Local swimming programs hope update to restrictions will boost numbers of those seeking lessons

The YMCA aquatics director said in a land of 10,000 lakes, with kids 100% curious, they’re hoping parents feel more comfortable getting their kids into indoor swimming lessons as the swim season approaches.

"We get plenty of emails and comments from parents saying ‘Wow, we’ve had to take a year, year and a half off of swimming, because of COVID, and we need to get back on,’" said Shannon Kinstler, senior association aquatic director at YMCA.

In 2019, the YMCA served 7,500 swimmers aged 6 in its spring lessons. In 2021, it only saw 2,500 swimmers.

The YMCA said factors include:

• Social distancing and reduced participants
• Availability of pool space with other programs following the governor’s executive orders
• Availability of swim instructors

The YMCA said it is starting to see somewhat of an uptick in indoor swimming lesson registrations for children.

"I think there is that increased demand that is happening," Kinstler said. "People are ready to get out."

Even though some restrictions are loosening, the YMCA said some safety measures will still be in place.

"We are still going to have our instructors in masks and face shields and make sure that we are protecting them that way," Kinstler said.

The plan is the same with Minneapolis Community Education indoor swimming lessons.

They’re anticipating upcoming restriction updates that could open more opportunities for kids to learn how to swim.

Silvia Zavaleta-Ihme, of the Minneapolis Community Education Aquatics Department, said, "Before COVID, around this time, we would have a lot more registrations."

Minneapolis Community Education’s Aquatics Department took a hit with the shutdown. It had to cancel its fee-based programming, which meant no budget to create a brochure to alert parents about upcoming lessons.

Zavaleta-Ihme said, "Right now at one of our locations for sure we would have maybe like 700 kids, and right now we are maybe at 200, so it’s low."

Minneapolis Community Education is now starting a sliding fee scale to make lessons affordable. A grant program at Franklin Middle School in north Minneapolis will make swimming lessons at that location free.

The hope is more kids can have fun and learn life-saving skills in the water.