Category Archives: Learn to Swim

Fall 2015 Learn to Swim

Bowling Green State University offers swim lessons for all people age six months through adult and all skill levels from beginning to advanced swimmers taught by fully certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors.

Lesson Types

Semi-Private Lessons (by appointment only)
Specialized and intensive swim instruction for 2 to 3 students 3 years of age and up. Learn and improve skills quickly by assembling a group of similar swimming abilities and levels in advance. Aquatics staff does not match up children for this purpose.

Private Lessons (by appointment only)
Private swim lessons are offered to interested parties who cannot fit group lessons into their busy schedules or just prefer one-on-one instruction. Times and dates of lessons are determined between the assigned instructor and participant.

Small Group Lessons
Small Group Lessons have a minimum of 4 participants and a maximum of 6 participants per class. Cancellation occurs if the minimum enrollment is not met. Participants may upgrade at an additional fee to a private or semi-private option.

For schedule and price structure visit website.

Swim Lesson

Make a Splash with RecWell’s Learn to Swim

According to the USA Swimming Foundation, nine people drown each day in the United States. With warmer months on the horizon, water lovers should understand the techniques and safety of how to swim before making the plunge.

Recreation and Wellness’ Learn to Swim program provides community members with an opportunity to take part in swim lessons designed for varying ages and skill levels. Swimmers, ages six months to adult with a skill level of beginner to advanced, will be taught by fully trained certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors.

The program is divided into three different lesson types. Small Group lessons are designed for younger children. The lesson holds a minimum of four participants and a maximum of six. If the class does not meet the minimum number of participants it is cancelled, and private or semi-private lessons are recommended to those still interested.

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Semi-Private lessons and Private lessons are also offered. These lessons are scheduled by appointment only. Semi-Private lessons are specialized and intensive lessons for ages three and up. This quick pace lesson instructs two to three previously assembled participants that demonstrate a similar skill level. Private lessons are similar to Semi-Private lessons, but are strictly one-on-one.

The program uses different activities for different lessons. For the younger participants, the program focuses on fun in water with activities such as water entry, bubble blowing, front kicking, back floating and underwater exploration. As children progress they will begin to explore the water through floating, submerging, kicking skills, and strokes.

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The cost for each lesson varies by the type of lesson, the number of lessons, and whether or not the participant is a Student Recreation Center member.

It is important that people take swim lessons seriously. Simply acquiring basic skills can help in preventing serious accidents. Aquatics Student Supervisor Allyson Ruebusch stressed the significance of the Learn to Swim program and how it can be extremely beneficial to the community.

“The number of people who do not know how to swim is staggering. Thousands of swim related tragedies happen every year that could have easily been prevented by just a few lessons,” said Ruebusch.

Swimming can be a fun and healthy activity for people of all ages. However, it is very dangerous if one is not well prepared. The Learn to Swim program offers experience and expertise that can help you or your child learn potentially life saving skills that you will have for the rest of your life.

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For small group lessons participants may register at the front desk of the Student Recreation Center or call 419.372.2000. For private lessons contact Micha Seither, smicha@bgsu.edu.

RecWell Opportunities for Student Employment and Experience

Recreation and Wellness employs BGSU students in a variety of different areas creating career and leadership development opportunities. Available positions can be found at all of the department’s facilities, such as the Student Recreation Center (SRC), Ice Arena, and Forrest Creason Golf Course. Additionally, there are four different levels of positions. A position’s level reflects its responsibilities, any required experience or certification, and salary.

Morgan Montgomery is an Intramural Student Supervisor with Recreation and Wellness, and has been for nearly one year. He has been with the department for a total of two and a half years, beginning as an official for Intramural Sports.

“It’s been great. There is camaraderie, our staff is close,” said Montgomery. “For a job like this in school, you can’t beat it.”

Employment at Recreation and Wellness contributes to the professional development of students and supplements classroom learning with real life experience.

“My job has prepared me for managing and directing people,” stated Montgomery, a construction management major. “Not everyone gets that, dealing with people and having a staff. The management of people will help.”

Considering his experiences working for Recreation and Wellness’ Intramural Sports Program, Montgomery recommends student employment with the department.

“I can’t think of another job on campus where you meet the people you meet here, enjoy your job, and get to be around athletics,” said Montgomery.

As Intramural Supervisor, Montgomery is responsible for on-site supervision, inspection of facilities and equipment, and evaluation of scorekeepers and officials amongst other duties. Other supervisory roles, such as the Perry Field House Supervisor, share similar responsibilities. Both positions are categorized at level four.

In order for a student to work his or her way up to positions in levels two through four, entry into a level one position is encouraged. These positions, such as Climbing Wall Attendant and Golf Course Maintenance Attendant, allow the student employee to become familiar with a specific aspect of Recreation and Wellness. The Climbing Wall Attendant is responsible for customer service and maintaining climbing wall safety, while the Golf Course Maintenance Attendant’s duties include mowing the greens, tees, fairways and roughs.

After spending time working in level one positions, student employees have the chance to move up to positions with more responsibilities and higher pay. SRC Pro Shop Manager and Zamboni Room Associate are examples of level two positions. The SRC Pro Shop Manager supervises the Pro Shop Attendants, completes shift sales reports, and does periodic inspections of facilities and equipment. Duties required of the Zamboni Room Associate include training of the Zamboni Room staff and setting up the ice for games.

Certain positions may require outside certification. The Learn-to-Swim Instructor position requires an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Certification. While this position is at level three, its unique certification does not require applicants to have a prior work history with Recreation and Wellness at a level one or two position. Many of the other positions in the department require First Aid and CPR certification.

For more information on positions available and contact information, please visit the Recreation and Wellness Student Employment Web site.

BGSU Helps Community Learn to Skate, Swim

Recreation and Wellness’ Learn to Skate and Learn to Swim programs provide the Bowling Green community with the ability to learn valuable recreation and exercise skills. Group skating and swimming lessons at BGSU are available for individuals of varying ages and skill sets.

The Learn to Skate program offers eight different types of classes for individuals of various ages and experience levels. Participants’ age can range from three-year-olds to adults. Those enrolling in the classes can expect to learn the basic skills of skating from instructors with a highly proficient level of skating experience.

“A comprehensive base of figure skating or skating skills will be learned,” stated Ice Arena Staff Assistant Laura Dunn. “When someone signs up they receive practice time and a punch card to use during public skate.”

Dunn stressed the skills taught are done so in an engaging manner.

“We have fun,” Dunn noted. “We teach our skills through games and props. We try to not just teach skills, but make them fun.”

In addition to options based on age and experience, classes can vary depending on the style of skating the participant wants to learn. Classes focusing on recreational skating, figure skating, and hockey are available.

“Skating can be a lifelong sport,” said Dunn. “It’s a fun activity to do at all ages. We like to teach everyone the basic skills. Skating can help teach determination, time management, and practice skills.”

Classes are grouped into six week sessions with classes occurring once a week on either Sundays or Mondays and are held at the Ice Arena. Learn to Skate’s “Fall Session 2” starts Sunday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 4. After “Fall Session 2,” the next session will start up after the holidays on Sunday, January 10. Cost of the lessons is $60 plus a one-time per year (July 1 through June 30) $10 United States Figure Skating registration fee. Please visit the Learn to Skate Web site for more information.

In addition to the Learn to Skate program, BGSU also offers a Learn to Swim program. The swimming lessons are available to anyone ages six months through adult and are taught by certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors. Class size ranges from four to six participants. Classes are held at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The second Fall session begins on Tuesday, November 3. These small group lessons cost $75 for SRC members and $82.50 for non-members. Private and semi-private lessons are also available by appointment. Cost for private and semi-private lessons varies by lesson length. For more information, please visit the Learn to Swim Web site.