FIELD TRIPS AT THE YMCA
The Marshall Area YMCA is always excited to host students from Marshall area schools for a fun day of swimming, gym play, and healthy living.
Before the fun begins, we ask that you please review the rules and policies below. This will help make the day enjoyable for your students, the YMCA's members, and the YMCA's staff.
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All field trips requested by a school must be arranged at least 6 weeks in advance through our Director of Membership.
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The dates and times of trips must be mutually agreed upon and based on the YMCA’s regular facility schedule. Schools will not have exclusive use of any facilities.
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Schools must provide at least one adult chaperone for every 10 students
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All field trip participants must follow the YMCA’s Code of Conduct and other established rules and policies.
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The main contact for the school will be responsible for each child and chaperone to ensure all policies and procedures are understood and followed.
THE POOL
The YMCA's pool with interactive water play equipment, a water slide, and zero-depth entry, makes for a great field trip for all ages.
The fee is based on participant numbers and hours used.
Number of Participants | 1 Hour | 2 Hours | 3 Hours |
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0-24 |
$75 | $90 | $125 |
25-59 | $75 | $120 | $165 |
50-74 | $85 | $145 | $205 |
75-99 | $100 | $170 | $240 |
100-124 | $110 | $200 | $280 |
125-149 | $124 | $220 | $320 |
150-175 | $140 | $250 | $360 |

Pool Rules & Guidelines:
- Swimmer Safety: Obey lifeguards at all times and report problems or emergencies to the lifeguards. Lifeguards are responsible for the safety of everyone within the pool enclosure. When a lifeguard blows his/her whistle or is speaking loudly, his/her instructions are to be obeyed. Lifeguard decisions are final.
- Age Requirements: Children 6 and under must be accompanied within arms length by an adult in the water at all times. Children 7-9 must have an adult present in the Aquatics Center. Children 10 and over can be in the Aquatics Center by themselves. All participants 13 and under must be swim tested before utilizing the pools.
- Showering: Any person using a public pool must take cleansing shower, using warm water and soap, and thoroughly rinse off all soap before entering the pool enclosure. A user leaving the pool to use the toilet must take a second cleansing shower before returning to the pool enclosure. A person who exercises, applies lotion or other substance must shower before using the pool.
- Proper Attire: Appropriate swimming attire (swimsuits) is required. No swimsuits or clothing that may be deemed YMCA inappropriate. Please try to avoid wearing street shoes on the pool deck.
- Pool Safety: No back dives, inward dives, spins or flips from the edge. Front dives are allowed only in 9 ft deep water. Inappropriate language, name calling, horseplay or fighting will not be tolerated in the Aquatics Center or locker rooms. Sitting on or hanging from pool ladders, lane lines and safety lines is not allowed. All patrons must obey lifeguards, lifeguard decisions are final.
- Food: Closed water bottles are allowed, NO glass containers. Food, gum and other beverages are not permitted in the Aquatics Center at any time.
- Pool Etiquette: No person with or suspected of having a communicable disease which could be transmitted through the use of the pool or an exposed wound, are allowed to use any public pool. No spitting, spouting, or blowing nose in pool.
- Swim Diapers: Children who wear diapers must wear designated swimming diapers. Regular diapers are not allowed at any time.
- Floatation Device Usage: Only U.S. Coast Guard floatation devices are approved. Children/adults wearing a personal floatation device must be directly supervised by an adult who is in the water next to the child/adult. If you are directly supervising a child/adult who is wearing personal floatation device, you must stay in the area of the pool that you are able to touch the bottom.
- Toys and Pool Equipment: Water toys, rafts and other unapproved floatation devices from home are not allowed at any time. Kick boards, pull buoys, flippers and other swimming lesson equipment may be used only during lap swim for stroke practice. Lifeguards always have the discretion not to allow any equipment for safety reasons.
- Aquatics Safety Breaks: Safety is our #1 priority. Safety Breaks will occur for the last ten minutes of every hour during open swim to allow our lifeguards to refocus and enhance their performance.
- Breath Holding Training: All types of breath holding are dangerous and prohibited in all bodies of water within the Aquatics Center. This includes: static, dynamic, and hypoxic training (swimmer trying to hold their breath or swimmer trying to swim as far as they can underwater).
- Slide Requirements: Only children over 48 inches tall may utilize water slide.
- Slide Safety: Safety is our #1 priority.
- Feet first entry only (no spinning). Sitting or laying on back only. No swinging body at top of slide to pick up speed.
- Swimmers slide down without stopping.
- Exit the pool immediately after they come down waterslide.
- Only one person at a time down the slide.
- No swimming or playing in the slide area.
- No one is allowed to wear jewelry, watches, lifejackets, or goggles on slide.
- Age Requirements: Patrons 13 years of age and older may use the whirlpool. Children under the age of 13 years old may not sit on the edge or dangle their feet in the whirlpool.
- Health Concerns: Individuals with medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, respiratory problems and those who are pregnant should avoid whirlpool use. Please consult a physician before use. Please limit your time in the whirlpool to 10-minute intervals. If exercising, cool down before you enter the whirlpool.
- Showering: Any person using a public pool must take a cleansing shower, using warm water and soap, and thoroughly rinse off all soap before entering the pool enclosure. A user leaving the pool to use the restroom must take a second cleansing shower before returning to the pool enclosure. A person who exercises, applies lotion, or uses a sauna or steam room must shower before using the pool.
- Whirl Pool Safety: No horse playing or toys of any type are allowed in whirl pool.
- Breath Holding Training: All types of breath holding are dangerous and prohibited in all bodies of water within the Aquatics Center. This includes: static, dynamic, and hypoxic training (swimmers trying to hold their breath or swimmer trying to swim as far as they can underwater).
Please follow the guidelines below to keep all swimmers safe and our pools healthy.
EXAMPLES OF APPROVED SWIM ATTIRE:
Swimwear must be clean and designated for pool use.
- The YMCA does not allow swimmers of any age to enter the pool in clothes.
- Swimmers must bring a change of clothes specifically designated for pool use.
- Swimsuits must not be transparent.
THE GYM
Field Trip groups may reserve a gym for open free play. The Kids Zone will also be available in conjunction with the gym use. Gym balls/equipment will be available in the gym area. Adult chaperons (1:10) must be in the gym and Kid Zone if each are in use.
Each child (member or not) on the school field trip will be charged a flat fee of $5.
It is required that schools provide a 1:10 chaperone to child ratio. Each chaperone above this ratio will incur a $5/person fee.

MEETING OR MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM
If the school wishes to use the YMCA Meeting or Multi-Purpose Room for their field trip, then the school must pay the $50 rental fee for this room.
Schools may plan to bring their own lunch and eat in the Meeting Room or Multi-Purpose Room during their scheduled field trip time.
Schools are responsible for their own utensils, plates, napkins etc. Trash cans will be provided. Please confirm the number of kids eating to ensure enough tables are set up in the space for use.

Multi-Purpose Room

Meeting Room
READY TO GO?
To ask questions or book your field trip, please contact Chelsey at choekstra@marshallareaymca.org or (507) 532-9622.