Orinda Park Pool

Orinda Park Pool offers swim lessons to children of all age levels, beginning Monday, June 15^th. Three categories of lessons are offered: Competitive, Learn-to-Swim, and Free Lessons.

Competitive Lessons are for children currently on the swim team. Learn-to-Swim Lessons are offered to non-swim team members and cover the fundamental skills necessary to join the swim team. Both of these are paid lessons and the fee is dependent on the level of coach you request. Free Lessons are also offered to young children of pool members between the ages of 3 and 5 years old who are at the bubble blowing stage. Water safety and beginning skills are introduced.

Competitive and Learn-to-Swim Lessons at Park will be similar to last year but the number of lessons per weekly session has been reduced from four to three (and prices have been reduced accordingly, see below.) All lessons will be private, that is, one-on-one. This allows the coaches to customize lessons to address each individual swimmer’s needs and will be the most effective in accelerating the skills of Park’s swimmers. The philosophy is that lessons and practice go hand-in-hand . . . lessons should never be a substitute for a well-run technique-based practice session. Private lessons allow a swimmer to work on skills they might be having difficulty mastering, and the swimmer then returns to practice with a new understanding of and confidence in the techniques being taught.

Lessons will begin the week of June 15^th and will be offered for seven weeks through the end of July. Sign-ups will begin Monday June 8^th at 4pm. You may only sign up for one weekly session (or 3 single lessons) per child until June 22^nd. This will allow more families to participate in lessons. After June 22^nd, you may only sign up for two one-week sessions (or six single lessons) at a time. This guideline is important because lessons should not replace practice. Swimmers will learn plenty of new techniques to work on in practice at the end of a session and they will need time and space to do so. It is also necessary to ensure that swimmers get the opportunity to take lessons with the coach of their choice. As you finish one week of lessons, you may sign up for another week if space permits and the coach recommends it.

A weekly session consists of three 20-minute lessons. The sessions will typically be held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday – but there are many exceptions as we have scheduled the weekly sessions around both weekday meets and major social events. An increased number of single 20-minute lessons will also be available this year – designated slots will be indicated in each coach’s binder. Time slots are available from 1:00-3:00 for swim team members and siblings, from 3:00-3:30 for Learn-to-Swim lessons only, and then from 3:30-5:00 for all pool members.

Lesson sign-up binders will be on the metal table in front of the coaches office. Each coach will have a binder with sign-up sheets for each week. In order to sign up, you must fill in your swimmer’s name in an appropriate slot and place your check in the attached folder. Please indicate the name of your child, the name of the coach, and the week/date of the lesson(s) in the memo line of the check. Your sign-up becomes official when both the coach and the Lesson Coordinator have initialed your lesson slot. Lessons are non-refundable – make-ups will only be offered if the coach is forced to cancel due to illness, etc. Be sure to read the binder page carefully when you sign up your swimmer and make a note of the days of the week your session will be held. If you cannot attend your scheduled lesson please be considerate and email the coaches at coaches@orindaparkpool.org with subject line “cancelled lesson” and the swimmer’s name, coach’s name, and lesson time in the body of the email.

The cost of a weekly session/single lesson depends on the experience level of the instructor as follows:

Lessons with a Head Coach will be $75 a session or $30 for a single lesson.
Lessons with an Age Group Coach will be $60 a session or $25 for a single lesson.
Lessons with a Senior Coach will be $50 a session or $20 for a single lesson.
Lessons with a Coach will be $40 a session or $15 for a single lesson
Lessons with a Junior Coach or CIT will be $25 a session or $10 for a single lesson.

Free lessons will begin the week of June 15^th. Each Monday sign-up sheets for the following week will be available on the bulletin board by the coach’s office – e.g.. the sign-up sheet for the week of June 29^th will be posted on June 22^nd. These lessons will run Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 10am -11:30am . Lessons are 15 minutes long with a group of two in a lesson. There will be four available spaces for each time slot.

The Lesson Coordinator this summer is Jane Gaffney. You can email her at jane.gaffney@comcast.net with payment and other administrative questions.


		Swim Lessons Orinda Park Pool offers swim lessons to children of all age levels, beginning Monday, June 15^th. Three categories of lessons are offered: Competitive, Learn-to-Swim, and Free Lessons. Competitive Lessons are for children currently on the swim team. Learn-to-Swim Lessons are offered to non-swim team members and cover the fundamental skills necessary to join the swim team. Both of these are paid lessons and the fee is dependent on the level of coach you request. Free Lessons are also offered to young children of pool members between the ages of 3 and 5 years old who are at the bubble blowing stage. Water safety and beginning skills are introduced. Competitive and Learn-to-Swim Lessons at Park will be similar to last year but the number of lessons per weekly session has been reduced from four to three (and prices have been reduced accordingly, see below.) All lessons will be private, that is, one-on-one. This allows the coaches to customize lessons to address each individual swimmer’s needs and will be the most effective in accelerating the skills of Park’s swimmers. The philosophy is that lessons and practice go hand-in-hand . . . lessons should never be a substitute for a well-run technique-based practice session. Private lessons allow a swimmer to work on skills they might be having difficulty mastering, and the swimmer then returns to practice with a new understanding of and confidence in the techniques being taught. Lessons will begin the week of June 15^th and will be offered for seven weeks through the end of July. Sign-ups will begin Monday June 8^th at 4pm. You may only sign up for one weekly session (or 3 single lessons) per child until June 22^nd. This will allow more families to participate in lessons. After June 22^nd, you may only sign up for two one-week sessions (or six single lessons) at a time. This guideline is important because lessons should not replace practice. Swimmers will learn plenty of new techniques to work on in practice at the end of a session and they will need time and space to do so. It is also necessary to ensure that swimmers get the opportunity to take lessons with the coach of their choice. As you finish one week of lessons, you may sign up for another week if space permits and the coach recommends it. A weekly session consists of three 20-minute lessons. The sessions will typically be held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday – but there are many exceptions as we have scheduled the weekly sessions around both weekday meets and major social events. An increased number of single 20-minute lessons will also be available this year – designated slots will be indicated in each coach’s binder. Time slots are available from 1:00-3:00 for swim team members and siblings, from 3:00-3:30 for Learn-to-Swim lessons only, and then from 3:30-5:00 for all pool members. Lesson sign-up binders will be on the metal table in front of the coaches office. Each coach will have a binder with sign-up sheets for each week. In order to sign up, you must fill in your swimmer’s name in an appropriate slot and place your check in the attached folder. Please indicate the name of your child, the name of the coach, and the week/date of the lesson(s) in the memo line of the check. Your sign-up becomes official when both the coach and the Lesson Coordinator have initialed your lesson slot. Lessons are non-refundable – make-ups will only be offered if the coach is forced to cancel due to illness, etc. Be sure to read the binder page carefully when you sign up your swimmer and make a note of the days of the week your session will be held. If you cannot attend your scheduled lesson please be considerate and email the coaches at coaches@orindaparkpool.org with subject line “cancelled lesson” and the swimmer’s name, coach’s name, and lesson time in the body of the email. The cost of a weekly session/single lesson depends on the experience level of the instructor as follows: Lessons with a Head Coach will be $75 a session or $30 for a single lesson. Lessons with an Age Group Coach will be $60 a session or $25 for a single lesson. Lessons with a Senior Coach will be $50 a session or $20 for a single lesson. Lessons with a Coach will be $40 a session or $15 for a single lesson Lessons with a Junior Coach or CIT will be $25 a session or $10 for a single lesson. Free lessons will begin the week of June 15^th. Each Monday sign-up sheets for the following week will be available on the bulletin board by the coach’s office – e.g.. the sign-up sheet for the week of June 29^th will be posted on June 22^nd. These lessons will run Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 10am -11:30am . Lessons are 15 minutes long with a group of two in a lesson. There will be four available spaces for each time slot. The Lesson Coordinator this summer is Jane Gaffney. You can email her at jane.gaffney@comcast.net with payment and other administrative questions.