Junior Swimming
Swimming is a fundamental part of sport at The Park Club. With both indoor and outdoor pools, as well as a team of highly qualified instructors, we are fully equipped to provide you and your family with a wide range of fun, coordinated water based activities.
It is one our central aims to ensure that every child member here at the club is able to swim.
Swimming for Young Members All Park Club swim instructors are qualified to a minimum of ASA level 2 and are able to teach potential swimmers from the age of 4 months. Classes are available either individually or in groups from Monday to Saturday. They are offered throughout the year and are broadly divided in to two categories: Term Time activities and Holiday Camps.
Term Time Swim Activities (Group Classes): These six-week courses are designed to run within spring, summer and autumn school terms divided by half term holidays. The following activities are available during these times.
Ducklings 1: Mother and baby class 4 months to 1 year Ducklings 2: Mother and baby class 1 – 2 years Ducklings 3: Mother and baby class 2 – 3 years Mini Turtles: Mother and Toddler class 3 – 4 years [Please note: All Ducklings classes require a parent or carer to be in the pool].
Phase 1: Non swimmers of 4 – 5 years Phase 2: Beginner swimmers (Water confident & happy to put face in water) 4 years + Phase 3: Improver level 1 swimmers (Basic strokes on front and back) of 5 years + Phase 4: Improver level 2 swimmers (Competent front crawl,breast stroke &back crawl) 5 years + Phase 5: Advanced level 1 swimmers (As above and able to swim 25m) any age Phase 6: Advanced level 2 swimmers (Good ability in above, looking for better technique) any age Phase 7: Advanced level 3 swimmers (Confident swimmer now looking to enter galas etc) any age
Below you will find a more detailed outline of the programme we offer (link to descriptions below):
Holiday Camp Swimming Activities for Children Aged 4 to 16 In addition to swimming periodically being part of our Multi-Sports Camp, we also provide a dedicated Swim Camp called The Rookie Lifesaver Camp. These are for children from the age of 5. These courses teach children the basics of lifesaving, first aid and the dangers of water, following the ASA curriculum. All successful candidates receive an award.
Private Lessons for Children: Private lessons are available from 09.00-19.00 Monday to Friday and from 08.30-15.00 on Saturdays.
Dual Lessons for Children: It may be more convenient or some children may prefer to learn as a pair and this may be organised through Reception.
Swim Squad: Swimmers under the age of 16, who wish to train and compete for the Park Club Barracudas against other clubs, schools in local galas are invited to attend “drop-in” sessions on Monday evenings.
Our Coaches: All Park Club swim instructors are qualified to a minimum of ASA level 2 and are able to teach potential swimmers from the age of 4 months. Classes are available either individually or in groups from Monday to Saturday.
ASHLEY BELLE I began working at The Park Club in July 2001 as a humble lifeguard. After approximately 6 months I switched roles and joined the sports and activities team allowing me to try varying coaching roles and it was during this time I developed a keen interest in swimming.
I decided I wanted to purse swimming full time and in May 2003 gained my ASA Level 1 Assistant Teachers award. This allowed me to teach small groups in a supervised environment. After 2 years honing my coaching skills and improving my knowledge I completed and passed my ASA Level 2 Full Teachers course. I have been teaching full time ever since.
My strengths as a teacher lie in my personable approachable nature and concise understanding of progressive learning. Swimming uses a majority of muscle groups and is a fantastic way of exercising for all age groups!
ROB CLARKE I joined The Park Club poolside team as a lifeguard in May 2006, having already gained my ASA Level 1 in teaching. I was soon offered a job teaching subject to gaining my Level 2 I started teaching in September 2006 and have never looked back .
What separates me from the other coaches is not only my youthful 20 years, but also my competitive swimming experience of 12 years and counting.
I think my kind and gentle nature in the pool makes me a real hit with the kids and I enjoy nothing more than seeing a big grin on their faces at the end of a lesson.
EVA DE ALLIE
I have worked at The Park Club since February 2000 and I have previously taught at a variety of swimming pools soaking up practical experience from every possible point.
Just prior to starting at The Park Club I also gained valuable experience as the assistant manager of a 5 to 12 activity department, where I organised large numbers of children through a variety of sports and activities.
Swimming is my “physical” passion and so I have decided to study the ways of the water. I enjoy teaching people to swim and take pride in increasing the number of people who do so means the result of any session is an excellent one. Whether it is children or adults squad or competition levels I make the most of any person’s performance in the water.
How will you know how your child is getting on? Whilst your children are learning how to swim with the caches will give you regular updates on their progress at the end of each session. On the completion of each swim term, subject to your child achieving the requisite standard in their swimming phase, , a badge and certificate will be presented.
Course Outline Phase Foundation- Ducklings & Mini Turtles This foundation phase begins with the introduction of a young baby into the swimming pool. Accompanied by Mum, Dad or a significant other, children are encouraged to get used to being in the water. This is something that is often achieved through no small amount of laughter, screaming and splashing!
Ducklings & Mini Turtles are aimed at four age groups: Ducklings 1: Mother and baby class 4 months to 1 year Ducklings 2: Mother and baby class 1 – 2 years Ducklings 3: Mother and baby class 2 – 3 years Mini Turtles: Mother and Toddler class 3 – 4 years
Phase 1 – Non Swimmer: The next step in the process is to allow children to grow more confident in their new surroundings. This is done through informal play, with the aim that children become comfortable with moving around freely, going under water and opening the eyes, floating and using arms and legs to move themselves through the water without support.
This phase is split into age groups as follows: 1 small group for 3-5 yrs old 1 larger group for 4+ yrs old
Phase 2 – Beginner In this phase, begins the serious business of building a solid foundation in “watermanship”. Our trainers move children away from the haphazard thrashing of arms and legs and give them a first introduction to the techniques of moving and breathing that will help them become competent swimmers later on in the programme.
Age groups: 4+ yrs old 5+ yrs old
Phase 3 – Improver 1 Here is where the real meat and bones of swimming are introduced. Children are taught how to carry out a range of aquatic skills including sculling, treading water and swimming under water. They are also introduced to the main swimming strokes with extra emphasis placed upon the proper methods of breathing control.
Age groups: 5+ yrs old
Phase 4 – Improver 2 By now your child will be developing at a rapid rate. Phase 4 sees them introduced to the basics of diving and turning as well as refining the strokes that they have already learned. This stage aims to ensure that children can swim 25m in the three main strokes as well as 10m of butterfly.
Age groups: 5+ yrs old
Phase 5 – Advanced 1 With your child now comfortable in the water and able to swim using all of the basic strokes, our instructors turn to making sure that these strokes are used as efficiently as possible. As well as concentrating on the finer points of each stroke, children are also introduced to a wider range of other aquatic disciplines including synchronized swimming, water polo and diving.
Age groups: 5+ yrs old
Phase 6 – Advanced 2 Now that your child is able to swim it is up to them (and to a certain extent you!) how far they want to take their involvement in the sport. This phase is aimed at improving stamina and swimming speed as part of an early introduction to fun world of competitive swimming.
Age groups: 8+ yrs
Phase 7 – Pre-Competition Development Should your child enjoy the idea of competitive swimming they will enter Phase 7 of our training programme. Focus here is placed on increasing accuracy and reliability of all the skills and strokes they have learnt in preparation for a more rigorous training process. Here we intend to take your children as far as they can go in their preferred discipline(s) whilst also using swimming as a fun way of keeping fit and healthy!
Age groups: Any
