Katz JCC Bringing Year-Round Swim Program To Cherry Hill

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A new swim program will open at the Betty and Milton Katz Jewish Community Center (Katz JCC) early next year, the center announced.

JSplash Swim School, funded by the Charles A. and Ethyl Blumenfeld Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation, Inc., will open in January, according to the center.

JSplash Swim School is a year-round program designed to teach swimmers of all ages and abilities the skills to be safe, comfortable and responsible in and around the water.

Swimmers of all ages from 8 weeks old to adults will learn survival skills through stroke development in an engaging, trusting and safe environment with highly trained staff.

“We’re thrilled to announce our new swim program is ready to roll, and we can’t wait to see swimmers of all ages in the water again soon,” Katz JCC Fitness and Wellness and Membership Director Amanda Halliwell said. “Svetlana Barker, our Aquatics Director, is the individual behind every component of this program, and we are grateful for her dedication to developing JSplash.”

JSplash creates a lifelong appreciation for swimming, fosters fluid progression of skill development, builds physical, mental and social skills in a small group setting, and forms long-lasting relationships, according to the center.

Certified instructors are thoroughly trained by a JSplash Master Instructor, must pass comprehensive instructor exams in and out of the water, and are CPR and first aid certified.

“I have a passion for people of all ages to learn to swim, and JSplash will help anyone do that, no matter what your age or comfort level in the water,” Barker said. “We can’t wait to see you in the pool.”

JSplash offers Bubble Babies, a parent and baby bonding class for children as young as 8 weeks through 6 months, which is designed to orient parents and infants together in the water, in a soothing and low-pressure environment.

Young children through 3 years old will benefit from Bubble Babies as they become more comfortable in the water and provide a foundation for water safety and independent swimming, according to the center.

Pre-School programs are designed for children ages 3-5 of all skill levels and are made to accommodate a wide range of abilities. Children will work on a variety of skills as they progress, such as breath holding, floating, and kicking, floating on their front and back independently and increasing distance and beginning strokes.

By the time they reach Level 3, they will begin to focus on stroke development, treading water and endurance.

JWaves Kids, for swimmers 6-12 years old, consists of five levels that helps children gain confidence in the water and evolve into a great swimmer. Children will be introduced to skills that lead to independent, forward profession in the water.

Lessons include a combination of games and drills and students practice breath holding, submerging, floating and kicking. As they progress through the levels of JWaves, their stroke development will be refined, their distance swimming will extend and the fundamentals of difficult strokes like breaststroke and butterfly will be introduced while learning turns and diving.

Lessons are held in a 3:1 swimmer to instructor ratio, each lesson is 30 minutes and children can move up when they are ready. Instructors wear clear face shields and all equipment is sanitized after each lesson.

Upon entering the JCC, all individuals must complete a COVID-19 health screening and temperature check. Sanitization stations with hand sanitizer and wipes are available at various locations throughout the building.

The JSplash Swim School begins registration with a free evaluation class to introduce children to the school and assess their comfort level in the pool.

A student can enroll at any time during the year. Siblings receive a 10 percent discount on lesson fees, and a 10 percent discount is available for children who take lessons more than once a week.

For more information, visit katzjcc.org/swim-lessons or contact Svetlana Barker, Aquatics Director at sbarker@jfedsnj.org or 856-424-4444, ext. 1144.