Stony Creek Swim Center  
Because swimming is not only fun... It's a necessity!               
SCSC Programs
For the past twenty-two years, Stony Creek Swim Center has been offering the highest quality swim lessons in Central Indiana. We have created a comfortable, nurturing environment with loving instructors. We strive to not only teach children the physical skills to navigate the water, we we want every child to develop a love and respect for the water that will contribute to their health and wellness for a lifetime.

 Classes

Infant/Toddler Classes

Our Infant/Toddler lessons are a great way to spend time with your child and learn together. For your child, the classes are pure fun. For you, they are a wonderful way to take advantage of the unique manner in which water can strengthen relationships. This is a wonderful way to help your child associate water with pleasure and fun - rather than fear and anxiety, in turn, developing a life-long love and respect of the water.
  • Ages 4 weeks to 3 years
  • $65 a month, once a week for 30 minutes
  • Contact us for class days and times
  • 6:1 student-teacher ratio
Group Classes

We go above and beyond for the safety and education of your children. We keep a small student-to-teacher ratio of 4:1. This allows the teacher to work individually with each child as well as with the group. Small class size results in more time-on-task, which is vital to motor skill development.
  • Ages 2.5 years and older
  • $65 a month, once a week for 30 minutes
  • Classes offered Monday through Thursday mornings and evenings, as well as Saturday mornings
  • 4:1 student-teacher ratio
Age-Group Stroke Classes

We offer three competitive stroke levels designed for swimmers who are interested in swimming on a team. Our focus is on proper stroke technique while building endurance.
  • Ages 6+ years old or completed our Dolphins class
  • $65 a month, once a week
  • Length of these classes vary from 30 to 60 minutes
  • Contact us for class days and times
  • 4-6:1 student-teacher ratio, based on class
SCSC Swim Team 2012

Our summer recreational swim team is for swimmers 5+ years old, who are currently enrolled or have completed Turtles class.  An informational call-out meeting will be held in March. Stroke clinics will be held in April to prepare for the season. We will keep you posted as information becomes available!

There will be an informational meeting for the 2012 swim team on Saturday, March 10th from 1:00-2:00pm at SCSC. Anyone who would like more information is welcome to attend the meeting.


Special Needs Lessons - Aqua Abilities

Swimming lessons for children with unique physical and developmental needs. Please contact Katie at (317) 966-6548 for more information.

 Our Levels  


 Infant/Toddler Classes

Water Babies
Ages 4 weeks - 5 months


Studies have shown that infants have a natural inclination to water, so it only seems natural to get little ones in the water quickly. The purpose of this class is to help infants retain their comfort level in water. Children and their caregiver will discover the joys of water in a calm and engaging environment. We know that being in the water with your little one is an amazing and rewarding experience. Let us show you what they are capable of. This is a free class for infants as young as 4 weeks through 5 months. Infants are not introduced to submersion until the instructor and caregiver decides they are developmentally ready to go underwater. This class is strictly limited to six students/caregivers per instructor.
Little Swimmers I
Ages 6 months - 15 months

This is considered our first structured infant/toddler class. Swimmers are in the water with their caregiver and the instructor. The instructor will work with them on becoming comfortable in the water, blowing bubbles, putting their face in the water, back floats, climbing out of the pool, safety jumps, submersion, propelling through the water with kicks, and being comfortable swimming with an instructor. We try to establish an environment where children will feel safe and comfortable, because that is the best way to learn. Infants have a natural inclination to water and, in the proper situation, can learn many basic swimming skills at a very young age.
Little Swimmers II
Ages 16 months - 2.5 years

Building on the skills taught in the LS1 class and their natural fondness of water, children in the LS2 class will learn to propel themselves through the water while kicking and reaching. They will be introduced to rollovers, which is our method of breathing for younger students. Swimmers in this class will also begin swimming underwater, climbing out of the pool independently, safety jumps then swimming back to the wall, back floating and wall-walking. All of these skills are taught in an effort to ensure that should the child ever fall into a body of water, they will have knowledge to help themselves until an adult can reach them. Once the instructor feels a child has mastered the basic skills in the LS2 class, they will recommend them to our Super Swimmers 1.



 Small Group Classes

Super Swimmers I
Ages 2 - 3 years and completed LS2


The primary goal of SS1 is to provide a more advanced class for our youngest swimmers, in an environment that is more suitable for them. This class is run similar to our group classes. Students will learn how to glide through the water and do reaches and rollovers. Caregivers are in the water with their swimmers until they are ready to move to the instructor decides that the child is capable of being in the water without them. After completing the SS1, children will move directly into Puffer Fish.
Super Swimmers II
Ages 2.5 - 4 years, new to our program

Toddlers and preschoolers who have never been through our Little Swimmers classes will start in our SS2 class. Caregivers may be in the water for the first few lessons in order to help swimmers adjust to the group class setting. Children will begin learning basic stroke techniques, including flutter kicks with their face in the water, floating, basic water safety, and rollover breathing. Once swimmers are floating, doing kicks with their faces in the water, safety jumps to the instructor, and kicking and reaching 2-3 feet with assistance, they will be ready to move to Puffer Fish.
Puffer Fish
Ages 3 - 5 years

This class is for children who have completed the SS2 class or are 3.5 years and new to our program. Swimmers will learn front and back floats, how to swim underwater 2-3 feet, front and back flutter kicks, front reaches and kicks with their faces in the water, and an introduction to rollover breathing. In order to move to the next level, which is Clown Fish, swimmers must be doing reaches and kicks 5 feet with their face in the water, back flutter kicks, flip-flops, and reaches and kicks with one rollover all with the instructors assistance.
Clown Fish
Ages 3 - 6 years
The primary goals for swimmers in this class are to master proper technique for front flutter kicks and back flutter kicks, further develop their rollover breathing, and be able to swim 5 feet independently. Instructors will take this class to the big pool from time to time for jumps and to help them become accustomed to the different environment. In order to move to the next level, which is Turtles (formerly P3/Level 2), children must be able to swim 5 feet and rollover to breathe independently and be completely comfortable swimming in the big pool.
Crabs
Ages 5+ years, fearful
Whether it is due to a previous negative experience or a fear passed down by a parent, many children enter our program with an overwhelming fear of water. This class will focus on helping students conquer their fears and become comfortable in water. Once students have overcome their initial fears, they will begin learning basic stroke technique, including front and back floats, kicking with their faces in the water, rollover breathing, and an introduction to side breathing and backstroke. Depending on their age and abilities upon completing this class, swimmers will be placed into the proper level (typically Clown Fish or Turtles).
Turtles

This class is considered a transition class from small pool to big pool, and can often be a pretty big leap for swimmers. Younger swimmers who are coming from the Clown Fish class will begin transitioning from rollover to side breathing. Older swimmers who are just entering our program, but have some basic swimming skills, will learn side breathing. All swimmers will be introduced to backstroke and breaststroke, when their instructor feels they are developmentally ready. Proper stroke technique is a focal point in this class and children will swim shorter distances in order to focus more on doing the strokes correctly. Students will only be promoted to the next level, Whales, when they have mastered proper freestyle technique and can swim 15-25 feet independently.
Whales

This class will further develop proper freestyle technique and begin focusing more on backstroke and breaststroke technique. Students will still only swim half the length of the pool, in order to focus on proper stroke technique and breathing. They will also be introduced to elementary backstroke and dolphin kicks. This class is the first step for students who are possibly interested in pursing recreational or competitive team swimming.
Dolphins

This is the first class where students will begin swimming the full length of the pool with freestyle. They will also begin learning rhythmic breathing, which is a more advance form of side breathing. Swimmers will continue focusing on proper technique of backstroke and breaststroke, while increasing their distances. Butterfly and sidestroke will be introduced in this class, as well as flip turns.
 



 Age-Group Stroke Classes

Angler Fish
Prerequisite: 6+ years or completed our Dolphins class

Students will continue working on freestyle with rhythmic breathing, backstroke, and breaststroke, while building endurance. Swimmers will work towards being able to swim a full lap of freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. This class will be changing to a 45 minute class with 6:1 student-teacher ratio in the spring.
Sting Rays
Prerequisite: 8+ years or completed our Angler Fish class

Considered a pre-team level, the Sting Rays classes have 6 swimmers per instructor and swim for 45 minutes. They will build on their current skills, while developing new, more advance ones. Stroke technique and building endurance are the primary goals in this class. Students are expected to be able to swim longer distances and must be proficient in all strokes.
Sharks
Prerequisite: 10+ years or completed our Sting Rays class

This is our most advance year-round class. Swimmers must be proficient in all strokes and have the endurance to swim for 45-60 minutes, depending on the class. While technique is always a focus in our programs, this class is run more like a competitive swim team. Students will be swimming more continuously and performing stroke drills that will help improve their endurance, as well as technique.

 Our Curriculum 

At Stony Creek Swim Center, our curriculum develops proper stroke technique and fundamental swimming skills. We use the 'rollover' method of breathing in our lessons. From six months of age, students are taught to rollover onto their back to float, relax, and get a breath. This method is taught primarily in our small pool and may be used as a review in our big pool. Once the student has mastered the rollover, we shorten this movement to a half of a rollover which is the proper method of rhythmic breathing. You will see our instructors using a '1,2,3, Breathe' method to cue students on breathing. Students are taught to breathe on the same side after every other pull. In our higher levels, they will be taught to alternate sides to get their breath. Our classes are all geared toward helping children be safe around water. Floating, treading water, and safety jumps are all taught in order to provide children with resources to help themselves should they ever fall into water. We believe it is important to keep your child in lessons until they can adequately swim a lap of each stroke. Learning should be fun, repetition is key, consistency is a must, and swimming is not only fun… it’s a necessity!

 Class From Start-to-Finish 

  • Arrive approximately 10 minutes prior to your child's lesson.
  • Find and check off your child's name on the attendance sheets.
  • Give your child a numbered chip corresponding with the lane number written next to his or her name. This tag designates the area, not necessarily the level, in which he or she will be swimming. Have your child take the chip out on deck when his or her lesson time is called.
  • Please have your child use the restroom prior to class.
  • Have a seat and watch your child enjoy their lesson. Please do not leave the facility during your child's lesson.
  • Please meet your child at the back door with a towel after his or her lesson.
  • Stony Creek Swim Center is not a drop off program and is not equipped to provide before or after class supervision. For the safety of your child, parents are required to stay on site during the entire lesson.

 Frequently Asked Questions 

What level is best for my child?
Please read through the level descriptions above to see which level seems to most closely resemble your child's abilities. When you call to register please let us know what you feel is appropriate for your child. We will then ask a few more questions to make sure that is the correct level and find times that are available. If necessary we will schedule an evaluation class for you to bring your child in so that one of our instructors can see them perform in the water and make a decision on the level.


Why can't I find specific class times on your website?
As of March 1st, parents will be able to view classes online and register their students. More information will be posted shortly, so please check back.


How will I know when my child is ready to move up to the next level?
Classes are evaluated continuously and the instructors enter the achieved skills into the student's account, which parents will be able to view online as of March 1st. Instructors will determine whether or not students are ready to move to the next level. Once a child is ready to move to the next level, their instructor will give them a ribbon and notify the office. If your child is being promoted, we will do our best to simply move them into the proper class at the same time as their current class. However, if this is not possible, we will let you know and work with you to find another time that is available.


What should I bring to my child's lesson?
  • Swim suit and towel
  • Goggles are optional
  • Students with hair longer than 3 inches MUST wear a swim cap
  • All children under 3 years of age MUST wear two swim diapers
    • A disposable diaper (i.e. Huggies Little Swimmers)
    • A reusable diaper with elastic around the legs and waist. These can be purchased where you find infant bathing suits or at our facility.
  • Goggles, swim caps, and swim diapers are all available for purchase in the office

Should my child use goggles?
Some children's eyes are more sensitive than others. The best rule to follow when making this decision is whether or not the child will fully participate in aquatic activities without the use of goggles. If the answer is no, we suggest trying out a pair. We have goggles on the pool deck for students to borrow. Personal goggles are highly recommended due to the time wasted adjusting goggles for each student's needs.


What are my payment options?
We provide two options for payment. The first is through a monthly automatic debit from your checking account. The payment is taken on the 15th of the month prior and in order to withdraw your student you must let us know by the 10th of the month prior (i.e. by July 10th to withdraw for August). The second option is to pay with cash/check/credit card for three months at a time. To withdraw you must let us know by the 15th of the month prior (i.e. July 15th to withdraw for August), otherwise you would need to pay for the next three months.


Can I withdraw my child at anytime?
Yes, you can withdraw your child from lessons at anytime with written notification. We have Written Cancellation Forms in the office and you need to fill this out by the 10th of the month prior to when you wish to withdraw. For example, if you want to withdraw your child as of August, you would need to turn in the form by July 10th, so that we do not charge your checking account on the 15th. This allows us adequate time to remove your child from the class and fill the spot. If you are paying for three months at a time, it is very important that you notify us by the 10th of the third month as to whether you will be continuing or not. Therefore, if you paid for June, July, and August you would need to fill out the withdrawal form or pay for the next three months by August 10th. Your next payment would be for September, October, and November.
Any student that is withdrawing from a class must fill out a Written Cancellation Form as of the 10th of the month prior, no matter which form of payment was used.


How long should I plan to leave my child in lessons?
There is no simple answer to this question. Each child is different and will therefore learn at their own pace. However, we can tell you that putting your child in for only a month or two and then withdrawing them will most likely lead to more harm than good. A fearful child who comes to swimming lessons for only one month may leave and no longer be afraid of the water, but they will also not be able to swim. This makes for a very dangerous situation and one that we strongly discourage. Children who are fearful are less likely to go near the water, however a child who has overcome that fear but has not actually learned how to swim has an unrealistic confidence that can result in disaster. One month of swimming lessons is approximately two hours of instruction. There are very few activities in life, let alone life threatening ones, that can be learned adequately in two hours. Our suggestion is to enroll your child from an early age--ideally before they are a year old--and keep them in lessons year-round until they are able to comfortably swim the length of the pool. We understand that this is a big commitment, but your child's safety is our primary concern.



Can I leave the facility while my child is in their lesson?
No. Stony Creek Swim Center is not a drop-off facility and we are not equipped to provide care for children if their parents are not present. Lessons are only 30 minutes in length and we encourage parents to enjoy this time and watch their child swim.


Is there anything else I need to know before my class starts?

Please read through our General Policies for more information on make-ups, facility closings, holidays, and other important information. If you ever have questions or concerns, feel free to call the office.


 Parental Advisory 

Relax and watch. When confronted with fearful situations, children tend to collapse emotionally in the presence of their parents. As difficult as it is to accept, in stressful situations, children generally fare better when parents are not available as a crutch. We are experienced in calming distressed children and you can confidently leave your child in our hands and exit to our glassed observation area. You may need to move entirely out of the line of sight, as even eye contact can trigger an emotional collapse.

Being on the pool deck. With our limited deck space, we ask that you watch your child from the comfort of the air-conditioned waiting room. While you are welcome to escort your child on deck for the first lesson, please give him or her a quick hug and kiss and let them know you’ll be watching.

Understanding & respecting the levels. In our competitive modern-day culture, the impulse to push a child is powerful. Please resist the urge to “fast-track” your child’s progress. Do not get caught up in which level your child is in. With only four students per class, we can easily accommodate small differences. Twenty-two years of experience with thousands of children has taught us that the potentially negative approach of pressuring a child to learn can only harm his or her progress and attitude in the future.

Reserved class times. Make sure you have scheduled your child in a class that fits your schedule. Please understand that the instructor is there to teach your child, even if you do not come to class. We strive to maintain instructor consistency for our students. There are, however, occasions when instructors may have extended leave of absences, resign, have conflicting school schedules or other personal situations that create the need to replace the instructor. Often these situations are beyond our control. We will do everything possible to make a smooth transition for your child.

 Other Programs at Stony Creek

Friday Night Open Swim
Open swim is every Friday from 7:00-9:00pm and is open to the general public. It is $5 per person or $20 per family or you can purchase a pass with twenty visits. Children under the age of 5 years old must be accompanied in the water by an adult. All swimmers may be asked to show the lifeguard their swimming skills before being allowed to enter the pool. If the lifeguard does not feel that a child has adequate swimming skills, an adult will be asked to swim with the child and the child may not be permitted in the big pool. Children who are not 100% potty trained must wear a reusable iPlay swim diaper.
  • $5 per person or $20 per family of 4 or more
  • Family Pass- $200 for a pass with 20 visits
  • Individual Pass- $50 for a pass with 20 visits
  • No expiration on passes!!
  • Children 2 years old and under are free with a paid, swimming adult

Birthday Parties
Have your next birthday party or special celebration at Stony Creek Swim Center! Enjoy use of our pools, viewing area, and multi-purpose room for two hours during your party. The cost is $250 and includes:
  • 90 minutes of pool time
  • 30 minutes of party-room time
  • 30 minutes before and after the party for set-up/clean-up
  • Tables and chairs for 15 guests*
  • Lifeguard on duty
  • Refrigerator/freezer and microwave
  • Trash cans
Bring your own food and drinks, tableware (including three rectangular table coverings), and decorations. Children who cannot swim independently will be required to wear a life jacket to swim in our big pool. Adult swimmers are always appreciated and do not count towards the 15 guests. Call our office today to schedule!

*There must be one lifeguard per 15 children. Children under the age of 5 years old must be accompanied in the pool by an adult. There is a charge of $50 for every 5 additional children, in order to have another lifeguard on duty. For non-birthday parties (i.e. youth groups, etc.), please contact the office with an estimated number of guests for an exact price quote. Facility rental is not guaranteed to be private.


Aqua Abilities
Every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to enjoy swimming. Katie Gipson has been teaching swimming lessons for over 15 years and specializes in teaching children with physical, emotional, and developmental needs. Her unique approach to teaching has proven successful time and again. If you would like more information on special needs swimming lessons, please contact Katie at (317) 966-6548.