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2210 McNutt Road, Sunland Park, NM 88063Monday to Friday: 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. · Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. · Sunday: ClosedMonday to Friday: 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Woman owned(575) 555-0106
Otter Swim School
Book a placement visit
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Six levels, six cap colors

Each level has a cap color, an age range and a short list of what swimmers practice, with its name in English and in Spanish. A placement visit shows us where to start, and the instructor decides when a swimmer moves up.

  1. 01

    Water comfort · Comodidad en el agua

    Yellow cap, ages 3 to 5
    Skills

    • Walking in by the steps

    • Blowing bubbles

    • Wetting the face a little at a time

    • Moving through the water holding an instructor's hands

    Moving up

    When bubbles and a calm walk in by the steps feel familiar, the instructor suggests Floating.

  2. 02

    Floating · Flotación

    Orange cap, ages 4 to 6
    Skills

    • Floating on the front and back with support

    • Putting the face in and blowing bubbles

    • Kicking while holding a kickboard

    • Reaching for the wall

    Moving up

    When floating with support and kicking with a board are steady, the instructor suggests Kicking.

  3. 03

    Kicking · Patadas

    Green cap, ages 5 to 7
    Skills

    • Kicking on the front and the back

    • Gliding off the wall

    • Arm pulls holding a kickboard

    • Turning the head to breathe

    Moving up

    When kicking and gliding are steady on the front and the back, the instructor suggests Strokes.

  4. 04

    Strokes · Brazadas

    Blue cap, ages 6 to 8
    Skills

    • Freestyle arms with breathing to the side

    • Back crawl arms

    • Swimming across the width of the pool

    • Treading water with the instructor close

    Moving up

    When freestyle and back crawl cross the width of the pool, the instructor suggests Stroke combinations.

  5. 05

    Stroke combinations · Combinación de brazadas

    Purple cap, ages 7 to 10
    Skills

    • Freestyle and back crawl linked together

    • Breaststroke kick

    • Swimming a length of the pool

    • Sculling on the back

    Moving up

    When two strokes link and a length of the pool is swum, the instructor suggests Endurance and technique.

  6. 06

    Endurance and technique · Resistencia y técnica

    Navy cap, ages 9 to 12
    Skills

    • Longer swims at an even pace

    • Butterfly kick

    • Turns at the wall

    • Breathing patterns across a length

    Moving up

    Swimmers stay in this level for as long as they like, and the instructor adds a new skill when the last one feels steady.

Where to startSee what a placement visit is

Sample levels.

Every swimmer moves at their own pace.

Moving up

How a swimmer moves up a level

  • The instructor watches

    In every class the instructor notices what feels steady and what is still new, and tells you in the lobby after class.

  • Ages are a guide

    A swimmer can stay in a level for another session or move up in the middle of one. The cap color changes when the level does.

  • A place moves with the swimmer

    If a level changes in the middle of a session, we move the place to a class in the new level, if there is room.

Not sure which level fits?

A placement visit tells us, and it takes a short time in the water.

Book a placement visitContact us