Recommended Ages: 6 to 12 years
Swimmer is a 6-level, success-oriented learn-to-swim program for children. There is a prominent focus on in-water swimming practice as swimmers learn fundamental strokes and skills, mastering them as they progress through the program. Swimmers also learn how to be safe in, on, and around the water through Water Smart education incorporated into every level. Learn more about each swim level by visiting the Lifesaving Society.
Canadian Swim Patrol program is for swimmers who are ready to go beyond learn-to-swim. The programs focus on developing strength and proficiency while introducing swimmers to the challenging world of lifesaving. Swimmers will have fun enhancing their capability in the water, increasing their physical conditioning, and learning lifesaving judgment. Each level will continue to develop swimmers’ strokes and provide a skill foundation that will prepare them for success in the Society’s Bronze Medal Awards. Each level of the Canadian Swim Patrol program has three modules: Water Proficiency, First Aid, and Recognition and Rescue.
Swimmer 1: Building the foundation of swimming skill development beginner swimmers will gain confidence in the water as they learn safe entries into various depths of water, treading water in a lifejacket, opening their eyes underwater, and breath control. Once they have learned their floats, rollovers, glides, and kicks from front to back, they will front crawl their way into the next level.
Swimmer 2: Swimmers will gain comfort in deeper water by jumping in, learning their sideways entry, and treading water without a lifejacket. Swimmers will be challenged by the introduction of various skills including, flutter kick on their front, back, and side, vertical whip kick with an aid, and swimming front crawl and back crawl for 10m. Swimmers will get to work on their Swim to Survive skills and be introduced to interval training.
Swimmer 3: Swimmers will make a splash with their kneeling dives and forward roll entries. Swimmers will be challenged with the introduction to more difficult (but fun) skills such as handstands in shallow water and in front somersaults (in water). Increased time and distance components are incorporated for skills learned such as flutter kick on front and back, whip kick on back, front and back crawl, and interval training.
Swimmer 4: Swimmers will move from a beginner to intermediate swimming level. Swimmers will complete standing dives, tread water for 1 minute, and work towards being able to swim underwater for 5m. Swimmers will achieve the Swim to Survive standard by being able to roll into deep water, tread water for 1 minute, and swim 50m. In addition to improving their front crawl, back crawl, and whip kick, swimmers will be introduced to breaststroke.
Swimmer 5: Swimmers will be challenged with a whole new set of skills; shallow dives, tuck jumps (cannonball entries), eggbeater kick, and backward somersaults (in water). Technique and endurance will also receive greater focus as swimmers will need to complete longer distance swims and interval training sessions for all their strokes.
Swimmer 6: As the final level in the Swimmer program, swimmers will build up their advanced skill set. Swimmers will work towards mastering stride entries, compact jumps, and lifesaving kicks. They will also refine their strokes to increase their swimming strength, power, and endurance - critical for success in the 300m workout required to complete the level.
Rookie Patrol: Develops individual fitness levels to meet a timed 100m swim and 350m workout. Water proficiency skills include: swims with clothes, ready position, foot-first and head-first surface dives. Demonstrating an ability to conduct a primary assessment and initiating EMS are included as first aid skills. Victim recognition and throwing assists are other key elements of the program.
