Why do swimming lessons at Dovercourt?
Dovercourt Recreation Centre takes swimming very seriously.
In addition to being an essential life skill, swimming is also an enormous life asset – from both a physical and mental health perspective. Bottom line, those who learn how to swim will have an enormous advantage in life.
Dovercourt strongly believes everyone should have that advantage, and with this, has built a unique and reputable swimming program based on 4 key pillars:
Quality of curriculum and instruction
The Dovercourt swimming program is based on the Lifesaving Society’s Swim for Life® model – a comprehensive approach that focuses on three fundamental strokes. Learning Swim to Survive® and achieving the Lifesaving Society’s Swim to Survive® Standard are key foundations of the Swim for Life® program.
While Swim for Life® forms the foundation of our swimming program, it is our highly-skilled instructors who ultimately make it the success that it is. Dovercourt swim staff undergo regular, extensive training on safety, current standards and teaching techniques. And our end-of-session “Survival Day” is unique to Dovercourt , with our instructors teaching children skills that could save their lives in real-life scenarios. Sessions conclude with detailed online report cards filled out by the instructors.
In addition to their consummate level of instruction, our staff also put a strong emphasis on fun, patience and kindness. Allaying fears and instilling confidence in budding swimmers is a top priority.
And we’re proud to say that many of our instructors were once students of Dovercourt’s swimming program themselves!
Comfort and functionality of facilities
Dovercourt is conveniently located in central west Ottawa. With plenty of parking, an extensive playground, and close proximity to the shops and restaurants of Westboro, Dovercourt offers convenience and ease for families both coming and going.
Once inside, you can enjoy our newly-built, bright and spacious family change room. During your child’s lesson, squeeze in a workout of your own and take advantage of the fitness centre, or you can simply have a cup of coffee in our upstairs lounge where you can view your child’s lesson from above.
Our warm water pool features an easy-entry ramp, a variety of pods, and a multitude of instructional equipment and accessories – including a slide!
Read more about our pool here.
Flexibility and choice
We want the registration process to be as simple and convenient as possible. This means you have the option of booking in-person, over-the-phone, or online. And with Dovercourt being open 7 days a week, you have a significant number of days and time slots to choose from.
Recognizing that some children benefit from smaller ratios, we also offer three types of classes – group lessons, limited enrolment, and private (one-on-one) packages.
Have a child attending summer day camp at Dovercourt? You have the option of adding swimming lessons to their day for a small added fee.
And as always at Dovercourt, if you have a need for something that isn’t currently available, let us know and we’ll do our very best to accommodate your needs.
Access and inclusion
Access and inclusion quite simply means that everyone is welcome at Dovercourt. Regardless of age, income, race, physical ability, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identity — our swimming program is open to all.
Dovercourt has offered low or no-cost classes to new Canadians, and our Last Minute Club provides free spots in swim classes that have failed to sell out at the start of the program.
And for anyone who wishes to register for swimming at Dovercourt but finds that the expense is cost-prohibitive, you can request a financial assistance form to see if you qualify for a subsidy.
Swimming influences the development of the whole child
Some have said that swimming is a metaphor for life – we battle waves, go with the flow, try to keep our head above water – and of course, the proverbial sink or swim.
The comparison is apt when you examine the benefits of swimming on the development of the whole child. According to the German Sports College Cologne, learning to swim at a young age can contribute significantly to left and right brain development, healthy self-esteem, strong self-discipline, and even academic success.
Read more about this here:
https://goldfishswimschool.com/blog/top-7-benefits-year-round-swimming-scientifically-speaking/
Our Swim Instructors
Dovercourt’s highly-skilled instructors are able to teach children proper technique efficiently and effectively, in accordance with the high standards of the Lifesaving Society. Our staff undergo extensive training and regular updates on safety, rescue situations, changes to current standards, as well as techniques for teaching. Many of our senior aquatics staff are instructor and lifeguard trainers and are a valuable resource for our aquatics team. Our end-of-session Survival Day is unique to Dovercourt and is a fun yet powerful way to teach children skills that could save their lives in real-life scenarios.
The people who teach swimming at Dovercourt are pretty special. Not only are they exceptionally gifted in the water – they’re also warm, funny and kind – and they each have their own story of how they came to be a swim instructor. Stay tuned to this page for upcoming instructor profiles.
