Pre-Breakers 1

Minimum age: 5 years old when the program starts. 
Swimmers who are new to the sport or have minimal experience and or skill in the pool.  PreBreakers 1 is roughly equivalent to the Cowichan Aquatic Centre’s Preschool 1–3 or Swimmer 1 (Swim for Life).

Outcome Goals:

  • Fun Fun Fun – water introduction and games

  • Front and back floats and glides

  • Kick with flotation

  • Introduction of arms - freestyle

  • Introduction to deeper water - assisted

  • Games in deeper water - assisted

  • Swim freestyle for over 5m

Pre-Breakers 2

Minimum age: 5 years old when the program starts. 
Swimmers who are comfortable within the kids pool and wave pool, and who are able to swim 10-15 metres unassisted.  PreBreakers 2 is roughly equivalent to the Cowichan Aquatic Centre’s Swimmer 2–3 (Swim for Life).

Outcome goals:

  • Work mainly within the lane set up within the kids/wave pool

  • Games and skills geared towards being comfortable in deeper water

  • Floating, glides and kicking with flotation for longer lengths

  • Continue to develop kick with flotation

  • Continue to develop freestyle stroke

  • Work towards completing full length unassisted swim

  • Games – holding breath, retrieving objects – assisted to unassisted

  • Intro into back stroke – assisted to unassisted

  • Jump into deep water – assisted to unassisted

  • Sit dive

  • Intro into lane swimming – how to swim lanes, respecting other swimmers in your lane

Development 1

Swimmers in our Development-1 group can swim 15m independently but are newer to swimming in the competition pool
Development 1 is about building confidence, independence and foundational swimming skills. Shorter practices and smaller groups help swimmers adjust to the larger, colder competition pool while developing freestyle, backstroke, kicking and introductory competitive swimming skills. The goal is for swimmers to be able to swim 25m independently by the completion of this level.

Program Outcome:

  • Front & Back Kick 25m

  • Freestyle & Backstroke 25m independently

  • Introduction to:

    • breaststroke and kick

    • butterfly/dolphin kick

    • flippers

    • bilateral breathing

    • racing dives

  • Comfortable swimming multiple lengths in the competition pool

Development 2 *NEW*

Swimmers in our Development-2 group are comfortable in the competition pool and can swim repeated 25-metre lengths independently.
Development 2 is about building endurance and developing the skills needed for Junior. Swimmers continue improving freestyle and backstroke, develop breaststroke and butterfly, and work on starts, turns and swimming repeated lengths with greater confidence and independence. The goal is for swimmers to be able to race 50m in freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke by the completion of this level.

Program Outcomes: 

  • Front & back kick 25m with strong body position

  • 50m freestyle (25m in ~30 seconds)

  • 50m backstroke unassisted 

  • 50m breaststroke unassisted

  • 25m butterfly (with or without flippers)

  • Effective use of flippers

  • Continued development of bilateral breathing

  • Increased endurance / repeated lengths with limited assistance

  • Continued development in starts (diving)

  • Streamlining off starts and turns including breakouts.

Junior

Swimmers in our Junior group can swim 25 metres independently in approximately 30 seconds, and are beginning to swim multiple lengths without stopping. Junior is about building the four competitive strokes and developing endurance. Swimmers continue learning proper stroke technique, starts, turns and breath control, while working toward swimming 50 metres of each stroke continuously.

Program Outcomes:

  • Continue to develop proper technique in all four strokes.

  • Continue to develop components of stroke with aids, i.e. flippers

  • Intro into proper turns

  • Intro into proper starts

  • Intro into breath control

  • Work towards completing two lengths, without stopping of each individual stroke

Intermediate

Swimmers in our Intermediate group can already swim all four competitive strokes legally and consistently, including competitive starts and turns. Intermediate is about refining those established skills and becoming a stronger competitive swimmer. Swimmers work on stroke efficiency, underwater technique, breath control, speed and strength, while developing a better understanding of swim sets and training.

Program Outcomes:

  • Continue to develop proper stroke technique with the focus towards length and efficiency

  • Use equipment aids to develop strength within components of the stroke

  • Introduction to proper underwater technique

  • Continue to develop breath control, stroke count

  • Continue to develop proper starts and turns

  • Introduction to incorporating starts and turns with underwater technique

  • Intro into speed training

  • Swim drills isolating components of the stroke

  • Continue to develop physical strength through swim equipment

  • Basic understanding of swim sets and language and why they are done

Senior

Swimmers in our Senior group are competent in all four competitive strokes and are ready for more advanced training. Coach assessment is required for placement in this group, and pace times are used. Senior is about refining performance and training with greater purpose and independence. Swimmers focus on individual stroke improvements, efficiency, strength, pacing and understanding how and why swim sets are structured, while working toward their personal swimming goals.

Program Outcomes:

  • Individual stroke assessment, technical focuses and skill development

  • Improving strength through isolation drills

  • Use of swim equipment for stroke isolation

  • Understanding of swim sets, the purpose they are put together

  • Reaching personal goals

  • Respectful competitive atmosphere