- 1111 Hewit St. • Hollidaysburg, PA
- 814-695-4467
- Mon-Thu: 5AM – 9PM
- Fri: 5AM – 7:30PM
- Sat: 7AM – 3PM
- Sun: 10AM – 4PM
The YMCA is the most accessible community resource to prevent drowning and encourage a lifelong enjoyment of swimming. The YMCA introduced the country to the concept of group swim lessons more than 100 years ago (1909), and each year, the YMCA teaches more than one million children invaluable water safety and swimming skills. Our YMCA’s instructors cover swimming skills, stroke technique, and water safety in a friendly and encouraging environment. With small instructor-to-student ratio, our swim lessons provide personal instruction in a fun atmosphere! No matter your age or ability, you can learn to swim and improve your swimming skills at the Blair Regional YMCA.
Follow the descriptions below to find the right level for your child, then register by clicking on the link. Remember, placing a child in the incorrect level will be a disservice to both the child and other class members. If you are not sure which level to place your child in, please go with the lower level class and we can place them accordingly as needed. You may also contact our Swim Lesson Coordinator Taylor Rickabaugh at [email protected] or our Aquatics Director at [email protected] with any questions. Please make sure your child meets the requirements/eligibility before signing them up for a certain class.
More information can also be found on the registration form for each lesson.
Scholarships are available for those who need assistance. (Not available for Private or Semi-Private Lessons)
Parent and Me swim lesson are for children ages 6 months to 3 years old ONLY. You may have up to two parents and/or guardians in with the child. This class introduces children, and their parents or guardians, to basic water and safety skills in a group setting. No prior skills are necessary for this class. Class goal is to enable both parent(s) and child to learn basic water safety skills needs to keep safe in the water and to learn to become comfortable in the water and develop swim readiness skills.
Eligibility
$60/Member | $110/Non-Member (Prices effective September 2026)
Available to Sign Up:
Saturdays
11:00-11:30am
DURING THE SUMMER, PARENT & ME SESSIONS WILL BE OFFERED AS SINGLE CLASSES, RATHER THAN PART OF A SESSION. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE AND CLASSES WILL FILL QUICKLY.
MEMBERS – $8 | NON-MEMBERS – $12
Pre-school 1 swim lessons are for swimmers, ages 3-5 only, who need to learn the basics of swimming. This class introduces children to basic swimming and water skills in a group setting. No prior skills are necessary for this class.
***Please note: a use of a Swim lesson approved floatation device will be use in class on a child until the instructor feels child is ready to go without one. Personal floatation devices are not allowed.
Eligibility-
$60/Member | 110/Non-Member (Prices effective September 2026)
Available to Sign Up:
M/W or T/Th Evenings
Saturdays
9:00-9:30am
SUMMER HOURS MAY DIFFER FROM ABOVE DATES/TIMES
Pre-school 2 are for children, 3-5 only, who have passed Pre-school 1 or who meet the eligibility requirements. Pre-School 2 builds upon the swimming and water skills taught in Pre-School 1 and to introduce students to more challenging skills in a group setting. ***Please note: a use of a Swim lesson approved floatation device will be use in class on a child until the instructor feels child is ready to go without one. Personal floatation devices are not allowed.
Eligibility
$60/Member | 110/Public (Prices effective September 2026)
Available to Sign Up:
M/W or T/Th Evenings
Saturdays
10:00-10:30am
SUMMER HOURS MAY DIFFER FROM ABOVE DATES/TIMES
Beginner 1 swim lessons are for swimmers, ages 6 and up only, that need to learn the basics of swimming. This class introduces children to basic swimming and water skills in a group setting. No prior skills are necessary for this class.
***Please note: a use of a Swim lesson approved floatation device will be use in class on a child until the instructor feels child is ready to go without one. Personal floatation devices are not allowed.
Eligibility
$50/Member | $90/Non-Member (Prices effective September 2026)
Available to Sign Up:
M/W or T/Th Evenings
Saturdays
9:30-10:00am
SUMMER HOURS MAY DIFFER FROM ABOVE DATES/TIMES
Intermediate lessons are for children who have passed Beginner 1 or who meet the eligibility requirements. This class builds upon the swimming and water skills taught in Beginner 1 and introduces students to more challenging skills. A use of a floatation device is NOT use in this class. If your child still requires a floatation device to enter the water then please see Beginner 1.
Eligibility
$60/Member | $110/Public (Prices effective September 2026)
Available to Sign Up:
M/W or T/Th Evenings
Saturdays
10:30-11:00am
SUMMER HOURS MAY DIFFER FROM ABOVE DATES/TIMES
Advanced lessons are for children who have passed Intermediate or who meet the eligibility requirements. This class is intended to go beyond the fundamentals taught in the previous stages and to introduce students to more advanced strokes and techniques and water safety skill. A use of a floatation device is NOT use in this class. If your child still requires a floatation device to enter the water then please see Beginner 1.
Eligibility
$60/Member | $110/Non-Member (Prices effective September 2026)
Available to Sign Up:
M/W or T/TH Evenings
SUMMER HOURS MAY DIFFER FROM ABOVE DATES/TIMES
Pre-Swim Team is open to the public and is for all children ages 5 and up and who have passed Pre Beginner 2 or Beginner 2 or who meet the eligibility requirements. This class-swim clinic hybrid is intended for those who have interest in joining the Blair Regional YMCA Tigersharks Swim Team. A YMCA certified coach will be overseeing this course. The coach will be teaching primarily from deck, with some in water instruction. This course introduces drills and techniques that are regularly used in the competitive swimming environment. Skills focused on include but are not limited to: Freestyle with flip-turns, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly, as well as introducing competitive dives. Class goal is to enable students to develop a mastery of swimming through stroke development, mechanics and techniques while incorporating prior knowledge of water safety skills. ***Please note: No floatation devices will be used in these classes. Also, skills taught are not limited to the above mentioned.
The Coach will evaluate each student’s readiness for the team on an individual basis:
Unlike typical group lessons, this class is only offered prior to our swim team seasons.
Dates and Times To Be Announced
We offer groups for Ages 5-10 and Ages 11 & Up
Eligibility
$125/Member | $185/Non-Member
Private swim lessons are designed to be one-on-one with an instructor. We can provide private lessons for any swimmer, from youngsters just getting in the water for the first time to adults who want to feel comfortable in the water or find a new way of low-impact exercise.
All Private Swim Lessons are available in either four, half-hour lesson package or a single, half-hour lesson, if you don’t want to commit to a full package. Lesson instruction is based on needs of the individuals.
Eligibility
Like Private Swim Lessons, Semi- Private Lessons give you the one-on-one with an instructor but with a friend or family member. Semi- Private Lessons are geared towards families who have children in multiple ages/skill groups or adults who want to take lessons together. Like regular Private Lessons, Semi -Private Lessons are taught based on needs of the individuals taking them.
All Semi-Private Swim Lessons are available in either four, half-hour lesson package or a single, half-hour lesson, if you don’t want to commit to a full package.
Eligibility
Only for Private and Semi Private Lessons. The BRY does not currently offer packaged rates for Group swim lessons. If you need assistance with the cost of swim lessons, please check out the scholarships that are available.
Please refer back to the top of the page under “Choosing the Correct Swim Lessons.” Also, please read through the descriptions of each lesson to see which best applies to your child. Remember to look at age and skill requirements for each level when making your decision. If you are unsure, you may always contact the Aquatics team to gain better insight. If your child starts a lesson that is not suited to their needs, the instructor will let you know on the first class so that you can either make a switch to an appropriate class in the same sessions or receive a credit for the lessons to be used on an appropriate class at a later time.
An active membership is not required, but our pricing structure is different for non-members. We encourage your child to have an active membership as there are so many great benefits by becoming a member, along with price savings for each monthly session.
Missed lessons on the part of the student will not be made up or credited/refunded. A student’s absence may be granted a credit in the case of extenuating circumstances provided they are submitted with proper documentation (e.g.: medical note). However, missed lessons due to weather, instructor absences, or BRY closure will be made up or credited/refunded. The Welcome Desk will handle all credits/refunds.
Each program is designed to strengthen and build upon the skills your child may already know and are being taught. Your child will progress and build new skills, while improving on old skills, each week based on their individual performance. Our instructors will continually challenge and support their progress by continuing the repetition of certain skills until they master them. Keep in mind, every child is different, so one cannot compare the skills of one child to another child in the class or level. Levels are designed so that children are grouped both age and skill level appropriate to induce a better learning environment. At the end of lessons, the instructor will be able to let you know whether your child would benefit from moving up a level or repeating the level they were in. Repeating a level does not mean failure! Remember, practice makes perfect and repeating a level, especially for those who are at the younger end of the spectrum, means perfecting their skills. As always, feel free to talk to your child’s instructor about their progress anytime during lessons.
Easy! You can edit your payment details any time by stopping by the Welcome Desk or calling in at (814) 695-4467.
We will make every effort to place your child in a class, but we do pride ourselves on safety and therefore simply adding another participant to a lesson time may not be within our instructor to child class ratio window. Please be patient and we will contact you as soon as a spot becomes available.
Please reach out to the Aquatics Education Coordinator with any additional questions: (814) 695-4467 (Extension 225).
Taylor Rickabaugh
Swim Lessons Coordinator
Phone: (814) 695-4467
Extension: #225
Fax: (814) 695-1555
Jenelle Lockard
Aquatics Director
Phone: (814) 695-4467
Extension: #223
Fax: (814) 695-1555
AQUATICS DEPARTMENT
BLAIR REGIONAL YMCA
1111 Hewit St
Hollidaysburg, PA, 16648
Phone: (814) 695-4467
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PHOTO POLICY
BLAIR REGIONAL YMCA reserves the right to use photos taken at our facility and events on our website, social media, and other marketing materials, unless you have requested otherwise.
