New Learn to Swim Program
Why the Change?
On January 12, 2022 the Canadian Red Cross informed its Training Partners that they have decided to wind down their involvement in swim and lifeguard training across Canada in order to direct more attention to surging humanitarian demands such as disaster and pandemic response and opioid harm reduction.
When will Dauphin pool start the new program?
We are looking at starting the new program in our Summer lesson set. Look for the new levels upon registration.
How do I know what level to register in?
You will need to look at the swim transition document to figure out what level to place your child in the new program.
If you do not know what previous Red Cross level your child is at, use the descriptions to best decide. Or you can book a private lesson to get assessed to see what is the best Swim for Life level for you child.
What guiding principles did the Lifesaving Society use in designing the Swim for Life program?
The Swim for Life program is grounded in the Society’s mission: Basic swimming ability is a requirement of any meaningful attempt to eliminate drowning in Canada. All Canadians need to learn to swim.
Swim for Life focuses on the acquisition and development of fundamental swim strokes and skills for learners of all ages and abilities. Learning Swim to Survive skills and achieving the Lifesaving Society’s Swim to Survive Standard are embedded in the Swim for Life Program.
Swim for Life is designed to be accessible, flexible, success-oriented and fun, with lots of in-water practice in every lesson.
Swim for Life flows seamlessly into the Society’s lifesaving and vocational training awards, providing a complete, coherent, program of integrated swimming and lifesaving instruction.
Water Smart education is an integral part of Swim for Life and provides information and experiences that help participants make smart decisions in, on and around water and ice. Appropriate water safety messages based on the learning from our drowning research target Swim for Life participants at each level.
Why does Swim for Life focus on just three strokes?
Swim for Life focuses on the development of competency in front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke. These are the three most efficient swimming strokes and the foundation of every swimmer’s repertoire. Investing the time to learn the basic mechanics of these strokes early pays off in stroke efficiency throughout one’s life.
Why interval training over endurance training?
Swim for Life curriculum focuses on the acquisition and development of efficient strokes in two ways:
First, by stressing the basic mechanics over relatively short distances – which increase (as do the “Must See” performance standards) as one advances through Swim for Life levels.
Second, by using a variety of training methods (e.g., sprints, interval training, workouts) that require the swimmer to focus on stroke efficiency and the development of physical fitness.
Endurance training is introduced in the Society’s Canadian Swim Patrol and Bronze awards when swimmers have acquired firm foundation in stroke mechanics and an awareness of fitness training methodology.
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