Swim safety at the core of swim instruction at STC pools
As the summer sun pours out of the sky there is nothing more refreshing than the splash of cool water. But the allure of a backyard or community pool can quickly turn to danger for individuals who lack basic swim skills and an understanding of water safety.
The St. Charles Park District developed programs and activities designed to reinforce the message of “Swimming Safe Saves Lives” providing opportunities for all ages, from infants as young as six months, to adults to build confidence in the water and understand life-saving skills.
When it comes to fun in and around the water, it’s never too early for swimmers to know what and what not to do. An important reminder is to never, not even for a moment, leave small children unsupervised near water. The child you save may be your own!
The St. Charles Park District has two community pools. Swanson Pool is in Pottawatomie Park on the east side of the city and Otter Cove Aquatic Park is on the west side of St. Charles in James O. Breen Community Park. Each summer, as a rite of passage, children line up poolside for their first swim lessons, fighting fears and bursting with excitement.
Before the lessons, swim instructors take part in a thorough training, that encompasses how and what they will be teaching their classes in the water, explains Rosie Edwards, assistant superintendent of parks and recreation for St. Charles Park District. Beyond understanding swim strokes and kicking, each instructor is given an opportunity to learn about classroom management, and that includes helping all learners to be successful.
“We teach them how to vocalize for the auditory learners, how to demonstrate for the visual learners,” Edwards explained. “We have to be mindful of how the different ways in which students learn.”
Members of the Fox Valley Special Recreation District meet with instructors to review how to work with students of all abilities. Additionally, the St. Charles Park District, with sponsorship from the For Scout Foundation, provides specific classes to children on the autism spectrum, for those who may need a quiet, low sensory environment.
Swim class sizes maintain small ratios, to provide for a safe environment and provide the optimum attention to each participant during instruction. For children in the Swim Academy Prep, ages 3-4, the ratio is one instructor to three children and the Swim Academy, ages 5 and older, the ratio is one instructor to four children.
Families can register for semi-private lessons, with a ratio of one instructor to two students or private lessons for one-on-one instruction in the pool. These classes can provide specific swim instruction and would be great a little one who needs more individualized instruction, an older student with specific needs or an adult looking to build swim safety skills. Private and semi-private lessons also offer greater scheduling flexibility.
Edwards said many of the children who start in lessons develop a love for the water and continue their progress in the swim team programs, which are instructed by the St. Charles Aquatic coaching staff. For those looking to focus on swimming strokes in a non-competitive environment there is Junior Team. Swimmers, ages 6 to 16, looking to race can register for the St. Charles Otters Swim Team, which participates in weekly swim meets.
“Recreational swim teams can be a great way to keep building swim stroke skills and have fun too,” Edwards said.
The STC Otters will kick off at the end of May and the season runs June through July. The St. Charles Aquatic also offers a competitive swim team, which runs from fall through early March.
From infants learning to blow bubbles and splash in the water to children building their confidence and mastering strokes as they swim the length of a pool, the St. Charles Park District staff is dedicated to helping all ages develop a love of the water and the skills to Swim Safe.