With the new year comes the chance to take up new activities — for you and your children. While summertime beckons with the chance to cannonball into a pool or run into the ocean, the most important part is knowing how to navigate a pulling tide and staying afloat.
The time is now to enroll into swimming lessons or a refresher course to make sure that when summer comes, you can be equipped with the swimming and safety skills to have the best summer yet.
This will help give children — or adults — the benefit of a lifelong skill and some great cardiovascular activity, and could also save lives in the process.
Swim lessons can help prevent risks of drowning and provide confidence for your young swimmer so they know exactly what to do to get to safety.
Here are a few local options in and around Fayetteville:
Cape Fear Valley Healthplex
The Healthplex offers year-round swim lessons for children ages 6 months to adults. Group lessons are offered in the following categories: Parents and Tots (ages 6 to 36 months), Preschool (ages 3-5), and Levels One through Four (ages 5 and older), and Adult. Lessons are offered to full-time members and each class is limited to four participants.
The Healthplex is located at 1930 Skibo Road in Fayetteville. For more information, visit https://www.capefearvalley.com/healthplex/aquatics.html.
YMCA of the Sandhills
The YMCA offers both private and group lessons at its Cameron and Fayetteville locations.
Group lessons are eight sessions long and are for children 6 months old to adults. Private lessons are available for children 3 years old to adults and are designed for individual instruction. There are member and non-member rates available for both private and group lessons.
The Fayetteville branch is located at 2717 Fort Bragg Road and the Saleeby Family Branch is located at 107 Carletta Cagle Drive in Cameron. For more information or to register, visit https://ymcaofthesandhills.org/aquatics.
Fayetteville/Cumberland County Parks and Recreation
Programs through Fayetteville/Cumberland County Parks and Recreation include swim camps throughout the summer for ages 5 to 17 at any of its four pools: Ronnie “Chase” Chalmers Pool at 1520 Slater Ave., Keith A. Bates Sr. Pool at 4945 Rosehill Road, Lake Rim Aquatic Center at 2265 Tar Kiln Drive and Westover Aquatic Center at 266 Bonanza Drive.
Swim camps are focused on increasing skills in the water and two camps are offered per week, separated by age groups. For more information on when to register and when they take place, visit https://www.fcpr.us/facilities/aquatics/aquatics-programs.
Campbell University Aquatics Center
Campbell University’s Swim School Program is for children ages 2 to 11 years old and meets for three weeks, offering six sessions.
The Children’s Swimming Program also has a Waterbabies Program for children under 2 years old and the Aquatics Center also offers an Adult Swimming Program. Private swim lessons are also available. All lessons take place at the Nathan Johnson Aquatics Center at Campbell University in Buies Creek.
For more information, visit https://www.campbell.edu/life/campus-recreation/aquatics-center/.
James Leach Aquatic & Recreation Center in Raeford
One of the newest offerings with a state-of-the-art indoor pool in the region is at the James Leach Aquatic Center. The center will begin its registration for its February swim lessons on Jan. 8
It is located at 5215 Fayetteville Road in Raeford. For more information including registering for swim lessons, visit https://www.cogran.io/index.html?hokecounty#/events.
Tucker Indoor Pool on Fort Liberty
Private swim lessons are available for DOD ID card holders and those 4 years old and up on Fort Liberty at the Tucker Indoor Pool, since the Tolson Indoor Pool is temporarily closed. Parents with DOD cards must register their children under 10 years old. Group swim lessons are available and evaluations must be completed before registration to place children in their needed level. Lessons are based on ability from the basics for learning to swim to advanced instruction. Registration is first come, first served until spots are filled.
The Tucker Indoor Pool is located on Tullidge Way on post. For more information, visit https://liberty.armymwr.com/programs/aquatics.
Private Instructors
Numerous private instructors fill up their summer schedules quickly, including well-known names in this area, like Nicole Burkhart, who also specializes in ISR. ISR stands for “Infant Swimming Resources,” and Burkhart offers one-on-one lessons with children as young as six months.
Swimming is a fun way to stay active and cool in the summertime. And attending swim lessons will help you make a splash with your children, while also prioritizing water safety.
