Aquatics
The YWCA indoor pool hosts a comprehensive Aquatics Program with activities for all ages, abilities, and interests.
Our solar-assisted pool is 75′ x 25′ (25 yards long and four lanes wide). The pool is ADA compliant with a pool lift and extra wide stairs with ergonomic railing, making the pool fully accessible to people of all physical abilities. As a YWCA Fitness Center Member, you have full access to our pool facility and water exercise classes.
More than health and fitness: YWCA Aquatics programming is deeply rooted in racial justice.
In the 1950’s, there were two branches of the YWCA in Asheville: a white branch and a black branch, and swim lessons were one of the first programs to be integrated. Still today, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death of school-age children with African American children being six times more likely to drown than white children of the same age. By providing swim lesson scholarships, lessons for children in our Early Learning Program, and by partnering with schools and community programs, YWCA Aquatics is taking aim at this disparity in our community.
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Everyone who enters the YWCA must sign or scan in at the front desk.
Women’s locker rooms are located on the ground floor, and Men’s locker rooms are located upstairs.
The YWCA has two gender-neutral changing rooms, one on each floor. One upstairs across from the Fitness Studio includes a bathroom stall. One downstairs on the pool deck includes a bathroom stall, shower stall, and lockers.
Adults may accompany children 6 and under into locker rooms.
As part of the YWCA’s continuing commitment to equality and inclusion, there is no dress code requirement for the pool. Swimmers are welcome to wear whatever keeps them comfortable with only one exception: no jeans.
All of our Aquatics staff are certified lifeguards, and there is always a lifeguard on duty.
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The YWCA follows the National Lightning Safety Institute guidelines regarding thunder and lightning.
When either is present, the pool and pool deck must be cleared for 20 minutes after each instance.
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Pool party rentals include 1 hour in the pool from 12-1pm and and 1 hour in the Multipurpose Room from 1-2pm. Your party has the pool all to itself with a dedicated lifeguard on duty.
Pool party rentals are available for up to 30 people, including all adults and children. If participants exceed 25, then an additional lifeguard is required at the fee of $20.00. We require 1-week notice of the need for an additional lifeguard. If no arrangements have been made and more than 30 persons show up, the guard will need to control the number of people in the pool by having swimmers take turns.
YWCA’s swimmies and balls may be used. You may bring your own pool equipment. The diving board, slide, mermaid fins, and blocks are not available for use during parties. Kitchen facilities are not included with any rental. The playgrounds are for YWCA program use only and are not included in any rentals.
Please be on time as these times have been reserved for you and cannot be adjusted due to tardiness. You are responsible for your own setup and clean up. Please allow enough time in your booking to set the space up as you need. We provide tables and chairs only. Please bring your own supplies for use during your function. The YWCA does not provide office supplies or meal supplies such as napkins, plates, cups, etc, or serving utensils. Be sure to leave areas as you found them before your function. This includes sweeping floor areas, wiping down the tables. The front desk can help in locating a broom and dustpan for your use. Please stack the chairs as they were and fold up any tables and place them by the windows. Chaperons are required to check the locker rooms to be sure these areas are clean and showers are turned off after pool use.
For More Information or to Book a Pool Party, contact:
Guest Services
reservations@ywcaofasheville.org
828-254-7206 x 218
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE RENTAL FORM
We are a smoke-free campus so please refrain from smoking in the building or on the YW campus at any time. This includes all participants of your party. The YWCA is also a fragrance-free environment. Thank you for not wearing any cologne/perfume, scented aftershave, perfumed hand lotion, hair products, etc.
Swim Lessons
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Baby
Ages: 6 – 23 months
Lesson time: 30 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/10One adult must accompany the child in the pool. Swim diapers are required. Water adjustment and swimming skills are taught through songs and games.
YW Member: $96
General Public: $144 -
Preschool
Ages: 2 – 3 years
Lesson time: 30 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/10One adult must accompany the child in the pool. Swim diapers are required. Water adjustment and swimming skills are taught through songs and games.
YW Member: $96
General Public: $144 -
Little Swimmers
Ages: 2-3 years
Lesson time: 30 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/6This class is for advanced Preschool 2 swimmers who have some independent swim skills along with the social ability to be away from their parent/guardian in the water. Subject to instructor approval.
YW Member: $96
General Public: $144 -
Kinderswim
Ages: 4 -5 years
Lesson time: 30 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/6Teaches breath control, water comfort, back floating, swimming on front, and elementary back stroke.
YW Member: $96
General Public: $144 -
Level 1/2
Ages: 6-15 years
Lesson time: 45 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/6Level 1: Water adaptation, breath control (blow bubbles), comfort floating, swimming on front and back. Intro to streamlining front and back, treading, front crawl, and backstroke.
Level 2: Must be able to hold breath and swim independently on front and back and complete body length glide with face in water along with a 3-second back float. Increase endurance, and work on rhythmic breathing, front crawl, and elementary backstroke.
YW Member: $144
General Public: $172 -
Level 3
Ages: 6- 15 years
Lesson time: 45 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/10Slower-paced, working on endurance, comfort in the deep end, refining Level 2 skills with the addition of rotary breathing. Subject to instructor approval.
YW Member: $144
General Public: $172 -
Level 3/4
Ages: 6-15 years
Lesson time: 45 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/10Intermediate: Must be able to swim independently across the pool on front and back. Refine Level 2 skills with the addition of rotary breathing and scissor kicks. Further development of freestyle and backstroke, intro to breaststroke, butterfly, and diving. Subject to instructor approval.
YW Member: $144
General Public: $172 -
Level 5/6
Ages: 6-15 years
Lesson time: 45 minutes
Number of students min/max: 1/10Advanced: Pre-swim team. Working on all four competitive strokes, turns and starts. The swimmer must pass team standards in all four strokes (Freestyle, Back, Breast, Butterfly) before advancing to Swim Team Level. Subject to instructor approval.
YW Member: $144
General Public: $172 -
Developmental
Ages: 6-15 years
Lesson time: 45 minutes
Number of students min/max: 1/15Swim Team Level: Must have passed level 5/6. Refinement of all four competitive strokes (Freestyle, Back, Breast, and butterfly). Enhancement of turns, starts, endurance, and team building with other swimmers. Subject to instructor approval.
YW Member: $144
General Public: $172 -
Adult Beginner
Ages: 16+
Lesson time: 45 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/6Beginner: No prior swim experience needed. Working in shallow-end water, focus on water adaptation, treading, floating, front crawl with breath control, & intro to backstroke.
YW Member: $144
General Public: $172 -
Adult Advanced Swim
Ages: 16+
Lesson time: 45 minutes
Number of students min/max: 5/6Improves techniques for all four 4 strokes (Freestyle, Back, Breast, and butterfly) using the full length of the pool.
YW Member: $144
General Public: $172 -
1-on-1 Lessons
Ages: 3+
Lesson time: 30 or 45 minutes
Number of students: 1 studentCustomizable classes to fit your personal needs.
$30 / $45 per class
Upcoming Sessions
Our current session already filled is March 4- May 2, 2024 please check back for our next session
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8-week Sessions
(March 4- April 29)Baby - 5-5:30 pm
Preschool 1 - 5:30-6 pm
Adult Beginner - 6-6:45 pmNo class on April 1
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8-week Sessions
(March 5- April 30)Baby - 9:15-9:45 am
Preschool 1 - 5-5:30 pm
Little Swimmers - 5:30-6 pm
Developmental - 6-6:45 pm
Adult Advanced - 6:45-7:30 pmNo class April 2
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8-week Sessions
(March 6- May 1)Level 3 - 5:00-5:40 pm
No class April 3
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8-week Sessions
(March 7- May 2)Kinderswim - 5:15-5:45 pm
Level 1/2 - 5:45-6:30 pm
Level 3/4 - 6:30-7:15 pmNo class April 4
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6-week Sessions
(March 8- April 27)Level 1/2 - 10:15-11 am
Kinderswim - 11:15-11:45 amNo classes March 30 & April 6
You don’t have to be a member to learn to swim at the YWCA!
YWCA has been providing high-quality swim instruction to women and families since the 1920’s! Generations have learned to swim at the YWCA. Although our YWCA Fitness Center members do get special lesson pricing, we offer free Swim Lesson Accounts for the general-public to sign up for lessons online.
Let’s get started!
Ready to start swimming?
YWCA Aquatics is proudly supported in part by a Make a Splash Grant from the US Swimming Foundation.
Using the resource buttons on the right please set up your account and register for swim lessons. For more information or assistance please contact our front desk at 828.254.7206
At the YWCA, we strive to ensure that all of our programs and memberships are accessible and affordable to all. As such, sliding scale financial assistance is available for individual/household memberships and swim lessons. All information gathered from the following form will be kept confidential. Following your Income Based Assistance request, a member of the YWCA Health and Wellness Team will contact you. Please note that income-based assistance must be applied for annually.