Please reach us at whalerspresident@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Along with a cap and goggles please bring a water bottle to practice. We highly recommend athletes bring their own flippers, paddles, pull-buoys and kickboards. Don't forget to write your name on your gear!
Wearing a cap and goggles is a fantastic idea. They enhance your swimming experience by allowing you to see clearly and keeping your hair out of your face. Additionally, having both a practice suit and a racing suit is important. Practice suits tend to become loose and baggy over the course of a swimming season, so it’s advisable to save your racing suit for competitions only.
You're not required to attend every practice, but keep in mind that the more you attend, the more you'll improve! We’d love to see you there!
"S” status refers to swimmers who only participate in summer swimming and who train no more than 2 hours per week from October to April. “O” status denotes swimmers who train or compete year-round, exceeding 2 hours of training per week from October to April. See BCSSA Information page for more.
Conversations should be brief, and please limit discussions with coaches to when they are not actively coaching this being before or after practice. If there are significant concerns, please reach out to the Parent Ambassador
If you have any concerns regarding coaching, please avoid contacting the coaches directly. Instead, reach out to a the Parent Ambassador with your concerns. Thank you!
As a not-for-profit club, we run entirely on volunteers. With our volunteers, we can organize team-building activities, host efficient swim meets, and secure fundraising initiatives. For more information regarding volunteering, please visit our "Volunteering" Page in the navigation panel.
We’re excited to share that there will be plenty of chances to volunteer this season! Many opportunities will be posted on the message board at the pool, on the WhatsApp group or via email when they are available. We will also be sending out notifications about non-home Swim Meet opportunities via email about a week in advance.
We advise you to be prepared for all types of weather. Most families will bring a pop-up shelter, camping chairs and a cooler, as swim meet usually last all day. Make sure to bring lots of water, juice and healthy foods. Some suggested foods are fruit, veggies, light snacks. Swimmers should bring warm clothes, extra towels, blankets or sleeping bags, goggles, team cap, suit, and clothing.
Divisions are allocated based on the birth year of the athlete, to learn more visit the BCSSA Information page on the Abbotsford Whalers website, or see https://www.bcsummerswimming.com/_files/ugd/58773e_c45c0101652f4d1bb93e5ae8126ca914.pdf
Athletes are placed in groups based on their skill level and age range. Group placement is at the discretion of the Head Coach. Coaches have the ability to determine the best placement of an individual swimmer and may use their discretion to move a swimmer between groups.
New Families and families with children in Division 1 or below are required 10 volunteer hours. All other families require 25 hours. We log volunteer hours through a Google form that will be sent out through email.
No! Participants have the option to register for the program and may choose to only attend practices if they want. This allows individuals to focus on skill development and preparation without the pressure of competitive events, ensuring a supportive and enriching experience.
Morning practices will start on June 1st and will be held only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In July, the schedule will change to Monday-Thursday. See the Parent Club Calendar for more.
As you consider how much to pledge per length, keep in mind your swimmer's abilities. Here’s a quick guide:
It's incredible how much effort these swimmers put in! Swimming for an hour straight is no easy task, so let's make sure to support them with a thoughtful pledge. For example, if a swimmer does 140 lengths at $1 each, that’s $140 raised for the club!
Your child's sponsors can vary from family (parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles), parents' co-workers, neighbours, and friends. Each swimmer will ask their sponsor to fill out a Google Form with the swimmer's full name, what hour they swim, the sponsor's contact information, and how much they want to pledge per length. For the link to this Google Form please reach out to awaccoacholivia@gmail.com
We do our best to offer a variety of pledge values so everyone can contribute. We set a minimum to ensure the athlete gets a fair amount of support for the time they put in. Swimming for extended periods can be quite challenging, and we want to make sure the athlete raises enough funds to reflect the hard work they put in for the club. Your support makes a big difference!
Abbotsford Whalers Aquatic Club
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