us on instagram @mtsu.aquatics

How do I know which level to sign up for?
If you have read all of the class descriptions in the Group Lessons section above and are still unsure what level to sign up for, you can fill out the Swim Level Questionnaire and someone from our team will follow up within 48 business hours to confirm.

What happens if I sign up for the wrong level?
We evaluate every child on the first day of lessons. If your child is in the wrong level, we will try to move them to the appropriate level. If that level is full, you can switch to three 30 minute private lessons or a different session. 

How do I register my child or multiple children under my account?

You will first create an account for yourself. Then in your profile (under settings), you will add family members. Now when you register for a program, you will be asked which family member you are registering for. This allows you to register multiple members for the same programs. 

Can I switch the class I signed up for?

No, you will need to request a refund and then sign up for the correct level. See the refund policy below, under “General”

Are swim diapers required? 

Swim diapers are required for all Parent and Child Aquatic classes and any preschooler who is not well potty trained. We only require one swim diaper. It does not matter if it is disposable or reusable.  

Are goggles allowed? 

Yes, goggles are allowed. Participants will practice swimming with them on and off.  

Can I get in the water with my child?

Yes, you are welcome to get in the water to help assist your child in swim lessons. This is particularly helpful for kids who are fearful of the water or fearful of new people.  

How many students are in a class?

The Parent and Child classes and our Learn to Swim levels can have up to ten students. Our preschool levels can have up to 6 students.  

Can we make up lessons that are missed? 

We schedule ten lessons but base our prices off of eight lessons. This way there are two extra lessons built into the schedule. We would cancel classes for weather, unscheduled pool maintenance or water contamination.  

How will I be notified that group lessons are cancelled? 

We will notify people by email as soon as we know that lessons are cancelled.  

At what ages can you take private lessons?  

The same as our group lessons 6 month to adults. You can customize your private lessons to meet your specific goals.  

How long are your private lessons? 

Private lessons are 30 minutes long and you can buy up to 8 lessons at once.  

What are your staff qualifications?

Our swim lesson instructors are certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor.  

Do you offer refunds?

Our refund notice is as follows:

  • 100% 14 days before class 
  • 50% 8-13 days before class 
  • No refund one week before class or once the classes begin

What is the weather policy?

The indoor pool will close for 30 minutes after each lighting strike. We will not close the pool until it lightnings.