Next month, the Vashon Seals swim team will offer a new program for middle and high schoolers who are interested in swimming for fitness or just want to improve their skills but don’t want to compete.

Swim:FIT will begin Feb. 5 under the experienced guidance of Seals coach Lisa MacLeod.

“For kids who are older and want to swim better, it can be really hard to step into a team,” she said. “And there are also lots of kids involved in other sports who are interested in swimming as an extra fitness and conditioning opportunity.”

MacLeod described the program as focusing on developing good stroke technique with an emphasis on breathing, balance and building stamina.

“We’ll also work on dives, starts, turns and learn about water safety,” she added, “and maybe participate in other aquatic activities, like water polo, for fun.”

The program will run for a semester — until May 25 — and participants will use personal notebooks to set and track their goals, such as learning a new stroke, being able to swim a certain distance or learning to dive. Every four weeks, an assessment will be performed so that students can track their progress and get feedback from the coach regarding their performance and progress.

“I’ve been coaching for a long time, and I’ve seen the need for this type of program grow,” MacLeod said. “We really just want to make swimming more accessible to middle and high school kids who want to be active but aren’t interested in competing.”

MacLeod was quick to add that competing is always an option, however, if participants choose to.

The classes will run from 3 to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, starting Feb. 5 — Mondays and Wednesdays for high school students and Tuesdays and Thursdays for middle school students. Each class will be able to take about 12 students. For more information and to register, see vashonseals.org/register. Financial aid may be available to those who qualify.