National Sports Campus - Swimming Activities

For details on all our Summer Camps, Summer Swimming & Diving lessons please click here.

If you are new to our Swimming Academy we have designed some useful information tips that may assist you during our courses. You can find these details in our Sales Office.

Academy of Swimming
The National Aquatic Centre Swimming Academy endeavors to achieve a high standard of swimming through a progressive pathway consisting of eight levels of learning for children from 3.5yrs -16 years. The new 'Child Learn To Swim Academy' in conjuction with Swim Ireland commenced in Autumn 2009. Please see new programme details below.

Adult Swimming
The National Aquatic Centre provides a range of different levels of ability: starting from Nervous Adults, through Beginners, Improvers to Advanced. All these classes build water confidence; Keep you active in your particular ability, the chance to swim with others of the same ability, improving your technique, understanding and extending your skills and enjoying the whole experience, while in a supervised, friendly atmosphere. If you feel that you’re up for a challenge we also run water based triathlon training to push you to your limits. We also have ladies only classes which are devoted to ladies who wish to further improve their swimming ability in a relaxed, friendly environment. Classes are subject to number and availability.

Adult & Child
We provide a bright and happy environment, facilitating interaction between baby, parent and teacher. The aim of the classes is water familiarization and confidence through, games activities and plenty of encouragement. These classes start from 9 months to 3.5 years.

Men Only
This class caters for male beginners in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. The class is taught by an experienced teacher who specializes in nervous / beginner adults. Or for those of you men, who are a little hesitant and would just like to learn, come along – you could surprise you’re self and be entering the next triathlon!!!

Welcome to our new Swimming Academy in conjunction with the new Swim Ireland syllabus. As part of the new Syllabus there are some changes to the levels we have previously taught.

Below is a guide to the new levels and the appropriate previous level from our last Academy as a guide to help you understand which level to enrol your child in.

Levels 7 & 8 will now be administered and taught by the NAC Swim Club. Using the expertise of a club environment means that well advanced children will be developed and rounded to the highest standards and be able to slip seamlessly straight into club swimming and swimming as a sport for life

Previously: Pre - School

Level One
Awareness of: the water environment
Introduces: floating and breathing

1. Understanding of basic pool rules
2. Walking in water with water at shoulder level
3. Enter & exit pool safely with assistance
4. Float on front and back with an aid and assistance
5. Get face wet without submerging
6. Blowing bubbles
7. Regain feet from a floating position with an aid and assistance
8. Kick on front and back with aid

Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members - 30 Minute class

Previously: Beginners

Level Two
Awareness of: the underwater environment
Introduces: submerging and manoeuvrability with no assistance in water
Reinforces: being safe around water, building confidence

1. Understanding of basic pool rules
2. Pick up objects from the bottom of the pool in shallow water
3. Enter and exit pool safely without assistance
4. Using a board/aid float on back unassisted
5. Bob up and down repeatedly, submerging body and blow bubbles through nose and mouth
6. Roll 180 degrees form front to back then regain feet
7. Kick on front with aid unassisted
8. Kick on back with aid unassisted

Cost: Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members - 30 Minute class

Previously: Improvers

Level Three
Awareness of: moving through the water
Introduces: freestyle and backstroke and a greater confidence with entries
Reinforces: floatation skills and being confident underwater

1. Perform a surface dive
2. Safe pool entry
3. Demonstrate a floating position on front and back for 10 seconds
4. Push off wall and glide on front and back then regain feet
5. Demonstrate rotary breathing – show the head turning to the side to breathe
6. Rotate 360 degrees without touching the pool floor
7. Demonstrate a freestyle arm action with a board for 5 metres
8. Demonstrate a backstroke arm action with a board for 5 metres

Cost: Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members - 30 Minute class

Previously: Intermediate

Level Four
Awareness of: the swimming strokes
Introduces: being upside down, treading water and diving Reinforces: varied methods of entry

1. Using an aid, tread water using a cycling action and a breaststroke type leg action for 20 seconds
2. Demonstrate a handstand from the bottom of the pool
3. Demonstrate a sitting dive and glide
4. From a floating position swim through a submerged hoop
5. Push and glide on front and back holding glide for 2 metres
6. Swim 5 metres freestyle breathing to the side
7. Swim 5 metres backstroke tummy up
8. Swim 5 metres froggy arms
9. Kick on front and back with board for 10 metres

Cost: Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members - 30 Minute class

Previously: Advanced – early advanced (1 class previously)

Level Five
Awareness of: orientation of the body in the water
Introduces: basics of tumbling and streamlining
Reinforces: swimming and kicking on the front and back

1. Demonstrate a forward somersault from a standing position
2. Demonstrate a kneeling dive
3. Demonstrate 3 different floating
4. Demonstrate a good push off from the wall on front and kick in a streamline position
5. Demonstrate understanding of bi-lateral breathing
6. Swim 10 metre freestyle breathing to the side
7. Swim 10 metre backstroke keeping head still
8. Swim 10 metre on front showing breaststroke type actions
9. Kick on from and back for 15 metres with no support

Cost: Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members - 30 Minute class

Previously: Advanced - Improving advanced (2 classes previously)

Level Six
Awareness of: linking skills, timing and distance
Introduces: undulation and sculling and the use of good technique in the swimming strokes
Reinforces: manoeuvrability underwater, and builds on diving techniques

1. Tread water for 30 seconds keeping the head clear of the water
2. Surface dive and retrieve and object from the pool floor in deep water
3. Demonstrate a kneeling dive and swim out
4. Demonstrate a good push off with streamlining, on front and back from good starting position
5. Using a pull buoy scull 10 metres on front in a forward direction
6. Swim 2 x 15 metres freestyle showing good technique and breathing without stopping
7. Swim 2 x 15 metres backstroke showing good technique without stopping
8. Using a kickboard 2 x 15 metres breaststroke
9. Kick 10 metres arms by side using a butterfly style undulating action
10. Swim 4 x 10 metres each of freestyle and backstroke without stopping

Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members - 30 Minute class

To Book all of the above

Call the National Aquatic Centre Sales office
01 6464 300 / 309 / 365 / 366

Or drop in and book in person.

NAC Swim Club Logo

Levels 7 & 8
These are new levels for children who were successful on the previous Academy Advance Levels and are now looking to move to the next level of elite swimming

To book into these levels please contact Ashleah McGee on 087 4148340 or alternatively e-mail ashleahm@gmail.com

Level Seven
Awareness of: personal safety in water
Introduces: continuous swim for 50m and personal survival
Reinforces: butterfly stroke and varied methods of moving through water

1. Demonstrate life jacket use/survival position i.e H.E.L.P or huddle
2. Demonstrate a front somersault from floating position
3. Demonstrate a crouching dive
4. Using a pull buoy scull 15 metres on front head first and feet first
5. Swim 25 metres freestyle with good technique
6. Swim 25 metres breaststroke with good technique
7. Swim 15 metres breaststroke with correct timing
8. Attempt butterfly arms and legs together for 5 metres
9. Tread water attempting eggbeater kick for 45 seconds then swim 25 metres
10. Swim 50 metres using 2 different strokes holding good technique, attempting turns without stopping

Cost: €80 for Members and €90 for Non-Members - 45 Minute class

Level Eight
Awareness of: competence in water
Introduces: rhythm, endurance and underwater swimming
Reinforces: streamlining, sculling and pulling technique

1. Demonstrate a standing dive into deep water
2. Demonstrate a good push, glide and streamline on front and back; hold and kick water for 5 metres
3. Using a pull buoy scull 15 metres on front and back head first and feet first
4. Swim 50 metres freestyle demonstrating good rhythm and breathing
5. Swim 50 metres backstroke demonstrating good rhythm and breathing
6. Swim 25 metres breaststroke attempting pull out and regular breathing
7. Swim 10 metres using a butterfly action
8. Using a kickboard kick 4 x 25 metres freestyle and backstroke
9. Pull 25 metres freestyle using a pull buoy
10. Swim 100 metres using 2 different strokes holding a technique and turns without stopping

Cost: €80 for Members and €90 for Non-Members - 45 Minute class