Consistency and How to Get the Most from Make-Up Lessons
One of the most common questions we receive is about missed swim lessons and our make-up lesson policy.
If you've ever wondered why make-up lessons work the way they do - or why our team recommends scheduling them close to the missed lesson - this article is for you!
Our Goal Is Simple: Help Your Child Learn to Swim
Everything we do at Pikes Peak Athletics is guided by one goal: Helping children become safe, confident, and capable in the water.
That's why our curriculum is built around consistent, weekly practice. Swimming is a motor skill, much like learning to ride a bike or play an instrument. Skills improve through repetition, confidence, and regular exposure to the water.
The swimmers who progress most consistently aren't necessarily the ones who take the most private lessons or spend hours at the pool.
They're the swimmers who simply show up week after week.
Why We Offer Make-Up Lessons
We understand that life happens.
Children get sick. Families travel. School events pop up. Sometimes missing a lesson is unavoidable.
That's why we offer make-up lessons on a space-available basis for currently enrolled swimmers. Our hope is simple: when life gets in the way, we want to provide an opportunity for your swimmer to recover some of that valuable time in the water whenever possible.
At the same time, make-up lessons are intended to support occasional unavoidable absences - not to replace regular attendance.
Our greatest hope is always that swimmers attend their regularly scheduled weekly lesson, because consistency is one of the most important factors in learning to swim. When a family is finding it difficult to attend their regularly scheduled lesson consistently, our recommendation is to transfer to a different day and time where consistency is more possible. Most our instructors teach several days a week and we can always try to find classes with your swimmer’s favorite!
Why We Recommend Scheduling a Make-Up Lesson Within 1–2 Weeks
Whenever possible, we recommend using a make-up lesson within one to two weeks of the missed class.
Why?
Because learning to swim is built on consistency.
Waiting several months before making up a lesson interrupts the natural progression of skills and often makes it harder for swimmers to retain what they've learned.
One missed lesson usually isn't a major setback.
Several missed lessons spread throughout the year without timely make-ups can significantly slow progress.
For both educational and scheduling reasons, we encourage families to use make-up lessons sooner rather than later.
Why We Recommend Checking the Day Before
We know many families wish they could schedule make-up lessons weeks in advance.
The challenge is that make-up lessons depend on another swimmer reporting an absence.
Most absences are submitted within 24 hours of class time, meaning that's when the majority of make-up opportunities become available.
By checking the day before or the morning you'd like to attend, you'll typically have the greatest number of options available.
It's a system that works best when everyone participates by reporting absences as soon as they know they'll miss.
Make-Up Lessons Are a Courtesy, Not a Replacement for Regular Attendance
Our make-up policy exists because we genuinely want swimmers to receive as much time in the water as possible.
However, make-up lessons should be viewed as an occasional safety net rather than a regular scheduling tool.
When possible, we encourage families to plan other activities around their weekly swim lesson instead of planning swim lessons around other activities.
Learning to swim is a lifelong safety skill, and every lesson contributes to your swimmer's confidence, independence, and safety in the water.
What Happens if We Withdraw?
Make-up lessons remain available only while your swimmer is actively enrolled in our program.
Unused make-up lessons are forfeited upon withdrawal and cannot be saved for a future enrollment or converted into tuition credit.
Your tuition reserves your swimmer's weekly class time, instructor staffing, and pool space. When a lesson is missed, we are happy to offer a make-up opportunity whenever space becomes available, but missed lessons cannot be exchanged for future tuition or financial credit.
Looking for an Even Better Option?
Many families choose to convert a make-up lesson into a 30-minute private lesson with their swimmer's instructor for just $20, based on instructor availability.
The one-on-one attention provides an excellent opportunity to reinforce skills, build confidence, and accelerate progress while recovering a missed lesson.
Our Commitment to Your Family
We've intentionally chosen a flexible make-up policy because we genuinely want swimmers to spend as much time in the water as possible.
Our hope is that families use make-up lessons for what they were designed for: the occasional illness, vacation, or unavoidable conflict - not as a substitute for consistent attendance.
Together, by prioritizing regular weekly lessons and using make-up opportunities when life truly gets in the way, we can give every swimmer the best opportunity to develop the skills and confidence that could one day save their life.