PRIORITY REGISTRATION for our School Year 2025-2026 Session begins Wednesday, July 30th at 10:00AM. If you would like to change spots, were on a waitlist this year, or were newly enrolled this summer, you can enroll during Priority Registration next week!

The 2025-2026 School Year Session will run from September 5th, 2025 through June 6th, 2026. The cost per lesson is $21 for Parent-Tot, $31.50 for Age Group, and $31.50 for Swim Team. Any questions? Please email us at LittleStrokesSwim@gmail.com. Thanks!

Introducing our newest Swim Instructor, Megan Turk!

Megan Turk grew up in Elkhorn, WI, where she swam competitively throughout her childhood. She was a sectional champion in both the 200 Freestyle Relay and 200 Medley Relay and went on to compete at the state level. Megan served as team captain for two years, embracing a high level of leadership and responsibility as the only senior on the team. Alongside competing, she spent her high school years coaching swim lessons, working closely with the youngest and most novice swimmers to build their confidence and foundational skills in the water.

Megan is continuing her education at UW-Madison, where she is studying Marketing and Disability Rights and Services. She is also a member of the Waterski and Wakeboard Team at UW-Madison and loves spending her free time on the water. Megan is excited to build connections with your little ones and help them grow their confidence in the pool!

Please extend a warm welcome to new Swim Instructor, Isabella Levinthal!

Izzy grew up in the Chicagoland area, and she swam competitively throughout her youth for several teams, beginning at ages 5-6. She worked as a camp counselor and summer nanny for several summers throughout high school and her first year of college. During the summer of 2024 and winter of 2025, she taught swim lessons and coached pre-team level swimmers for one of her age group coach’s lessons program back home.

Izzy is a current student at UW-Madison studying mathematics with the goal of continuing onto graduate school to become a high school teacher! In her free time, she enjoys lap swimming with her brothers, reading, painting, backpacking with friends, and being out on the lake in some capacity!

General Public Registration for our Summer Session of swim lessons will start on Monday, May 12th at 10am! Summer Session runs from June 8th through August 29th, with classes being held once per week, and billed monthly. We will be closed on July 4th and 5th for the 4th of July holiday, resuming activities on Sunday, July 6th.

Prices for Summer Session are as follows: Parent-Tot $21/lesson, Age Group $31.50/lesson, Swim Team $31.50/lesson. Swimmers in private lessons pay for all 3 class spots, or $94.50. There is no registration fee or annual family fee! Our Age Group lessons have 3 swimmers per instructor, and our Parent-Tot lessons have 6 kiddos per class.

All of our professional swim instructors are former competitive swimmers and coaches, and our water is a warm 91 degrees! If you have any questions, or would like help registering multiple swimmers, please send us an email at LittleStrokesSwim@gmail.com. Thanks!

In March 2005, Little Strokes Swim Academy was founded in a small hotel pool outside of DeForest. A second hotel location was quickly added until it became obvious that a larger space was needed. In 2006, Little Strokes moved to the Madison Country Day School, where renovations made it a perfect facility for the instruction of young swimmers. In August 2016, Little Strokes designed and built our current facility in Waunakee. The new facility allowed us to offer a non-competitive swim team, Adult Swim, and provide therapeutic lessons utilizing the Children's Long Term Support waiver. Little Strokes Swim Academy continues to be a leader in swim instruction and a leader in the community. We would love it if you could come celebrate our 20 year anniversary with an outdoor party on Saturday, May 17th from 2-4pm. There will be bounce houses, door prizes, snacks, drinks, and ice cream sundaes for all to enjoy!

Summer is just around the corner, and so is our Summer Session registration! Summer Session will run from June 8th through August 29th. We will be closed on July 4th and 5th for the 4th of July holiday, resuming activities on Sunday, July 6th. Prices for Summer Session are as follows: Parent-Tot $21/lesson, Age Group $31.50/lesson, Swim Team $31.50/lesson. Swimmers in private lessons pay for all 3 class spots, or $94.50.

We anticipate holding Priority Registration for all currently registered swimmers and waitlisted swimmers at 10 AM on Tuesday, April 29th. General Public Registration will begin at 10 AM on Monday, May 12th. If you are currently enrolled in our School Year Session, you will need to register for Summer Session, as registration will NOT copy over like it does for School Year Sessions, and the class schedule is different.

Just a friendly reminder that we will be closed on Sunday, April 20th and Monday, April 21st for the Easter Holiday. Swim lessons, swim team, and adult swim will resume on Tuesday, April 22nd.

Just a friendly reminder that we are on a break from Swim Lessons, Swim Team and Adult Swim for Spring Break from March 22nd-30th. Lessons will resume on Monday, March 31st. This closure has already been taken into account so there is no need to schedule a makeup lesson. Spring Break private pool rentals are only available for the first weekend, March 22nd-23rd. 

From March 15th-21st, your swimmer will be evaluated at lessons and will receive a wristband indicating their progress. You can check out the wristband progression color chart here on our website: https://www.littlestrokes.com/classes

Wristband week also signifies the last week of lessons before Spring Break! We will take a break from lessons, swim team, and adult swim from March 22nd through March 30th. Activities will resume on Monday, March 31st.

Want $10 and more space during swim lessons? If your child is currently enrolled in our afternoon, evening, or weekend lessons and you are able to switch to morning lessons, we will put a $10 credit PER CHILD on your account! Our morning lessons provide more room to spread out on deck and in the locker rooms, and allow for a quieter environment due to fewer instructors & children in the pool. Send us an email if you're able to make the switch!

Adam Giljohann
Adam grew up in Menomonie, Wisconsin and started swimming competitively at 5 years old. He was a lifeguard at an outdoor waterpark for 5 years along with teaching private swim lessons. Adam swam in high school and was a sectional champion, state qualifier and school record holder along with a two time captain. He competed in track at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, specializing in Polevault, and graduated with a degree in Electronic Media and Sports Marketing. He loves being outside, water skiing, traveling and camping!

Ava Vincent
Ava has lived in the Madison area her whole life. She’s been a swim instructor/lifeguard for the past 2 years, and has been swimming since the age of 3! In college, Ava will be studying Biology on a Pre-Med Track. When she isn’t at the pool doing Swimming Lessons, she loves to participate in model UN, musical theater, hang with friends and volunteer at her local elementary school with second graders and kindergartners. Ava is very excited to share her love for swimming with her students, and loves seeing their faces light up when they feel good about their skills!

Lauren Macomber
Lauren grew up in Portage, WI and has been swimming since she was 4 years old. Lauren grew up swimming for Badger Aquatics Club, and after high school she began coaching for that club as well. She currently lives in Middleton and is pursuing her degree in Biology with plans to attend dental school. Outside of school and work, Lauren loves to cook and bake and spend time with her family and friends. She is excited to share her love for swimming with your little ones! 

Just a friendly reminder that we will take a break from swim lessons and adult swim on Monday, January 20th to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Activities will resume on Tuesday, January 21st. There is no need to schedule a makeup lesson, this break has already been taken into account.

Just a friendly reminder that we are on a break from swim lessons, swim team, and Adult Swim for Winter Break from December 21st through January 1st. Lessons will resume on Thursday, January 2nd, 2025. This closure has already been taken into account so there is no need to schedule a makeup lesson

From December 14th-20th, your swimmer will be evaluated at lessons and will receive a wristband indicating their progress. You can check out the wristband progression color chart here on our website: https://www.littlestrokes.com/classes

Wristband week also signifies the last week of lessons for 2024! We will take a break from lessons, swim team, and adult swim from December 21st, 2024 through January 1st, 2024. Activities will resume on Thursday, January 2nd, 2024.

Just a friendly reminder that we will take a break from lessons, swim team, and adult swim from November 25th through December 1st, to allow our staff to spend time with their family over Thanksgiving. Activities will resume on Monday, December 2nd. There is no need to schedule a makeup lesson, this break has already been taken into account.

Little Strokes will close for lessons and swim team after 3pm on Thursday, October 31st. This closure has already been taken into account, so there is no need to schedule a makeup lesson. Enjoy Trick or Treating!

Please extend a warm welcome to Amber Tyler, our new Saturday office staff! Originally from the small rural town of Oxford, WI, Amber now calls DeForest her home. Her love for swimming began when her daughter, Danika, started her swim journey here at Little Strokes at the age of 4. After mastering all her strokes, she went on to swim competitively for local swim clubs such as DFAC and the Sun Prairie Piranhas, as well competing on the DeForest Area High School girls swim team. Amber credits the skilled instructors at Little Strokes for her daughter’s swim success over the years and for nurturing her love of swimming.

Amber is a surgical coordinator by day and recently become an ‘empty nester’. In her free time, you’ll find her crafting, baking and gardening as well as enjoying time outdoors with her husband, Eric. Amber is looking forward to meeting all the Little Strokes families and providing them with a warm welcome as someone once did for her family!

We are excited to introduce to our newest member of our cleaning staff - Sisy Thao! Mr. Hartley is stepping back on cleaning and will be focusing on maintenance and small projects, but we are thrilled to have Sisy keep our building looking great! Born and raised in Madison WI, Sisy graduated from La Follette High school. Sisy is currently enrolled in Dental Hygiene School to become a hygienist. During the day she is a dental assistant helping her patients feel great about their smiles. In her free time she loves spending time with her two boys and fiancé playing games and sports outdoors. Sisy enjoys camping, hiking, swimming, arts and crafts, reading thriller books and she is a foodie!