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Join the West Perth Sharks!
Open to all children 5 years of age and older. No experience necessary!
Registration will open on Feb 4, 2025!
Practices
12:30-1:30pm
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
Starts the first week of July
Fee: $65.00 /child for the season.
Please contact the Recreation Coordinator or call (519) 348-9311 if you have any questions or concerns.
Meets: More details to come!
2025 West Perth Sharks Clothing: We are pleased to offer the participants of the West Perth Sharks Swim Team, apparel! Thank you to Creative Casuals for the support! There will be an updated guide coming soon. The clothing orders are not mandatory, and will be up to the individual families. For more questions, or the login information to the page, please contact our Recreation Coordinator.
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Click here to see the 2025 Swimming Lessons Schedule
Swimming Lesson Registration will open on February 4, 2025. If you have not already created a RecDesk account, please click here to create one, or contact the Recreation Coordinator if you need to reset your password.
To view times of swimming lessons, please view the Schedule linked above, or when you are in the program on RecDesk, click on Schedule. See button highlighted below!
Parent & Tot
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Spend quality time with your child while you both have fun, learn, and socialize. Through structured in-water interaction between caregiver and child, we stress the importance of play in developing water-positive attitudes and skills. Instructors provide guidance and answer questions.
The content of each level is categorized into entries & exits, surface support, underwater skills, swim to survive skills, movement / swimming skills, fitness, and water smart education. Review these categories in more detail HERE.
Ratio: 15:1 (each child is directly supervised by their caregiver)
Fee: $60.00
Parent & Tot 1
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Designed for the 4- to 12-month-old.
Red Cross Equivalency: Starfish
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Parent & Tot 2
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Designed for the 12- to 24-month-old.
Red Cross Equivalency: Duck
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Parent & Tot 3
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Designed for the 2- to 3-year-old.
Red Cross Equivalency: Sea Turtle
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Preschool
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The preschool program gives children a head start on learning to swim. Preschool programs develop an appreciation and healthy respect for the water before these kids get in too deep. In these five basic aquatic progressions, we work to ensure 3 to 5-year-olds become comfortable in the water and have fun developing a foundation of water skills.
The content of each level is categorized into entries & exits, surface support, underwater skills, swim to survive skills, movement / swimming skills, fitness, and water smart education. Review these categories in more detail HERE.
Age: 3 - 5 years
Ratio: 4:1
Fee: $80.00
Preschool 1
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Red Cross Equivalency: Sea Otter
These preschoolers will have fun learning to get in and out of the water. We'll help them jump into chest deep water. They'll float and glide on their front and back and learn to get their faces wet and blow bubbles underwater.
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Preschool 2
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Red Cross Equivalency: Salamander
These preschoolers learn to jump into chest-deep water by themselves and get in and get out wearing a lifejacket. They'll submerge and exhale underwater. Wearing a lifejacket, they'll glide on their front and back.
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Preschool 3
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Red Cross Equivalency: Sunfish
These youngsters will try both jumping and a sideways entry into deep water while wearing a lifejacket. They'll recover objects from the bottom in waist-deep water. They'll work on kicking and gliding through the water on their front and back.
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Preschool 4
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Red Cross Equivalency: Crocodile
Advanced preschoolers will learn to do solo jumps into deeper water and get out by themselves. They'll do sideways entries and open their eyes underwater. They'll master a short swim on their front wearing a lifejacket and gliding and kicking on their side.
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Preschool 5
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Red Cross Equivalency: Whale
These youngsters get more adventuresome with a forward roll entry wearing a lifejacket and treading water for 10 sec. They'll work on front and back crawl swims for 5 m, interval training and get a giggle out of whip kick.
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Swimmer 1-6
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The 6-level swimmer program makes sure your children learn how to swim before they get in too deep. Swimmer progressions accommodate children 6 years and older including absolute beginners as well as swimmers who want to build on the basics. We stress lots of in-water practice to develop solid swimming strokes and skills.
The content of each level is categorized into entries & exits, surface support, underwater skills, swim to survive skills, movement / swimming skills, fitness, and water smart education. Review these categories in more detail HERE.
Age: 5+ years
Fee: $110.00
Swimmer 1
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 1
Ratio: 6:1
These beginners will become comfortable jumping into water with and without a lifejacket. They'll learn to open their eyes, exhale and hold their breath underwater. They'll work on floats, glides and kicking through the water on their front and back.
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Swimmer 2
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 2
Ratio: 6:1
These advanced beginners will jump into deeper water and learn to be comfortable falling sideways into the water wearing a lifejacket. They'll be able to support themselves at the surface without an aid, learn whip kick, swim 10 m on their front and back, and be introduced to flutter kick interval training (4 x 5 m).
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Swimmer 3
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 3
Ratio: 6:1
These junior swimmers will dive and do in-water front somersaults and handstands. They'll work on 15 m of front crawl, back crawl and 10 m of whip kick. Flutter kick interval training increases to 4 x 15 m.
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Swimmer 4
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 4; Swim Kids 5
Ratio: 6:1
These intermediate swimmers will swim 5 m underwater and lengths of front, back crawl, whip kick, and breaststroke arms with breathing. Their new bag of tricks includes the completion of the Canadian Swim to Survive Standard. They'll cap it all off with front crawl sprints over 25 m and 4 x 25 m front or back crawl interval training.
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Swimmer 5
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 6
Ratio: 8:1
These swimmers will master shallow dives, cannonball entries, eggbeater kicks, and in-water backward somersaults. They'll refine their front and back crawl over 50 m swims of each, and breaststroke over 25 m. Then they'll pick up the pace in 25 m sprints and two interval training bouts: 4 x 50 m front or back crawl; and 4 x 15 m breaststroke.
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Swimmer 6
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 7
Ratio: 8:1
These advanced swimmers will rise to the challenge of sophisticated aquatic skills including stride entries, compact jumps and lifesaving kicks like eggbeater and scissor kick. They'll develop strength and power in head-up breaststroke sprints over 25 m. They'll easily swim lengths of front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke, and they'll complain about the 300 m workout.
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Canadian Swim Patrol (Rookie Patrol, Ranger Patrol, Star Patrol)
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The Canadian Swim Patrol program is the on-ramp to lifeguarding. Ability is the only prerequisite. The Swim Patrol provides enriched training for those who are ready to go beyond learn-to-swim. Swim Patrol's three levels - Rookie, Ranger, and Star - continue to develop participants' swim strokes and provide the skill foundation that prepares them for success in the Bronze classes.
Ratio: 10:1
Fee: $125.00
Rookie Patrol
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 8
Swimmers continue stroke development with 50 m swims of front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke. Lifesaving Sport skills include a 25 m obstacle swim and 15 m object carry. First aid focuses on assessment of conscious victims, contacting EMS and treatment for bleeding. Fitness improves in 350 m workouts and 100 m timed swims.
- Swim 25 m head-up front crawl or breaststroke.
- Demonstrate ready position with a stationary scull for 30 sec.
- Carry a 5 lb object 15 m using swimmer's choice of lifesaving kick.
- Demonstrate a foot-first and a head-first surface dive to a maximum depth of 2 m.
- Demonstrate 25 m legs-only using swimmer's choice of lifesaving kick.
- Demonstrate the ability to inflate 2 items of clothing and use as a buoyant assist.
- Swim 25 m using any stroke. Demonstrate the ability to swim under an obstacle located at the halfway point.
- Swim front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke (50 m each).
- Complete a 350 m workout on 3 different occasions throughout the course. Warm-up: 100 m; Work set: 6 x 25 m any stroke on 60 sec.; Cool down: 100 m.
- Swim 100 m in 3 min. or better using any stroke or any combination of strokes of the swimmer's choice.
- Demonstrate primary assessment of a conscious and cooperative victim who describes his or her chief complaint and how injury occurred.
- Demonstrate the ability to recognize when to call EMS and how to do it.
- Demonstrate primary assessment and appropriate care for a victim with external bleeding.
- Look at the aquatic facility for 10-15 seconds. Turn and describe what you saw.
- (a) Demonstrate ability to simulate in the water the appearance of a weak swimmer and a non-swimmer. (b) Demonstrate ability to recognize the difference between a weak swimmer and a non-swimmer.
- From a standing position on land, throw a buoyant aid with line to hit a target on the surface of the water as many times as possible within 30 sec.
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Ranger Patrol
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 9
Swimmers develop better strokes over 75 m swims of each stroke. They tackle Lifesaving Sport skills in a lifesaving medley, timed object support and rescue with a buoyant aid. First aid focuses on assessment of unconscious victims, treatment of victims in shock and obstructed airway procedures. Skill drills develop a strong lifesaving foundation.
- Demonstrate 1 forward AND 1 backward somersault in the water as a continuous sequence.
- Stride entry and swim 25 m head-up front crawl or breaststroke. Assume ready position.
- Demonstrate 25 m eggbeater kick on back.
- Support a 5 lb object for at least 1 minute in deep water.
- Head-up approach into surface dive to a maximum depth of 2 m. Swim underwater for at least 2-3 m to recover a small object. Surface and carry object to starting point.
- Demonstrate an assisted removal of a conscious victim.
- Swim front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke, 75 m each.
- Swim a 100 m individual medley as follows: 25 m each of lifesaving kick, back crawl, breaststroke, front crawl.
- Swim 200 m in 6 minutes or better using any stroke or combination of strokes of the swimmer's choice.
- Demonstrate a primary assessment including hazards and ABCs on an unconscious, breathing victim.
- Demonstrate emergency care for a victim in shock.
- Simulate the appearance and treatment of a conscious adult or child victim with an obstructed airway.
- (a) Demonstrate ability to simulate in the water the appearance of a weak swimmer, a non-swimmer and an unconscious victim. (b) Demonstrate ability to recognize the difference between a weak swimmer and non-swimmer, and to recognize the unconscious victim. (c) Demonstrate the ability to recognize and avoid victims who present a danger to the rescuer.
- Perform a non-contact rescue using a buoyant aid. Approach 20 m and encourage victim to safety while maintaining a safe distance and calling for assistance. Rescuer performs appropriate follow-up procedures, including treatment for shock.
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Star Patrol
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Red Cross Equivalency: Swim Kids 10
Swimmers are challenged with 600 m workouts, 300 m timed swims and a 25 m object carry. Strokes are refined over 100 m swims. First aid focuses on treatment of bone or joint injuries and respiratory emergencies including asthma and allergic reactions. Lifesaving skills include defence methods, victim removals and rolling over and supporting a victim face up in shallow water.
- Demonstrate AT LEAST TWO different entries with different aids.
- Entry with aid and swim 25 m head-up front crawl or breaststroke. Assume ready position and demonstrate ability to scull forward, backward and turn.
- Demonstrate defence methods from the front, side and rear.
- Demonstrate eggbeater kick showing ability to travel, change direction and height levels.
- Carry a 10 lb object 25 m using swimmer's choice of lifesaving kick.
- Demonstrate the removal of an unconscious victim with the assistance of an untrained bystander.
- Head-up approach into head-first surface dive to a maximum depth of 2 m. Swim underwater for 5-10 m and surface. Foot-first surface dive (maximum depth 2 m), recover an object and return it to the starting point.
- Demonstrate in shallow water, the ability to turn a victim face-up and support the face above the surface.
- Swim front crawl, back crawl, and breaststroke (100 m each).
- Complete a 600 m workout at least 3 times during the course. Warm-up: 25 m lifesaving kick, and 50 m each of back crawl, breaststroke, front crawl; Stroke drills: 5 x 25 m; Work set: 4 x 50 m on 90 sec.; Cool down: 100 m.
- Swim 300 m in 9 minutes or better using any stroke or combination of strokes of the swimmer's choice.
- Demonstrate the recognition and care of a bone or joint injury.
- Demonstrate the recognition and care of a victim suffering respiratory distress from asthma or a severe allergic reaction.
- From 3 different heights or positions, locate and describe an object located on the bottom or below the surface.
- Perform a rescue of a weak swimmer or non-swimmer with a towing aid. Swim approach 20 m and tow victim to safety showing ability to avoid contact. Rescuer performs appropriate follow-up procedures, including treatment for shock.
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Bronze Medallion & Cross
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Bronze Medallion
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This course challenges the candidate both mentally and physically. Judgment, knowledge, skill and fitness – the four components of water rescue – form the basis of Bronze Medallion training. Candidates acquire the assessment and problem-solving skills needed to make good decisions in, on and around the water.
Knowledge: the lifesaving society, drowning chain of survival, rescue process, cold water.
Skill: self-rescue, swimming and lifesaving strokes, victim recognition, entries and removals, defenses and releases, tows and carries, search, submerged victim recovery, drowning resuscitation.
Fitness: rescue drill, endurance challenge.
Judgement: risk assessment and response, rescue 1 (from land), rescue 2 (open water), rescue 3 (non-breathing victim).
Prerequisites: 13+ years or Bronze Star certification
Ratio: 10:1
Fee: $254.75
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Bronze Cross
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This course begins the transition from lifesaving to lifeguarding and prepares candidates for responsibilities as assistant lifeguards. Candidates strengthen and expand their lifesaving skills and begin to apply the principles and techniques of active surveillance in aquatic facilities. Bronze Cross emphasizes the importance of teamwork and communication in preventing and responding to aquatic emergencies. Bronze Cross is a prerequisite for advanced training in the society’s National Lifeguard and Leadership certification programs.
Knowledge: the lifesaving society, non-fatal drowning, shallow water blackout, assistant lifeguard roles and responsibilities.
Skill: communication, two-rescuer removals, surface dives and underwater swims, team search, two-rescuer drowning resuscitation, spinal injury management.
Fitness: object recovery and transport, rescue drill, endurance challenge.
Judgement: Safety supervision scanning, two-person rescue 1 (multiple victims), two-person rescue 2 (submerged victim), assistant lifeguard situations.
Prerequisites: Bronze Medallion & Emergency or Standard First Aid
Ratio: 10:1
Fee: $254.75
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Lesson Conversion Chart (Red Cross to Lifesaving Society)
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