Minnetonka Community Education

Ready for a life-changing opportunity? Become a certified Red Cross lifeguard (age 15 and older) in a blended learning course format. Learn from experienced instructors using the latest science-based techniques and build water confidence after passing an initial swimming test. Transform your future—sign up today!

Ready to make a bigger splash? Leverage your current lifeguard certification to become a dynamic instructor! This comprehensive two-part program features convenient online learning to build your foundational knowledge, followed by an engaging in-person skills course. Empower future lifeguards and significantly contribute to safer aquatic environments in your community. Start your instructor journey now!

This recertification course is designed for current American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructors and Instructor Trainers who need to renew their certifications. Participants will review essential teaching skills, updated course content, and current protocols to ensure they continue delivering high-quality lifeguarding instruction.

Sharpen your in-water rescue skills and meet national standards! This focused training, recognized by USA Swimming and Y USA, delivers the essential in-water swim safety certification required by coaching governing bodies. Elevate your ability to ensure a safe aquatic environment for your athletes and fulfill crucial coaching requirements.

Enhance your coaching prowess with essential in-water safety expertise! Recognized by USA Swimming and Y USA, this training provides the in-water swim safety certification alongside crucial First Aid, CPR and AED skills. Equip yourself to confidently ensure swimmer's well-being and meet national governing body requirements.

Interested in competitive swimming? Sample a competitive swimming environment by participating in team-style practices, competing at a swim meet and learning competition skills before joining a club swim team. Ages 11-15 Rec Team Requirements: 25-50 yards freestyle and backstroke 15-25 yards breaststroke and butterfly Ability to swim and tread unassisted in deep water Must have passed Skipper 5, Admiral 3 or equivalent level Prerequisites and Skill Assessment: Swimmers who do not possess the required skills listed above will be moved back to the Learn-to-Swim program. On the first day of practice, swimmers will be tested on the required skills (listed in “requirements” below), to ensure that the Rec Team is a good fit. Each age group will be split up into levels based on ability, to better serve swimmers of different skill levels. The Minnetonka Middle School East pool is deeper and colder than the MMW pool. Swimmers will be expected to swim 25-50 yards unassisted in deep water, please consider if this will be a comfortable fit for your swimmer. Rec Team Mini-Meets: Towards the end of the season, there is a Wednesday night “mini” swim meet for swimmers to showcase their skills and have fun racing! USA Swimming Flex membership is required to participate on the Rec Team. It costs an additional $30 for swimmers under 12, and $80 for 12+ for a year of membership.

Interested in competitive swimming? Sample a competitive swimming environment by participating in team-style practices, competing at a swim meet and learning competition skills before joining a club swim team. Ages 5-7 Rec Swim Team Requirements: 25 yard freestyle and backstroke Demonstrated ability/understanding of breaststroke and butterfly Must have passed Skipper 5, Admiral 3 or equivalent level Swim and tread unassisted in deep water About Rec Swim Team: Rec Team is designed for swimmers interested in competitive swimming. The team allows your swimmer to sample a competitive swimming environment by competing at swim meets, participating in team style practices, and learning competition skills before deciding if they’d like to try out for a club swim team. Prerequisites and Skill Assessment: Swimmers who do not possess the required skills listed above will be moved back to the Learn-to-Swim program. On the first day of practice, swimmers will be tested on the required skills (listed in “requirements” below), to ensure that the Rec Team is a good fit. Each age group will be split up into levels based on ability, to better serve swimmers of different skill levels. The Minnetonka Middle School East pool is deeper and colder than the MMW pool. Swimmers will be expected to swim 25+ yards unassisted in deep water, please consider if this will be a comfortable fit for your swimmer. Rec Team Mini-Meets: Towards the end of the season, there is a “mini” swim meets for swimmers to showcase their skills and have fun racing! USA Swimming Flex membership is required to participate on the Rec Team. It costs an additional $30 for swimmers under 12, and $80 for 12+ for a year of membership.

Interested in competitive swimming? Sample a competitive swimming environment by participating in team-style practices, competing at a swim meet and learning competition skills before joining a club swim team. Ages 8-10 Rec Team Requirements: 25 yards freestyle and backstroke 10+ yards breaststroke and butterfly Ability to swim and tread unassisted in deep water Must have passed Skipper 5, Admiral 3 or equivalent level Prerequisites and Skill Assessment: Swimmers who do not possess the required skills listed above will be moved back to the Learn-to-Swim program. On the first day of practice, swimmers will be tested on the required skills (listed in “requirements” below), to ensure that the Rec Team is a good fit. Each age group will be split up into levels based on ability, to better serve swimmers of different skill levels. The Minnetonka Middle School East pool is deeper and colder than the MMW pool. Swimmers will be expected to swim 25-50 yards unassisted in deep water, please consider if this will be a comfortable fit for your swimmer. Rec Team Mini-Meets: Towards the end of the season, there is a Wednesday night “mini” swim meet for swimmers to showcase their skills and have fun racing! USA Swimming Flex membership is required to participate on the Rec Team. It costs an additional $30 for swimmers under 12, and $80 for 12+ for a year of membership.

Interested in competitive swimming? Sample a competitive swimming environment by participating in team-style practices, competing at a swim meet and learning competition skills before joining a club swim team. Ages 8-10 Developmental: this practice group is preferred for first time/lower skill level rec participants. Practices will focus more on skill/stroke development and endurance, and less on speed training. Ages 8-10 Rec Team Requirements: 25 yard freestyle 25 yard backstroke 10+ yards breaststroke and butterfly Ability to swim and tread unassisted in deep water Must have passed Skipper 5, Admiral 3 or equivalent level Prerequisites and Skill Assessment: Swimmers who do not possess the required skills listed above will be moved back to the Learn-to-Swim program. On the first day of practice, swimmers will be tested on the required skills (listed in “requirements” below), to ensure that the Rec Team is a good fit. Each age group will be split up into levels based on ability, to better serve swimmers of different skill levels. The Minnetonka Middle School East pool is deeper and colder than the MMW pool. Swimmers will be expected to swim 25+ yards unassisted in deep water, please consider if this will be a comfortable fit for your swimmer. Rec Team Mini-Meets: Towards the end of the season, there is a Wednesday night “mini” swim meet for swimmers to showcase their skills and have fun racing! USA Swimming Flex membership is required to participate on the Rec Team. It costs an additional $30 for swimmers under 12, and $80 for 12+ for a year of membership.

Your swimmer will learn to swim freestyle with rotary breathing for 5 yards, swim backstroke for 5 yards and perform a streamline glide off the wall. For swimmers who can front and back float unassisted, swim unassisted with their face in the water for 5 yards and understand the basics of backstroke. Check Your Level Level Prerequisites Learnings Sailor 1 For inexperienced and/or cautious swimmers, with a focus on becoming more comfortable and safe in the water. Recommended for a swimmer's first class without parents in the water. Swimmers will learn to be in class with an instructor, fully submerge their head, front float, back float, and demonstrate forward movement with assistance Sailor 2 For swimmers who can voluntarily submerge their head, front float, back float and demonstrate forward movement with little assistance. Swimmers will learn to front float unassisted, back float unassisted, swim unassisted with their face in the water for 5 yards and understand the basics of backstroke. Sailor 3 For swimmers who can front float unassisted, back float unassisted, swim unassisted with their face in the water for 5 yards and understand the basics of backstroke. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rotary breathing for 5 yards, swim backstroke for 5 yards and perform a streamline glide off the wall. After passing Sailor 3, swimmers ages 5+ can move up to Skipper 2.

Learn to swim freestyle with side breathing for 12 ½ yards, swim backstroke for 12 ½ yards and swim breaststroke for 5 yards. For swimmers who can swim backstroke and freestyle with side breathing for 10 yards and perform legal breaststroke and dolphin (butterfly) kicks. Check Your Level Level Prerequisites Learnings Skipper 1 This class is for inexperienced and/or cautious swimmers. Recommended for a swimmer's first class without parents in the water (first time swimmers 5 and younger should register for Sailor 1) Swimmers will learn to fully submerge their head, front float, back float, swim 5 yards of freestyle with rotary breathing and perform a streamline glide off the wall. Skipper 2 This class is for swimmers who will voluntarily submerge their head, front float, back float and swim 5 yards of freestyle with rotary breathing. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 10 yards, swim backstroke for 10 yards, and perform breaststroke and dolphin kicks. Skipper 3 This class is for swimmers who can swim freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 10 yards, swim backstroke for 10 yards and perform legal breaststroke and dolphin kicks. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 12 ½ yards, swim backstroke for 12 ½ yards and swim breaststroke for 5 yards. Skipper 4 This class is for swimmers who can swim freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 15 yards, swim backstroke for 15 yards, perform legal dolphin kick and swim breaststroke for 5 yards. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rotary breathing for 15 yards, swim backstroke for 15 yards, swim breaststroke for 10 yards and swim butterfly for 5 yards. Skipper 5 *45 min This class is for swimmers who can swim freestyle with rotary breathing for 15 yards, swim backstroke for 15 yards, swim breaststroke for 15 yards and swim butterfly for 15 yards. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rotary breathing for 25 yards, swim backstroke for 25 yards, and improve technique for breaststroke for 15 yards and butterfly for 15 yards. After passing Skipper 5, swimmers ages 7+ can move up to Admiral 3, Swimmers ages 6 and 7 are welcome to try our Rec Swim Team !

Learn to swim freestyle and backstroke for 15 yards, breaststroke for 10 yards and butterfly for 5 yards. For swimmers who can swim freestyle with side breathing for 15 yards, backstroke for 15 yards, breaststroke for 5 yards and perform dolphin kick. Check Your Level Level Prerequisites Learnings Skipper 1 This class is for inexperienced and/or cautious swimmers. Recommended for a swimmer's first class without parents in the water (first time swimmers 5 and younger should register for Sailor 1) Swimmers will learn to fully submerge their head, front float, back float, swim 5 yards of freestyle with rotary breathing and perform a streamline glide off the wall. Skipper 2 This class is for swimmers who will voluntarily submerge their head, front float, back float and swim 5 yards of freestyle with rotary breathing. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 10 yards, swim backstroke for 10 yards, and perform breaststroke and dolphin kicks. Skipper 3 This class is for swimmers who can swim freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 10 yards, swim backstroke for 10 yards and perform legal breaststroke and dolphin kicks. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 12 ½ yards, swim backstroke for 12 ½ yards and swim breaststroke for 5 yards. Skipper 4 This class is for swimmers who can swim freestyle with rhythmic breathing for 15 yards, swim backstroke for 15 yards, perform legal dolphin kick and swim breaststroke for 5 yards. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rotary breathing for 15 yards, swim backstroke for 15 yards, swim breaststroke for 10 yards and swim butterfly for 5 yards. Skipper 5 *45 min This class is for swimmers who can swim freestyle with rotary breathing for 15 yards, swim backstroke for 15 yards, swim breaststroke for 15 yards and swim butterfly for 15 yards. Swimmers will learn to swim freestyle with rotary breathing for 25 yards, swim backstroke for 25 yards, and improve technique for breaststroke for 15 yards and butterfly for 15 yards. After passing Skipper 5, swimmers ages 7+ can move up to Admiral 3, Swimmers ages 6 and 7 are welcome to try our Rec Swim Team !