Swimming is a life skill, great exercise and a challenging sport. The Y strives to help all ages learn how to swim, so they can stay safe around water and learn the skills needed to make swimming a lifelong pursuit for healthy living. Hop into a YMCA indoor pool for lap swimming, recreational swim, and have fun with the family!

  • Promotes happiness
  • Relieves stress
  • Safe form of exercise
  • Total body workout

 

A woman swims laps in a ymca indoor swimming pool

Recreational & Lap Swimming

22 of our Gateway Region YMCA locations offer swimming pools for recreational and lap swimming use. Check out a YMCA schedule to find pool hours, lap swimming times, and more!
FIND A POOL SCHEDULE
essential water fitness equipment for water exercise classes at the ymca

Water Fitness Classes

Utilize the resistance and buoyancy of the water to improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, and flexibility. Instructors lead small groups through water choreography and resistance exercises. Swimming ability is not needed for all of our water exercise classes. Browse a sampling of our classes or find a water fitness class at a YMCA near you.
BROWSE WATER FITNESS CLASSES
A Caucasian female YMCA swim instructor helps to teach two young girls how to kick as a swimming skill in the pool at the facility.

Group & Private Swimming Lessons

Y Swim Lessons teach life-saving skills, develop self-esteem, and create positive experiences that last a lifetime. We're excited to be able to offer group and private swimming lessons for all ages and swimming abilities.
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YMCA Swim Team participant smiles at the edge of the pool during Swim Team Practice.

Competitive & Specialty Swimming

The Y is proud to offer specialty swim classes for both youth and adults and across abilities. You can learn how to refine your stroke technique or just experience a great workout in the pool.
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An image of an outdoor water park and pool at the YMCA taken on a sunny, summer day.

Outdoor Pools & Water Parks

School is out and swimming is in! The Gateway Region YMCA proudly features five outdoor pools, including the Carondelet Park Rec Complex, the O’Fallon Park Rec Complex, New Baden Legion Memorial Pool, and the Red Bud City Pool. Have some summer fun with the family and beat the heat this summer.
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An image of a Caucasian female in her mid-sixties working as a lifeguard at the YMCA where she is carrying a red rescue buoy and a red t-shirt that says "The Y Guard." She is smiling whilst people are captured swimming happily at the pool knowing that they can safely swim at the YMCA pool year-round.

Work In Aquatics

Looking for a great summer job or career as a lifeguard or swim instructor? The Y offers lifeguarding and swim instructor certification courses and has open positions throughout the Gateway Region YMCA.
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A blue graphic with white text placed onto it that reads, "I Am A Water Watcher."

Save a Life

Swim lessons are an essential part of keeping kids safe in and around the water, but there’s no substitution for parental or adult supervision. Often times when everyone is watching the kids; that means no one is watching the kids. There should always be someone designated to watch the kids, especially when they’re around water.
BECOME A WATER WATCHER

Aquatic Guidelines and Policies

Please review our aquatic guidelines and age requirements before coming for a swim!

Refund policy:
We hope you do not need to cancel. If you do, please note these policies:

  • Any cancellation made prior to the registration deadline will receive 100% refund.
  • Cancellations received after the registration deadline will be subject to a $15 fee.
  • No refunds will be issued for cancellations after two weeks into the program.
Membership Handbook