Policy
Below is the new policy for our Learn to Swim Program for our summer session. Please note that we will still be offering our Learn to Swim Program for very small swimmers (ages 3-5) all year long and until June 22nd. The cost is the same as the regular session and is offered Monday through Friday with a few exceptions. Our pool is extremely crowded with over 240 swimmers during the peak summer session. There were several reasons for the discontinuation of the summer LTS program listed below. The decision was a group decision by the Year Round Board, the ISL Board, Coaches, and the Woodbridge Village Association. In the past this program has been a benefit, but not an official "swim lesson program" that was part of the Woodbridge Swim Team. Our priority has always been our summer swim team for swimmers ages 5 and up.
Here is the official policy:
Regarding the Learn to swim program and the Woodbridge Swim Team we had determined after reviewing the summer program that the Learn to Swim program for non-swim team members was not feasible during the summer session. We currently run two programs from June 1 until August 15 at the Stone Creek Swim Club. We have 120 swimmers ages 5 and up in our Irvine Swim League (Waveriders) competitive swim program Monday through Friday from approximately 3 pm to 6:30 pm. We also have a non-competitive year round program in a Dolphin League (Tigersharks) practice at the same time for about 120 swimmers ages 5 and up. In the past we offered a Learn to Swim program for ages 3-5 for the younger siblings of the swim team members. This year we have decided to not offer this program during our peak summer season for the following reasons:
1. We have a limited coaching staff who will need to concentrate on the 240 plus swim team members in the lanes and deep end of the pool for training.
2. The Woodbridge Village Association has not approved these additional lessons for underage swimmers during the summer months.
3. Our swim team coaches have different certification requirements and are not necessarily certified to teach or required to hold Water Safety Instructor Certifications.
4. The WVA has a concurrent program for young children geared toward a more individualized approach to water safety and swim instruction. The lessons are taught daily Monday through Friday at various times convenient to Woodbridge residents. The price is fair and the quality of the instructors is excellent. The program is offered at several area Woodbridge pools, including two pools within blocks of Stone Creek swim club.
5. Our program often had too many youngsters in the shallow end at one time during swim team and it became a safety issue for the coaches to keep the students on the steps when they were on the other side of the shallow end.
6. The Irvine Swim League has a rule that all swim team members must be age 5 by June 1 and it may not be considered fair to allow the other members of the Dolphin League to have swimmers younger than age 5 on the team. There will be a few exceptions made for swimmers in the Dolphin League who can swim the entire length of the deep end of the pool at a younger age (we have some under 5's who are excellent swimmers.)
We have provided notice to both swim teams of this new policy and will be updating our website: woodbridgeswimteam.org to reflect our new policy.
Sincerely,
Kathy Hamilton