SWIM LESSONS

CONFIDENCE • SKILLS • ENDURANCE

The Shalom Austin JCC offers youth swim lessons founded on the principles of water safety, character development, and building community. Classes are 30 minutes in length and have small instructor-to-student ratios.gth and have small instructor-to-student ratios.

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PRIVATE LESSONS

Private Swim Lessons

Our knowledgeable and experienced swim instructor’s provide year-round instruction for swimmers of all ages and abilities. Instructors will work with you or your children to create an individualized program that meets you or your child’s specific needs – from basic comfort to advanced swimming skills. Swim Lessons are 30 minutes in length.

Private Swim Lesson Packages:

1 for $50/$60 (member/ non-member)
4 for $180/$220 (member/ non-member)
8 for $320/400 (member/ non-member)

Private Adaptive Swim Lessons

Our Swim Angelfish Certified instructors teach and support swimmers of all ages and abilities in overcoming obstacles in the water and learning to swim in a comfortable setting. Our instructors specialize in working with swimmers with visible and hidden learning and physical disabilities such as autism, sensory and motor coordination, anxiety, trauma, or simple discomfort in the water to become safe, confident, independent swimmers. Swim Lessons are 30 minutes in length.

Private Adaptive Swim Lesson Packages:

1 for $55/$70 (member/ non-member)
4 for $220/$280 (member/ non-member)
8 for $440/560 (member/ non-member)

Cancellation Poilcy

Parents or Adult participants must provide at minimum a 24-hour notice of cancellation of a lesson to their respected instructor. If more than 15 minutes late or the lesson is deemed a “no show,” that lesson will be considered completed. Swim Lessons must be completed within one year of purchase. Unused lessons after one year will be considered completed.

Ready to begin private swim lessons? Please fill out our Swim Lesson Inquiry form to get started and a member of our aquatics team will reach out to you.

Register For Lessons:

Private Swim Lessons

Adaptive Private Swim Lessons

Meet The Instructors

EARLY CHILDHOOD LESSONS

Children ages 3-5 years will learn swimming and water safety skills through enjoyable, engaging and challenging activities that motivate them to want to learn to swim. Classes are divided into three levels.

Level 1

(Ages 3-5)

Enter/Exit the pool, independently .
Face submerge and blow bubbles, 5 seconds, independently.
Float, assistance.
Glide, assistance.
Rollover, assistance.
Kick, assistance.
Paddle, assistance.

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Level 2

(Ages 3-5)

Head submerge and blowing bubbles, 8 seconds, independently.
Front & Back Float, independently.
Rollover, independently.
Front Glide, independently.
Kick on front, independently, 2 body lengths.
Combined arm & leg actions on front & back for 3 body lengths, assistance.

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Level 3

(Ages 3-5)

Head submerge and blowing bubbles, 10 seconds, independently.
Back glide, independently.
Swim and Rollover, independently.
Front Crawl, independently.
Side breathing.
Back Crawl, independently.
Elementary Backstroke, independently.

SCHOOL-AGE LESSONS

Our program is designed to teach aquatic and personal water safety skills in a logical progression within four levels. Students ages 6-12 will begin by learning basic skills and as they progress through the levels, they will refine the different strokes and build endurance. Safety education is a vital element incorporated into each lesson to promote safe behaviors in, on and around different types of aquatic environments.

Level 1

(Ages 6-10)

Enter/Exit the pool, independently.
Face submerge and blow bubbles for 5 seconds, independently.
Front & Back Float, independently.
Rollover, independently.
Front Glide, independently.
Kick on front, independently, 2 body lengths.
Combined arm and leg actions on front & back for 3 body lengths with assistance.

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Level 2

(Ages 6-10)

Head submerge and blowing bubbles, 10 seconds, independently.
Back Glide, independently.
Swim and Rollover, independently.
Front Crawl with side breathing, 5 yards.
Back Crawl, 5 yards.
Elementary Backstroke kicks, 5 body lengths.
Dolphin kicks, 5 body lengths.

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Level 3

(Ages 6-10)

Front Crawl with side breathing, 15 yards.
Back Crawl, 15 yards.
Elementary Backstroke, 15 yards.
Dolphin kick, 15 yards.
Scissor kick, 15 yards.
Breaststroke kick, 15 yards.
Breaststroke arms, 5 body lengths.

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Close up action shot of teenage boy, young athlethе swimming butterfly stroke.

Level 4

(Ages 6-10)

Front Crawl, 25 yards.
Elementary Backstroke, 25 yards.
Back Crawl, 25 yards.
Breaststroke, 15 yards.
Butterfly, 15 yards.
Sidestroke, 15 yards.

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Matthew Cole

Aquatics Instructor

Matthew Cole is personal trainer, swim instructor and Master’s swim coach at the JCC. Although Matthew, a Washing State native, relocated to Austin for work in the tech industry, he remains passionate about all things swimming and fitness. Matthew swam at the University of Puget Sound where he broke the school record and placed in the top 8 at NCAAs in 50-Free. Matthew prides himself on being detail oriented when working with swimmers. He specializes in stroke technique and refinement. He believes a strong technique is the foundation for competitive swimmers and should be regimented by an intentional training program. Matthew works with swimmers in the pool and in the weight room. Matthew currently swims Masters at the University of Texas and has a personal goal of breaking 20 seconds in 50 free.

Kris Pequeno

Aquatics Program Coordinator

Kris Pequeño has been coaching USA Swimming for over 15 years and was a highly trained competitive swimmer in her youth. She attended many summers at a swim camp in Arizona coached by Olympian Coach Bob Gillett. Gillett was the first coach to have a swimmer perfect the underwater dolphin kick, which won her the gold. Kris skillfully incorporates this method, and her experience collaborating with Olympians, in her own teaching and coaching. When working with youth swimmers, she is patient, knowledgeable, and very encouraging. Kris has a son who shares many of her passions in horticulture, animal behavior, art, and of course swimming

Marcus Litz

Aquatics Assistant Director

Marcus Litz joined Shalom Austin in 2021. In his role as aquatics assistant director, Litz will oversee the swim lesson coordinator, swim team coach and lifeguards. Born in Round Rock, Litz grew up around water. He started lifeguarding at 15 and his enthusiasm for aquatics has grown ever since. He is passionate about general water safety, swim lessons, and creating a strong aquatic community with the opening of the brand-new Rochelle and Stanley Ferdman Family Aquatic Center. Litz has a background in aquatics management and most recently worked at Kalahari, America’s largest indoor waterpark.

Amy Linkous

Adaptive Aquatics Instructor

Amy Linkous is a certified adaptive swim instructor and a certified Level 3 Swim Whisperer® through the Swim Angelfish® Methodology. Amy is passionate about teaching swimming to persons of all ages and all abilities and is dedicated to making swimming safer and more enjoyable for all those with learning or physical differences. Coach Amy swam as a youth through high school and competed as member of University of Notre Dame’s varsity women’s swim team. Amy started her coaching career as a summer league swim coach and then later joined the coaching staff at the Phoenix Swim Club as co-director of the Club’s summer swim lessons program. Amy founded Swim For All in 2015 to provide swim instruction to persons of all abilities in the greater Austin area. Out of the pool, Amy graduated with her B.A. in Psychology and M.S. in Education and has 18 years of professional teaching experience, primarily as a mathematics instructor for grades 4 through 8. She is the proud mother of two strong-willed teens, including a competitive age-group swimmer and a talented special needs teen. Away from the pool, Amy has loves listening to live music, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.