YAA 4 Me

Yates Aquatics Academy (YAA) is a veteran-owned and operated small business in Memphis, Tennessee, founded by U.S. Navy veteran James Yates III. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in maritime operations, diving, waterway rescue, and lifesaving, James provides one-on-one aquatic instruction designed to help people become safer, more confident, and capable in the water. The academy’s mission is to encourage swimmers to feel comfortable and fearless in aquatic environments while developing skills suited to their abilities.

Private swim lessons are available for beginners and cover breathing, strokes, endurance, training, and conditioning. Students can focus on backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, sidestroke, or butterfly. For swimmers already familiar with the strokes, advanced special-skills lessons introduce snorkeling, deep-water assessment, introductory scuba training, rescue swimming, controlled buoyancy, and mask clearing. Lessons are one hour and offered individually or for families of two to five; listed rates are $35 for private swim lessons and $50 for special-skills lessons, per person.