SWIM LESSONS

CONFIDENCE • SKILLS • ENDURANCE

The Shalom Austin JCC offers swim lessons to children and adults founded on the principles of water safety, character development, and building community.

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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 Policy

Parents or Adult participants must provide at minimum a 24-hour notice of cancellation of a lesson to their 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

GROUP SWIM LESSONS

Children will learn swimming and water safety skills through enjoyable, engaging, and challenging activities that motivate them to want to learn to swim. Classes are 35-40 minutes in length and have small instructor-to-student ratios.

EARLY CHILDHOOD LESSONS

Ages 3-5 years old

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Level 1 – Starfish

For first-time swimmers that are comfortable being in the water without a parent.
Children will learn how to enter and exit the pool independently, blow bubbles, put their face in the water, practice front and back floats with support, and explore arm and leg movements including flutter kick.

Level 2 – Goldfish

For swimmers who can float on their font and back with support and are comfortable putting their head under water.
Children will practice front and back floats independently and learn how to transition from a front float to a back float and vice-versa (roll-over). They will learn how to push off the wall, be introduced to front crawl, practice kicking on their back, and will retrieve objects from the bottom of the pool.

Level 3 – Sea Turtles

For swimmers who can float on their front and back independently, are comfortable putting their head in the water, and have been introduced to the basic movements of front crawl including flutter kick and arm movements.
Children will practice front crawl and kicking on their back without assistance. They will be introduced to side breathing, elementary backstroke, and breaststroke kick.

SCHOOL-AGE LESSONS

Ages 6-10 years old.

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Level 1 – Minnows

For first-time swimmers that are comfortable being in the water without a parent
Children will learn how to enter and exit the pool independently, blow bubbles, put their face in the water, and how to transition from a front float to a back float and vice-versa (roll-over). They will practice front and back floats independently, explore arm and leg movements including flutter kick, and will retrieve objects from the bottom of the pool.

Level 2 – Seahorses

For swimmers who can float on their font and back independently and are comfortable putting their head under water.
Children will learn how to push off the wall in streamline and practice retrieving an on object from deeper parts of the pull. They will be introduced to front crawl with side breathing, elementary backstroke, and breaststroke kick.

Level 3 – Stingray

For swimmers who are comfortable with the movements of front crawl with side breathing, elementary backstroke, and breaststroke kick.
Children will practice freestyle (front crawl with side breathing) and independent backstroke. They will learn elementary breaststroke and dolphin kick.

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

Level 4 – Dolphins

For swimmers who can swim freestyle, backstroke, and understand the movements to elementary breaststroke and dolphin kick.
Children will gain endurance with freestyle and backstroke, and practice combining the movements for breaststroke and butterfly.

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.

Marcus Litz

Aquatics Assistant Director

Marcus Litz joined Shalom Austin in 2021. Born in Round Rock, Marcus 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 aquatics center. Marcus 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.

John Mannix

Aquatics Instructor

John Mannix has been a passionate swimmer since his youth. As a lifelong swimmer, John recognizes the importance of water safety, and is passionate about helping students develop their skills and learn essential water safety practices when around pools, lakes, and beaches. He has over seven years of experience teaching children and adult swimmers of all levels from beginner water safety skills to advanced stroke technique work and is now a Certified Water Safety Instructor. In 2012, John placed third in the Austin Rookie Triathlon, and three years later won first place in the CapTex Triathlon in the relay division. In his free time, John worked as a volunteer for Colin’s Hope and has spent the last 20 years volunteering for Meals on Wheels, among other organizations. John and his wife have three daughters and he swims most mornings here at the JCC.

Marco Vasquez ll

Aquatics Instructor

Marco, born in El Paso and raised in Austin, is passionate about all things Aquatics. Marco’s swimming journey began as a Junior Swim Coach and swimmer for the Avery Ranch Redfish. Marco went on to swim Varsity at Meridian World School, earning team captain honors. He continued his swim career at the collegiate level for the University of North Texas swimming breaststroke. Marco is a seasoned swim instructor with experience ranging from teaching pre-school aged children to swim, to coaching adult Masters Swim programs. Marco taught swim lessons previously at Bushy Creek, has been a certified lifeguard since 2015 and currently coaches the Piranhas and Masters Swim Teams at the JCC. Out of the water, Marco enjoys spending time at summer camp. He grew up attending Camp Young Judaea in Wimberley, Texas and spent this past summer as the Aquatics Director at Camp Ramah in Ojai California. Marco is currently a student at EMTS Academy pursuing a Paramedic license. His hobbies include Mountain Biking, Bouldering, Drones, and exploring the outdoors! GoOoOoOoOoOoOo Piranhas!