Become a Certified Water Safety Instructor at Camp Taconic!
The Aquatic Connection proudly offers the American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor certification course at Camp Taconic in Hinsdale, Massachusetts, a serene outdoor summer camp with a heated pool and waterfront!
Train, lead, and inspire the next generation of swimmers this summer in a hands-on camp environment. Become a Water Safety Instructor by enrolling in one of the most immersive and hands-on aquatic training environments in Massachusetts.
Training Location Address:
770 New Windsor Road
Hinsdale, MA 01235
American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Training at Camp Taconic
Blended-Learning Water Safety Instructor Training Courses Offered:
The American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor course prepares instructor candidates to plan, prepare, and teach American Red Cross Learn-To-Swim and Water Safety programs. The course focuses on the following:
- Teaching water safety concepts and swimming progressions
- Lesson planning and management strategies
- Best-practice teaching methods for all swimmers
- Techniques for building relationships with families
Prerequisites for Water Safety Instructor Training:
All instructor candidates must meet the following prerequisites to participate in training:
- Be at least 16 years old by the last day of the course.
- Pass the specific Pre-Skills Assessment outlined below:
- Swim 25 yards (1 pool lap) of front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, elementary backstroke
- Swim 15 yards of butterfly
- Float on back for one minute
- Tread water for one minute
- Pass and complete the Online Blended-Learning Training, which will be sent out approximately two weeks before the training.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING…
“I took the Water Safety Instructor Course with The Aquatic Connection, formally Teach America To Swim. The course was the perfect balance between pool and classroom learning. I loved that the instructor guided us through the swimming progressions for each stroke. Sabrina’s feedback was specific and immediately help me improve my bad swimming habits. She was also a great resource to help me plan the structure of my learn-to-swim program at camp this summer.”
Sarah F.
Nashua, New Hampshire
“This class left me feeling so confident about being a lifeguard. I was provided with so many examples of what could happen at a pool facility, how to deal with them, and a ton of practice time with each scenario. I would recommend this course to anyone trying to be a lifeguard.”
Amanda A.
Lifeguard in Merrimack, New Hampshire
2026 Training Registration
WSI Training at Camp Taconic consists of online and in-person training. To obtain your WSI certification, you must attend all scheduled training dates. You will receive an email from your instructor with more information about your course as we get closer to training.
In-Person Training Information:
Virtual Prep Session on Zoom:
Thursday, June 4th, 2026
TRAINING TIME: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
In-Person Training at Camp Taconic*
Saturday, June 13th, 2026
Sunday, June 15th, 2026
Monday, June 16th, 2026
TRAINING TIME: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
*Keep in mind, in-person training dates will be mostly water training days held at camp.
Register Here
To register for training, click the “ENROLL” link next to your desired class below.
Camp Taconic Staff should register under the STAFF ONLY Class.