Level 6 · Training like a swimmer

Seals Swim team prep in Hallandale Beach

The last learn-to-swim level before swim team. Swimmers refine all four competitive strokes, learn legal turns, build endurance and practice the habits a structured team environment asks for.

Age
Ages 6+
Lesson
40 min
Group
Up to 4 swimmers
Water
90°F, indoor
An instructor correcting a swimmer’s freestyle arm recovery mid-stroke
The ladder

Where Seals fits in

One of 11 levels between a first float and the swim team. Each one starts where the one before it ends.

  1. In the water with you
    1. Sea Cubs
    2. Tiger Sharks
    3. Blue Whales
  2. Swimming on their own
    1. Starfishes
    2. Tadpoles
  3. Real strokes, real distance
    1. Super Frogs
    2. Ducklings
    3. Guppies
    4. Sea Otters
  4. Training like a swimmer
    1. Vaquitas
    2. Seals
What they learn

What Seals train for

The strokes, distances and habits of a team practice.

  • All four strokes

    Refined freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.

  • 100-yard individual medley

    All four strokes in a single swim.

  • 100-yard freestyle

    The full distance, with form that holds to the finish.

  • Legal turns

    Turns that meet the rules for each stroke.

  • Team practice habits

    Listening, following a set and training the way a team does.

The class

How a class works

All four strokes started

For swimmers who swim the basic form of all four competitive strokes and are ready to make them legal and consistent.

40-minute practices

Longer classes, closer to the rhythm of a team practice.

Up to 4 swimmers per coach

Coaches look at technique, endurance, consistency and listening skills.

$132 per month · 4 sessions

One monthly price for a place in the group, at the same time each week.

Weekly schedule

Class times for Seals

5 classes a week, 40 minutes each, as scheduled in our booking system. Booking shows which of them have a place.

Monday

  • 5:25 PM
  • 6:05 PM

Tuesday

  • 4:05 PM

Thursday

  • 4:05 PM
  • 6:05 PM
Coaches

Who teaches Seals

The coaches teaching Seals classes on the current schedule, all working from the same curriculum.

Portrait of Valerie Vank

Valerie Vank

Head Coach · Vaquitas & Seals

  • EN
  • RU
  • Lifeguard
Portrait of Kateryna Bolhova

Kateryna Bolhova

Swim Instructor · Beginner Confidence

  • EN
  • RU
  • UA
  • Red Cross WSI
Moving up

Ready for the swim team

Completion is skill-based. Swimmers are ready for swim team when they meet the standards for strokes, turns, distance and endurance, and are ready to train with a coach in a team setting.

What the coach looks for

  • All four strokes, legal and consistent
  • Legal turns
  • A 100-yard IM and a 100-yard freestyle
  • Ready for a team practice
Next step

Swim team

Where the ladder hands over to the team

How it works
Good to know

Before the first class

  • Placement and completion are skill-based.
  • Seals is where our swimmers leave for local club teams.

Fun fact

Naps underwater

Harbor seals can sleep underwater and come up for air about once every 30 minutes. Our Seals stay wide awake, especially when the coach says one more lap.

Source: NOAA Fisheries, Harbor Seal species profile

Common questions

What people ask before they book

What does my child need to join a swim team?

Legal strokes, legal turns, the endurance for a 100-yard IM and a 100-yard freestyle, and the habits to follow a team practice. Seals trains exactly those.

What is a 100 IM?

The individual medley: one swimmer swims butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle, in that order, in a single 100-yard race.

How long are Seals practices?

Each class runs 40 minutes, closer to the length and pace of a team practice.

What happens after Seals?

Swim team. By the academy’s own estimate, around 90% of our regular swimmers reach swim-team entry level.
Next step

Ready for the team

Bring a swimsuit, goggles and a cap. The coach checks strokes and turns on the first day.