Evolution Swim Academy

(84 reviews)

1.6 mi

We love their swim classed for kids. The classes are much affordable than other places around us…read more Haven't tried their soccer class but heard many good things. Their kids zone is great too! They even have a "date night" so you sign up your kids for their kids zone , once a month from 5pm to 9pm, and go on a date with your partner :-)

This place ia the best YMCA in the country. Where else can you find a jacuzzi? The staff is so…read morewonderful and kind. This place is an amazing place to work out.

TRX Training Room

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Mission Viejo Nadadores Swim School

(79 reviews)

1.7 mi

I swam at Nadadores over 40 years ago, and now my kids swim here too…read more They build strong swimmers the right way -- with solid technique, discipline, and confidence. The coaching is structured, focused, and positive. The quality and standards have remained consistent over the years. We trust them and highly recommend the program.

The coaches and facility here are great. My kids are at different levels in their swimming journey…read moreand the consistency in the quality of their swim lessons has been amazing. I've noticed an improvement in the technique that helps set them up for swimming success. Their facility is clean, easy to access and nice, even as a parent waiting for the lessons, I highly recommend!

Privates are available!

Swim lesson pool

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Nadadores Swim School

Come Swim With Me

5.0

(5 reviews)

5.1 mi

Destinee has been the best investment for my kids! We have a pool, which is a constant worry with…read more3 little kids. She has been working with my kids (3 and 5 yo)and just this week has my 3 year old (birthday 4/29) completely safe in our pool and able to swim from one end to the other. He can grab the wall and pull himself out. My daughter is swimming laps doing the freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. Destinee is the nicest person there is and truly loves the kids and they absolutely love her. She knows when to push them, love them and have fun with them. We had tried lessons at a number of different places and the results are not comparable. Not to mention the convenience of her coming to our house and ensuring the kids know our pool and where they can get out easily! I couldn't be happier that my kids can swim and love the water, something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives! I have been recommending Destinee to all of my friends (and the strangers that ask where my kids learned to swim)!

Destinee is amazing! She did lessons at my home with my 9 and 5 year old. My 5 year old was in…read morefloaters and by the second lesson she ditched them and has been swimming like a fish! Destinee is patient, kind and caring. My kids loved her and were so sad when their lessons were over. I will be using her again next summer for sure!

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Mission Viejo Nadadores

3.6

(16 reviews)

1.7 mi

My child has been part of the Nadadores swim team for a number of years now and I myself have been…read morepart of the Masters program on and off for the same number of years and even before we started my child on the junior team. The experience up until about a year ago had been generally good but given some recent experiences and some of the other comments posted here, I felt compelled to also share so folks interested in joining know what they are singing up for. Volunteering - I don't have a general issue with the idea of volunteering. My issue is with how it's all managed and what is expected because in many cases, it isn't clear and the staff provides little help. Parent volunteers for example have to organize timing events during away meets (BTW - mandatory timing at away events is required above and beyond the hours that all families are also required to already give) and there are no tools or any digital way of managing so it's a literal mess at every meet. If you don't at least check in, even if there are 2-3X the number of parents actually needed, you will get charged - even if you wouldn't have had to time to begin with. I also have an issue with what's expected while timing as the officials are constantly pushing on the timers to manage the swimmers, which is not our jobs as volunteer timers. I can't recall a single scenario where at least one coach from the staff was behind the timers with their teams assisting and managing. I had a scenario at a meet back in December last year where I asked a group of older kids to stop cursing during a meet and on my way out one of their parents confronted me about yelling at their kid. Not cool to put us in a position to have to police other peoples kids. I have raised this numerous times with nothing done about it and you can't just skip timing at away meets or you will get charged. Mandatory Donations - This used to be an annual thing that has now turned into a twice a year thing. I assume this is because there are "seasons" and maybe not everyone swims year-round but for those that do, you are required to donate something like $400 twice a year now. Here's the thing about donating though - when it's mandatory it's no longer called a donation. It's a way to either keep the monthly dues lower on paper than they really are or it's a way to take in revenue with additional tax advantages. Either way, it's a forced $800 a year extra in money you have to come up with and the incentive plans they used to have for the swimmers to raise money continues to be limited in what type of "donation" is counted towards this goal. Parking - There is simply not enough parking for as many swimmers that come in and out every day and especially not when they are hosting an event. As others have commented, forced volunteering puts people in the middle of policing things like the parking lot which isn't fair to those volunteers on really busy meet days. For some reason they also like to maintain regular practice schedules for the non competing teams while hosting major events which is just insanity. We no longer go anywhere near the facility during hosted events as it's not worth the headache. Pool Temp - There has been a lot of talk about the city no longer paying for the heating of the pool so its now being maintained at 73 degrees per USA Swimming regs. This is not what they advertise and certainly not what it has been for the past 5 years. This has become a common complaint now, especially for the more junior swimmers. Practice Schedules - Due to the number of swimmers and teams, the practice schedules are all over the place on a daily basis. Two nights at X time to Y time, one night at X time to Y time, two other nights at some other start and end time. It also changes by season so it becomes an exercise every few months to have to reset our family schedule around swim schedules which we have now stopped doing. We just don't swim as much now as we used to if swimming doesn't fit our schedule - which adds to the annoyance of paying much more now than we used to as we cant really get our moneys worth without having to adjust our schedules all the time. I'm sure there is some attempt at being equitable so that no one team/age group is stuck too early or too late, but this may also be a sign that there are simply too many swimmers - running practices 5 nights a week isn't needed for everyone BTW. Coaching - Some else posted previously about their experience, confidence issues, etc. and I can say for certainty that mine feels the same. 0 confidence right now in the ability to move forward. This is a team that now favors the top 1%. It was a wonderful place for a number of years and even the thought of leaving brings some heartache as the Nadadores has been part of our family on and off for 2 generations now, but this is not the place it used to be. I can only hope that the leadership and board take some time to better understand how many folks really feel and take some action.

I think overall this was a good experience most of the time but there are elements which bring it…read moredown to a 2 or 3 star that I hope you'll consider and I do hope they revise on the business side in the future. Like the other review said, there is an issue with community and team here and it's difficult to fix unless you coach the coaches on pedagogy. The positives: Our daughter enjoyed her time at the school and the team. She competed. She improved her time. She got good exercise. She made friends. This part is a 4 star experience with only a notch taken out for some of the turnover and inconsistency along the way as well as some of the reactions to injuries (see below) and communication. Communication could be better and it's not uncommon to feel left out even if you just want to know the people on a safety level and get to know one another. I am confident the coach would not know me if we met at a grocery store and when I was a coach and responsible for young people, I made it a point to learn every name of the child and the parent and their faces. Build the community. The cons (business side): The pricing model has a volunteer component for service hours and they penalize charge you if you don't complete them. Here is where it gets dicey. Some jobs are easier than others. Some jobs can be "bought" by simply dropping off Gatorade and items in exchange for hours. All job assignments are done in an archaic way of free for all spreadsheets and even that is overseen by a senior volunteer where issues arise as you can imagine. You rarely feel this is a fair system and it is in need of attention and could be solved with some efficiency improvements and tech solutions. There are many database systems that allocate these things in a fair manner and they are worth the cost premium since we all are already paying. Consider revising what jobs are "worth" and "no shows" and late arrivals create some interesting results. It was common for many families to recruit grandparents and other family members to fill in. Out of the purpose of the greater good of the team, our family did extra hours in good faith many quarters even filling in for no shows and doing a double shift. No big deal, right? But when it came time to ask for a little grace and courtesy the other way, there is a surprisingly strict enforcement of a policy to keep a few extra meaningless dollars instead of putting people before policy. When our daughter got injured (twice, once a concussion by another swimmer where my daughter said swimmers were grouped too too tightly by the coaches), we had to pry for details because one coach would say the other coaches saw it and then that coach would point the finger back. It was a very awkward situation where safety was our primary concern and our daughter lacked the memory having been hit in the head. Not to mention not feeling comfortable continuing and having to vocally advocate for herself and remembered not all kids have that capacity. When the second incident happened, it was harder to determine what happened. We were advised she had to go on medical leave. We notified the team and they we were advised that our account would receive a credit. But then that credit was used to charge us for volunteer hours while our account was suspended and our daughter was on medical leave. Think about how terrible a policy that is? I don't care what an agreement says, that is a really poor policy that deserves revision. If you have a medical suspension by doctors orders from injuries that occur as a result of being on the swim team, show some decency and don't nickel and dime the families in the name of policy. That's bad business and questionable ethics. They eventually provided 50% back and billed the remaining 50% to our suspended account. Again, for hours we didn't complete while our daughter was on medical leave. When we had produced over 40 extra hours of service during our time there filling in for others? Bad form and it tells me that a review is needed to help them see the light on their practices. I truly hope they change this policy for the future Nadadores. It is the right thing to do. This is a solid 2 or 3 star type review when it should be 4/4.5. How to improve: 1. Revise ticky tack volunteer hours penalties and polices. 2. Communicate and build rapport with parents beyond the swimmers. Make it a family and community, not just a business. 3. Be flexible. Life and people over policy. I have no ill will or bad terms. Does it leave a slight bad taste? Yes. But I cherish the experiences and memories. I appreciate so many of the individuals that are amazing at what they do and care deeply about their work even when they disagree with the business side. Our exit should have been handled better and I hope one day they consider making things right.

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Goldfish Swim School - Ladera Ranch

(13 reviews)

4.8 mi

We started coming here as soon as they opened, and it took a few instructors to find our match (so…read moreif you don't succeed on your first time, don't be afraid to ask for someone else). Coach Brooke taught two of my children to swim, with kindness and respect. She is now teaching my third, who has more fear of water, but is working through it with so much patience and being so so so kind while teaching the safety needed to get past the basics and into the next level. I am so grateful for Coach Brooke, and I will never stop singing her praises. She is the BEST of the best. Shout out to Dean and the entire front desk for their kindness over the last year too. It's a really special place.

We have been at this site since they opened. The staff and coaches are friendly and always make…read moretime to answer questions and concerns. When asked, they have always offered tips and suggestions to help me with my swimmer when at our neighborhood pool. My child had built so much confidence with her swimming and is doing great!

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Cal Elite

Locally owned & operated

We've been part of the Cal Elite Kids family for years, and it has been amazing to watch my…read moredaughter grow through their programs. She started as a toddler in swim classes, then moved on to gymnastics, and now she's thriving in the Aerial PAT program--which she absolutely loves! It's been wonderful to have one place that has offered so many opportunities as my daughter's interests have evolved over the years. We're grateful for the caring coaches and staff who have helped make her experience so positive. I highly recommend Cal Elite Kids to any family looking for quality programs and a welcoming community for their children.

My children have been attending swim lessons at Cal Elite for the past several years, and we have…read morehad a wonderful experience. My daughter started in Waterbugs at 2 1/2 years old, and my son began in Little Dippers when he was 6 months old. Since then, both have progressed through the different levels--my daughter is now in Clownfish, and my son is in Sharkies. The instructors have always been incredibly supportive and do an excellent job of individualizing instruction to meet each child where they are. They are patient, compassionate, and encouraging, helping my children work through fears and overcome challenges while building confidence in the water. We are especially grateful for Ms. Bridget and the entire Cal Elite staff for creating such a positive and welcoming environment. I would highly recommend Cal Elite swim lessons to any family looking for high-quality instruction and caring teachers.

One Pea Level in Sweet Peas Gymnastics

Three Pea Level in Sweet Peas Gymnastics

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Swim With Phyn

(45 reviews)

1.1 mi

We brought our son here when he was 9 months old and my wife enjoyed the water time with him. Fast…read moreforward to three years old, turning four and they were still in the water together! My biggest three gripes were that we were watching younger kids come into the class and we essentially became the co-trainers. My son was so bored he just goofed off and didn't listen anymore because he could already do everything at that level since he'd been in the same class for over a year. We had asked her and she said she could move him up but she had to find spots in her other classes and she kinda seemed like she preferred the parent staying because it would be less work for her. Which goes to my next gripe that the other families in our time had been with us since the beginning! Yet she was willing to move all of our times, while they were still infants, to their nap time but she couldn't find time to transition them to swim by themselves. Since going, we've had the time changed 4 times all on Saturday. As any parent can attest to, messing around with nap times is a huge PITA. You could make the argument that she was being cautious not letting him swim without his mom because she felt he wasn't ready. However, he had been swimming without my wife for over a year already. We had been going to another swim school because she stated there weren't any slots open and weren't seeing much progress with her. The last complaint I have is that we never got what we paid for. The class started 10 minutes late and ended 5 minutes early. For a 30 minute class that's essentially half the class she spent chatting with the class prior, snacking, or ending it so she could snack. That's very unprofessional and should be something she baked into her schedule versus taking time in the class.

Ms. Julie is a phenomenal swim teacher. We sadly had to cancel switch to different lessons that…read morewere covered by our charter school but will always be so grateful for her patience and wisdom in getting our daughter over her fear of the water!

Learning what it feels like to float on his own. Julie uses mirrors to help the babies focus their gaze upward.

Julie helping our son enter the pool for the first time. She is big on safety and teaching them safe rules from day one.

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Learning the first steps of how to float

Goldfish Swim School - Aliso Viejo

4.5

(78 reviews)

2.9 mi

We've had such a wonderful experience at Goldfish Swim School in Aliso Viejo! The lessons are well…read moreorganized, the facility is always clean, and the small class sizes make a huge difference. My child looks forward to every lesson and has made so much progress since starting. It's clear that they really took the children's and family's needs into consideration when designing the place: the pool is warm, there are plenty of changing rooms and showers, a fun waiting area, and snacks on hand too!

We're active members of Goldfish swim! It's certainly helpful in getting our toddler to learn how…read moreto swim. He seems to have improved. We like the clean facility and yummy snacks. Cost efficient as well.

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Evolution Swim Academy - Rancho Mission Viejo

4.8

(83 reviews)

6.5 mi

Certified professionals

Family-owned & operated

My coworker used to work at Evolution and recommended we bring our baby to teach water safety... I…read moreonly wish we had done it sooner! We brought our 7-month old son to the Water Bugs 1 class, which is for babies 3 months-9 months old. It's offered 3 times a week and is FREE. The facilities are great. There's a big open seating space for families to watch and there are books and toys for kids to play with while they wait for their class to start or wait for siblings to take their class. The family locker room is clean and spacious. It has private dressing rooms and lockers to store your things. There are also hair dryers and a nice area to get ready after swimming! The pool itself is warm and comfortable. For the Water Bugs class, one parent goes in with the baby and the instructor leads in various techniques and activities. It was fun and informative, and I can see how it helps babies learn to enjoy the water and even start some basic safety skills. The instructor was so kind and so was the sweet lady at the front desk, who helped show us around. We'll definitely be coming back!

Clean facility with toasty warm water and warm changing rooms. Evolution is a great place to bring…read morebabies as young as 6 months old to get them comfy in the water. Love that babies under 9 months get free lessons ! Our absolute favorite coach is Coach Alex ! He is so engaging and tailors the class toward your kid's needs. He makes swimming fun with singing songs and great toys! Can't wait to join the swim team when our toddler is old enough to!

Our pool is 4 ft deep, kept at 90°, and filters every two hours, providing our swimmers with very clean water.

Our spacious lobby allows you to watch lessons, do work, or socialize with friends.

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Our thoughtfully designed locker rooms offer 10 changing rooms, oversized lockers, 2 suit dryers, and blow drying stations.

Power Aquatics

3.0

(2 reviews)

1.5 mi

Power Aquatics has been the best thing that has happened to our son. He never played water polo…read morebefore beginning with Power. Within his first year he was given the tools and the confidence to want to play water polo through college. He was even given the opportunity to play in the Junior Olympics and won undefeated with this amazing team and coaches! He has made friends on the team that he considers his closes buddies. We absolutely love Power Aquatics!

Very disappointing experience for my son... he is brand new to water polo. The coach never…read moreintroduced herself to Liam. Never inquired about his swimming experience. When I went to speak with her she acted too bothered or busy to even speak to me. She is very rough with kids when she speaks to them. I will not be sending him back into such a negative situation.

Coach Kevin, Gabby & Coach Sam

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Fossil Reef Park

4.6

(44 reviews)

2.0 mi

Super cute park! I totally thought it was called dinosaur park because that's what I've heard…read morepeople call it for years. There are two levels to the actual playground space, and tons of grass fields to explore too. There is something here for every age/park skill level.

Also known as Dinosaur Park. First off, parking is by the community center and field. It is also…read morebehind Laguna Hills High School. You'll have to walk a short distance to the two level park. There is a younger play area, older play area, swings, slide down to the lower area, and sand area. Lots of fossils to explore. Restrooms nearby the cover tables. There's seating all over the park.

Slides from 2nd floor

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Oso Creek Trail

4.6

(119 reviews)

2.0 mi

The Oso Creek Trail is a classic "Yuppie Nature" trail: mostly paved or manicured paths, and…read morenothing too challenging or dangerous. Exactly the kind of "outdoor" experience my wife loves! But seriously, it's a wonderful place to stretch your legs right in the heart of Mission Viejo. The trail runs along both sides of Oso Creek, hence the name, and each side of the trail is a bit different. One side is paved and the other is dirt or bark covered, for a more "natural" feel. There are also some fun points of interest along the way, including a hedgerow maze, various bear statues, and a park adjacent to the Norman P. Murray Community & Senior Center. It's great for families with small kids or strollers to push, as well as solo joggers, dog walkers, or even bikers. It's long enough and stretches at least a couple miles to get some good exercise in. If you're in the area, it's well worth a visit to enjoy. Five stars!

This urban trail, which runs along Oso Creek for a couple of miles, has several entrances along…read morethe route. We entered at the south trailhead on Marguerite Parkway next to Del Taco. The path itself was paved for the first mile or so and then became dirt/sawdust. While the trail runs behind and below shopping centers and housing, you never really see much of the structures. We walked a good chunk of the trail to the Peace Obelisk and then turned around and went back to where we parked in a shopping center, which was approximately a 4-mile round trip. It was a good walk on a Saturday afternoon. There weren't a whole lot of people to be seen on our walk; a few families, dog walkers, a couple of joggers, a couple of bicyclists. The entire path is an easy walk and mostly flat. Again, there are several entrances to the trail and there are actually 2 separate parallel trails on either side of the creek. This is a great place to spend a little time in nature while still being in the middle of Mission Viejo.

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Capo Beach Jet Ski Rentals

4.6

(190 reviews)

10.7 mi

This place is awesome!…read more Blake was supper friendly and very knowledgeable about jets skis. I really appreciate him going above and beyond to ensure we had fun and were safe. Parking was super easy and there was no waiting! I called them to make sure they had availability and within 5 minutes of parking I was on the jet ski getting an quick tutorial before heading out on the water. I've been on a jet ski before, but not like these. They have two modes: ECO and SPORT. ECO is fun and great for beginners and cruising, but if you're experienced you can switch it to SPORT and really fly! Super stoked with the entire experience, thank you!

We've never jet skied before and looked for a halfway point between LA and San Diego so we could…read morerendezvous with our daughter. It was easy to find since they sent specific gate instructions. The hunk at the boathouse was the owners son and he was adorable. We had a great hour cruising around the gorgeous Dana Point coast line. We then had a great lunch overlooking the harbor where sea lions and dolphins were galavanting. Go here if you want to spend a terrific afternoon enjoying the sun and water.

Best jet ski / watercraft rentals in Dana Point!

Lunch after on the dock

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CampCo Day Camps

4.5

(8 reviews)

0.9 mi

My son loves this camp! During the summer he looks forward to seeing the prior year friends he made…read moreand making new ones. Having the options to swim and fish on top of crafts and activities is a fantastic way to spend the summer for him. As a parent, I appreciate the longer than traditional summer camp hours compared to most summer camp programs that end mid day or later afternoon. The schedule here works best for my work schedule while letting my child feel like he was at a fun camp instead of at the school TLC program on school campus. When summer concludes all he talks about is how he misses it or how he can't wait for summer to come again. Added perk is using the snack shack as a lesson in budgeting and money management for him over the summer!!!! The staff is great and I highly recommend enrolling your child.

Camp is very disorganized and run by very young (and not well staffed) high school counselors. Our…read morechildren would come home each day reporting that another child had hit them, pushed thier face in the sand or sprayed them with sun block, among other problems. When our children reported the bullying behavior to the counselor, they would take no action. When one of our sons had their own behaviorial issue, Ms. Sylvia called my wife at work to pick him up. Because my wife took over an hour to get to the location (she was in a meeting at the time and had to commute), Ms Sylvia decided (as retaliation towards my wife for "taking too long") to suspend our child the following day. When we asked Ms. Sylvia for a full refund for the day she was not allowing our child to attend camp, she refused despite Campco terms that provide if Campco cancels camp for a child, it will issue a full refund. If you have young kids, I would stay away from this place and Ms. Sylvia!

Hula hooping fun

Getting messy!

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Ashley M.

39

20

14

2 years ago

I have had 2 kids go through lessons at Evolution, and it has been an incredible experience. From day one, each coaches passion for teaching and love for children was evident. While we adore every staff member and coach, Evan and Alma have created a strong bond and trust with my son. They possess a unique ability to connect with each child, understanding their individual needs and adapting their teaching style accordingly. They create a supportive and nurturing environment where children feel safe to explore and learn at their own pace. What truly sets Coach Evan and Alma apart is their patience and encouragement. They instill confidence in their students, gently pushing them out of their comfort zones while always ensuring they feel supported. My child, who initially screamed at every lesson and wouldn't put his head in the water, now looks forward to every lesson with excitement and loves showing off his improvement. The coaches are not just skilled instructors but also excellent communicators. They keep parents informed about their child's progress, providing constructive feedback and helpful tips for practice outside of class. The facilities are immaculate and well maintained. The school respects your time and commitment and notifies you in advance if another teacher has to fill in. The app makes it so easy to report absences and schedule makeup classes. Alyssa at the desk greets every child by name when arriving! Kristin and Tamara are an excellent management team should any issues arise. I cannot recommend Coach Evan and Alma highly enough. Their dedication, expertise, and genuine care for their students make them an exceptional swim instructor. If you're looking for someone who will not only teach your child how to swim safely but also foster a lifelong love for the water, Evolution is the perfect choice. read more

Mariana B.

17

7

11

1 year ago

I can't speak highly enough about the Kids Swing Academy! They've been such a blessing to our family since my son was 2 years old. From the very beginning, when he was hesitant about being away from me, the teachers (Maria in special) and staff were so caring and welcoming. They made sure he felt comfortable and supported every step of the way. Fast forward to now, he's 5 years old and thriving in the "Swim Star" program! It's amazing to see his progress, and I truly believe the nurturing environment at the academy played a big role in that. What really sets them apart is their constant dedication to improvement. They regularly update and renovate the facilities to ensure the best experience for both the kids and families. It's clear that they genuinely care about their students and their families. The sense of community they've built is wonderful, and we absolutely love being a part of it. I can't recommend Kids Swing Academy enough for anyone looking for a positive and supportive environment for their child's growth! read more

Debora B.

0

64

19

1 month ago

Our family has had an outstanding experience with Evolution. My daughter genuinely looks forward to every practice, which says so much about the positive environment the coaches create. The coaching staff is knowledgeable, supportive, and truly invested in each swimmer's growth and success. Since joining the team, my daughter has improved tremendously!! Not only in her technique, speed, and endurance, but also in her confidence, discipline, and love for the sport. The coaches know how to challenge swimmers while keeping practices engaging and motivating. If you're looking for a top-tier swim team that develops both strong swimmers and great character, I highly recommend Evolution Swim Academy. We couldn't be happier with our experience. read more

Emily E.

0

8

4

11 years ago

I have my daughter and my son taking swim classes here. My daughter was 7 when she started and did not fear the teaching procedures, such as going under water and so on. However my 4 year old son did not want to take classes due to fear of water. As soon as the manager realized what we are facing, he took the initiative to work with my son privately for few classes to get him used to the water and all training practices. He was very successful in just few classes. Now, my son enjoys every class. The facility is new and clean and the staff is very friendly. read more

Stephanie L.

0

1

0

1 year ago

Highly recommend Evolution Swim Academy! Wonderful staff and facility. We've been bringing my 3 year old son since he was about 1.5 and have had Neida as our instructor for most of that time. She is amazing and extremely patient. My son loves her and we feel confident in the safety skills he's learned from her thus far. I recommend Evolution Swim Academy to anyone looking to get their kiddos in a class to learn water safety and swimming! read more

Rebekah V.

0

5

4

2 years ago

I highly recommend this place! The staff is friendly and welcoming. I was impressed by the instructors and their teaching techniques. Coach Alma is outstanding. She is so sweet and patient with the students. She makes it fun while learning! My daughter has improved greatly, and she's more consistent in the water. read more

Jon K.

1

92

66

7 years ago

My son loves it here. Took him a while to warm up but all of the instructors he has had are very friendly and seem to be great with kids even when they aren't cooperating with instruction. Clean, heated pool and a nice play room with one way glass. Price is on par with any other group lesson out there. read more

Evolution Swim Academy - swimminglessons - Updated July 2026

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Evolution Swim Academy - Rancho Mission Viejo

4.8

(83 reviews)

My coworker used to work at Evolution and recommended we bring our baby to teach water safety... I…read moreonly wish we had done it sooner! We brought our 7-month old son to the Water Bugs 1 class, which is for babies 3 months-9 months old. It's offered 3 times a week and is FREE. The facilities are great. There's a big open seating space for families to watch and there are books and toys for kids to play with while they wait for their class to start or wait for siblings to take their class. The family locker room is clean and spacious. It has private dressing rooms and lockers to store your things. There are also hair dryers and a nice area to get ready after swimming! The pool itself is warm and comfortable. For the Water Bugs class, one parent goes in with the baby and the instructor leads in various techniques and activities. It was fun and informative, and I can see how it helps babies learn to enjoy the water and even start some basic safety skills. The instructor was so kind and so was the sweet lady at the front desk, who helped show us around. We'll definitely be coming back!

Clean facility with toasty warm water and warm changing rooms. Evolution is a great place to bring…read morebabies as young as 6 months old to get them comfy in the water. Love that babies under 9 months get free lessons ! Our absolute favorite coach is Coach Alex ! He is so engaging and tailors the class toward your kid's needs. He makes swimming fun with singing songs and great toys! Can't wait to join the swim team when our toddler is old enough to!

Aqua Wave Swim School

(84 reviews)

My son is 5 years old and he did not know how to swim without his floaties. He was nervous about…read moreattending lessons, so we put them off for a long time. We have been taking him to Aqua Wave for about 2 months and he is doing amazing! Our friends were surprised by his progress at a recent pool party we attended. He now feels confident to jump in without assistance, floats well and can swim a good distance without help. Ms. Chelsea is wonderful and patient with all her students. Thank you for being so present and kind! We definitely recommend this place for swim lessons.

Good stretch, stretching, and exercise activity class. On these warm days....this makes you feel so…read moremuch better!!!

Mission Viejo Nadadores Swim School

(79 reviews)

I swam at Nadadores over 40 years ago, and now my kids swim here too…read more They build strong swimmers the right way -- with solid technique, discipline, and confidence. The coaching is structured, focused, and positive. The quality and standards have remained consistent over the years. We trust them and highly recommend the program.

The coaches and facility here are great. My kids are at different levels in their swimming journey…read moreand the consistency in the quality of their swim lessons has been amazing. I've noticed an improvement in the technique that helps set them up for swimming success. Their facility is clean, easy to access and nice, even as a parent waiting for the lessons, I highly recommend!

Swim With Phyn

(45 reviews)

We brought our son here when he was 9 months old and my wife enjoyed the water time with him. Fast…read moreforward to three years old, turning four and they were still in the water together! My biggest three gripes were that we were watching younger kids come into the class and we essentially became the co-trainers. My son was so bored he just goofed off and didn't listen anymore because he could already do everything at that level since he'd been in the same class for over a year. We had asked her and she said she could move him up but she had to find spots in her other classes and she kinda seemed like she preferred the parent staying because it would be less work for her. Which goes to my next gripe that the other families in our time had been with us since the beginning! Yet she was willing to move all of our times, while they were still infants, to their nap time but she couldn't find time to transition them to swim by themselves. Since going, we've had the time changed 4 times all on Saturday. As any parent can attest to, messing around with nap times is a huge PITA. You could make the argument that she was being cautious not letting him swim without his mom because she felt he wasn't ready. However, he had been swimming without my wife for over a year already. We had been going to another swim school because she stated there weren't any slots open and weren't seeing much progress with her. The last complaint I have is that we never got what we paid for. The class started 10 minutes late and ended 5 minutes early. For a 30 minute class that's essentially half the class she spent chatting with the class prior, snacking, or ending it so she could snack. That's very unprofessional and should be something she baked into her schedule versus taking time in the class.

Ms. Julie is a phenomenal swim teacher. We sadly had to cancel switch to different lessons that…read morewere covered by our charter school but will always be so grateful for her patience and wisdom in getting our daughter over her fear of the water!

Evolution Swim Academy Aliso Viejo

4.7

(19 reviews)

I enrolled my daughter in the Parent & Me classes when she was 12 months old. Honestly, I was…read moreskeptical about how much she would really learn at such a young age. I figured we might stick with it a month or two and then move on if I couldn't see measurable results. Over four months into classes my daughter is thriving in the water thanks to Evolution Swim Academy and her fabulous instructor, Jack. Here are a few things I loved about my experience with Evolution this summer: 1. Jack took time to learn my daughter's name and her favorite parts of different activities/songs. Even though she is too young to really communicate with him much he really saw her as a person and wanted to make sure she was getting the most out of her experience. I love that. 2. When my daughter progressed to a point in her back floating that was more advanced than many of the other kids in her class, Jack still took the time to show my husband what to do next and he made sure my daughter wasn't being held back by other classmates who were younger or newer than she was. 3. Jack had a tremendous amount of patience with crying children and he offered parents real encouragement by sharing his own story of how he was afraid of the water as a baby and went on to become a competitive swimmer, water polo player and lifeguard. While I wasn't so sure about Parent & Me classes a few months ago, I am completely sold on the value of this class now. Evolution Swim Academy has exceeded my expectations. Even their littlest swimmers get personalized attention. My daughter will be back next summer--and I hope Jack will be too. Thank you Evolution and thank you Jack!

Evolution Swim Academy is awesome! The trainers are very good with children, and are patient with…read morethem. Communication is great between parents and the coaches. They are committed to teaching your child how to swim properly, and enjoy doing it! They are encouraging and engaging with children. Bobby and Coach Eric are the best! I recommend ESA!

Goldfish Swim School - Aliso Viejo

4.5

(78 reviews)

We've had such a wonderful experience at Goldfish Swim School in Aliso Viejo! The lessons are well…read moreorganized, the facility is always clean, and the small class sizes make a huge difference. My child looks forward to every lesson and has made so much progress since starting. It's clear that they really took the children's and family's needs into consideration when designing the place: the pool is warm, there are plenty of changing rooms and showers, a fun waiting area, and snacks on hand too!

We're active members of Goldfish swim! It's certainly helpful in getting our toddler to learn how…read moreto swim. He seems to have improved. We like the clean facility and yummy snacks. Cost efficient as well.

Mission Viejo Nadadores

3.6

(16 reviews)

My child has been part of the Nadadores swim team for a number of years now and I myself have been…read morepart of the Masters program on and off for the same number of years and even before we started my child on the junior team. The experience up until about a year ago had been generally good but given some recent experiences and some of the other comments posted here, I felt compelled to also share so folks interested in joining know what they are singing up for. Volunteering - I don't have a general issue with the idea of volunteering. My issue is with how it's all managed and what is expected because in many cases, it isn't clear and the staff provides little help. Parent volunteers for example have to organize timing events during away meets (BTW - mandatory timing at away events is required above and beyond the hours that all families are also required to already give) and there are no tools or any digital way of managing so it's a literal mess at every meet. If you don't at least check in, even if there are 2-3X the number of parents actually needed, you will get charged - even if you wouldn't have had to time to begin with. I also have an issue with what's expected while timing as the officials are constantly pushing on the timers to manage the swimmers, which is not our jobs as volunteer timers. I can't recall a single scenario where at least one coach from the staff was behind the timers with their teams assisting and managing. I had a scenario at a meet back in December last year where I asked a group of older kids to stop cursing during a meet and on my way out one of their parents confronted me about yelling at their kid. Not cool to put us in a position to have to police other peoples kids. I have raised this numerous times with nothing done about it and you can't just skip timing at away meets or you will get charged. Mandatory Donations - This used to be an annual thing that has now turned into a twice a year thing. I assume this is because there are "seasons" and maybe not everyone swims year-round but for those that do, you are required to donate something like $400 twice a year now. Here's the thing about donating though - when it's mandatory it's no longer called a donation. It's a way to either keep the monthly dues lower on paper than they really are or it's a way to take in revenue with additional tax advantages. Either way, it's a forced $800 a year extra in money you have to come up with and the incentive plans they used to have for the swimmers to raise money continues to be limited in what type of "donation" is counted towards this goal. Parking - There is simply not enough parking for as many swimmers that come in and out every day and especially not when they are hosting an event. As others have commented, forced volunteering puts people in the middle of policing things like the parking lot which isn't fair to those volunteers on really busy meet days. For some reason they also like to maintain regular practice schedules for the non competing teams while hosting major events which is just insanity. We no longer go anywhere near the facility during hosted events as it's not worth the headache. Pool Temp - There has been a lot of talk about the city no longer paying for the heating of the pool so its now being maintained at 73 degrees per USA Swimming regs. This is not what they advertise and certainly not what it has been for the past 5 years. This has become a common complaint now, especially for the more junior swimmers. Practice Schedules - Due to the number of swimmers and teams, the practice schedules are all over the place on a daily basis. Two nights at X time to Y time, one night at X time to Y time, two other nights at some other start and end time. It also changes by season so it becomes an exercise every few months to have to reset our family schedule around swim schedules which we have now stopped doing. We just don't swim as much now as we used to if swimming doesn't fit our schedule - which adds to the annoyance of paying much more now than we used to as we cant really get our moneys worth without having to adjust our schedules all the time. I'm sure there is some attempt at being equitable so that no one team/age group is stuck too early or too late, but this may also be a sign that there are simply too many swimmers - running practices 5 nights a week isn't needed for everyone BTW. Coaching - Some else posted previously about their experience, confidence issues, etc. and I can say for certainty that mine feels the same. 0 confidence right now in the ability to move forward. This is a team that now favors the top 1%. It was a wonderful place for a number of years and even the thought of leaving brings some heartache as the Nadadores has been part of our family on and off for 2 generations now, but this is not the place it used to be. I can only hope that the leadership and board take some time to better understand how many folks really feel and take some action.

I think overall this was a good experience most of the time but there are elements which bring it…read moredown to a 2 or 3 star that I hope you'll consider and I do hope they revise on the business side in the future. Like the other review said, there is an issue with community and team here and it's difficult to fix unless you coach the coaches on pedagogy. The positives: Our daughter enjoyed her time at the school and the team. She competed. She improved her time. She got good exercise. She made friends. This part is a 4 star experience with only a notch taken out for some of the turnover and inconsistency along the way as well as some of the reactions to injuries (see below) and communication. Communication could be better and it's not uncommon to feel left out even if you just want to know the people on a safety level and get to know one another. I am confident the coach would not know me if we met at a grocery store and when I was a coach and responsible for young people, I made it a point to learn every name of the child and the parent and their faces. Build the community. The cons (business side): The pricing model has a volunteer component for service hours and they penalize charge you if you don't complete them. Here is where it gets dicey. Some jobs are easier than others. Some jobs can be "bought" by simply dropping off Gatorade and items in exchange for hours. All job assignments are done in an archaic way of free for all spreadsheets and even that is overseen by a senior volunteer where issues arise as you can imagine. You rarely feel this is a fair system and it is in need of attention and could be solved with some efficiency improvements and tech solutions. There are many database systems that allocate these things in a fair manner and they are worth the cost premium since we all are already paying. Consider revising what jobs are "worth" and "no shows" and late arrivals create some interesting results. It was common for many families to recruit grandparents and other family members to fill in. Out of the purpose of the greater good of the team, our family did extra hours in good faith many quarters even filling in for no shows and doing a double shift. No big deal, right? But when it came time to ask for a little grace and courtesy the other way, there is a surprisingly strict enforcement of a policy to keep a few extra meaningless dollars instead of putting people before policy. When our daughter got injured (twice, once a concussion by another swimmer where my daughter said swimmers were grouped too too tightly by the coaches), we had to pry for details because one coach would say the other coaches saw it and then that coach would point the finger back. It was a very awkward situation where safety was our primary concern and our daughter lacked the memory having been hit in the head. Not to mention not feeling comfortable continuing and having to vocally advocate for herself and remembered not all kids have that capacity. When the second incident happened, it was harder to determine what happened. We were advised she had to go on medical leave. We notified the team and they we were advised that our account would receive a credit. But then that credit was used to charge us for volunteer hours while our account was suspended and our daughter was on medical leave. Think about how terrible a policy that is? I don't care what an agreement says, that is a really poor policy that deserves revision. If you have a medical suspension by doctors orders from injuries that occur as a result of being on the swim team, show some decency and don't nickel and dime the families in the name of policy. That's bad business and questionable ethics. They eventually provided 50% back and billed the remaining 50% to our suspended account. Again, for hours we didn't complete while our daughter was on medical leave. When we had produced over 40 extra hours of service during our time there filling in for others? Bad form and it tells me that a review is needed to help them see the light on their practices. I truly hope they change this policy for the future Nadadores. It is the right thing to do. This is a solid 2 or 3 star type review when it should be 4/4.5. How to improve: 1. Revise ticky tack volunteer hours penalties and polices. 2. Communicate and build rapport with parents beyond the swimmers. Make it a family and community, not just a business. 3. Be flexible. Life and people over policy. I have no ill will or bad terms. Does it leave a slight bad taste? Yes. But I cherish the experiences and memories. I appreciate so many of the individuals that are amazing at what they do and care deeply about their work even when they disagree with the business side. Our exit should have been handled better and I hope one day they consider making things right.

Come Swim With Me

5.0

(5 reviews)

Destinee has been the best investment for my kids! We have a pool, which is a constant worry with…read more3 little kids. She has been working with my kids (3 and 5 yo)and just this week has my 3 year old (birthday 4/29) completely safe in our pool and able to swim from one end to the other. He can grab the wall and pull himself out. My daughter is swimming laps doing the freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. Destinee is the nicest person there is and truly loves the kids and they absolutely love her. She knows when to push them, love them and have fun with them. We had tried lessons at a number of different places and the results are not comparable. Not to mention the convenience of her coming to our house and ensuring the kids know our pool and where they can get out easily! I couldn't be happier that my kids can swim and love the water, something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives! I have been recommending Destinee to all of my friends (and the strangers that ask where my kids learned to swim)!

Destinee is amazing! She did lessons at my home with my 9 and 5 year old. My 5 year old was in…read morefloaters and by the second lesson she ditched them and has been swimming like a fish! Destinee is patient, kind and caring. My kids loved her and were so sad when their lessons were over. I will be using her again next summer for sure!

Goldfish Swim School - Ladera Ranch