Grassroots
6 - 12 years old
River Otter Grassroots programs focus on building basic athletic movement in the water and aquatic skills, such as: rhythmic breathing, gliding, turns & diving/back starts.As the swimmer progresses they continue to build the fundamental technique in all four strokes: Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly.
Swimmers also begin to build more aerobic capacity through games and fun races.
Junior Otters
Junior Otters is an introductory program to build basic swimming skills, such as: rhythmic breathing, gliding & diving. We focus on building the correct kicks and body positions for freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke; plus dolphin kick.
What is the session duration?
Sessions are Trimester based: Fall (14th Sept - 18th Dec) // Winter (4th Jan - 12th March) // Spring (22nd March - 18th June)
What do you need?
Swim cap and goggles (scuba masks are not appropriate).
How many practices per week?
2 x 45 minutes
What is the practice schedule?
Tuesdays & Thursdays at 4:15 - 5:00 PM
Is there teamwear?
Each swimmer gets 1 free UCRO swim cap and sponsor T-shirt at the start of the season.
How many swim meets can we expect to attend?
1 ‘mock’ meet during practice time each trimester + the UCRO hosted Splash & Grill meet in June (if regsitered in Spring Trimester).
There is NO fundraising or volunteering commitment for pre-competitive members, but we encourage everyone to get involved with club activities & events as these are also great social occasions.
Youth Otters
Youth Otters is an introductory program that continues building on basic swimming skills, such as: rhythmic breathing, gliding, turns & diving/back starts. We focus on building fundamental stroke techniques for all four strokes: Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. Swimmers also begin to build more aerobic capacity through games and lots of kicking.
What do you need?
Swim cap and goggles (scuba masks are not appropriate).
How many practices per week?
3 x 1 hour
What is the practice schedule?
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Is there teamwear?
Each swimmer gets 1 free UCRO swim cap and sponsor T-shirt at the start of the season.
In Youth Otters, swimmers can choose to register as Pre-Competitive or Competitive status. Everyone trains together, on the same schedule, regardless of status. Here's the differences:
Pre-Competitive Status
Session: Trimester based (same as Junior Otters)
Swim Meets: 1 ‘mock’ meet during practice time each trimester + the UCRO hosted Splash & Grill meet in June (if regsitered in Spring Trimester).
There is NO fundraising or volunteering commitment for pre-competitive members, but we encourage everyone to get involved with club activities & events as these are also great social occasions.
Competitive Status
Session: Full season (14th Sept - 18th June)
Swim Meets: 1 ‘mock’ meet during practice time each trimester + invited to both UCRO hosted meets (Oct & June) and up to 3 away meets based on ability and interest.
Swimathon Fundraising Commitment: $100 per swimmer
Volunteer Points Commitment: 25 points by end of season
Advancing from Youth Otters
At the end of each trimester, via report cards and Parent-Coach Check-ins (on request), the Head Coach will detail the swimmers progress and discuss progression when needed. As swimmers transition from Youth Otters, the UCRO program is organized into two distinct streams:
Performance Stream – Competitive: Offers structured progression, regular meets (competition), dryland training sessions, mental skills training, nutrition workshops and higher expectations.
Development Stream – Fitness & Skills: Offers a more flexible choice for swimmers who want to stay active, build their skills, stay involved with the club, and enjoy the sport without the intensity of regular competitions. Must be 13 years old and/or in Grade 9.
Interested in joining?
The best way to learn more about the club and find out where your swimmer fits in is through a Try-out & Intro meeting with our Head Coach