february mythbusters

Myth: Children who have not upgraded to a new level in a while are not progressing.

Fact:  For a student to upgrade to the next level, they need to learn several small skills to master the overall 'goal' of the current level. A student does not acquire all these skills immediately. Rather, learning is a process in which skills are acquired in increments which may seem small or insignificant but which are in fact vital to mastering each level.

For example, in our White Stingray level where students are learning the Breaststroke kick, there are several components to mastering the correct technique. Students need to be able to turn their feet out, perfect the motion and  build the strength required to generate the 'push' (and this is only the basics!)

Our teachers and supervisors know how tricky it is to master just one of these skills and understand the importance of celebrating with a child when they do. From a parents point of view it may seem as though the progression is non-existent, when in fact your child is working hard at making small (but still significant!) gains within their level.

We encourage you to speak with our pool deck supervisors who monitor our students' progress closely. They will be able to explain the achievements already made in your child's level as well as the skills still to be attained, and will even be able to provide you and your child with some extra tips and encouragement. Look for them on pool deck in the red shirts!

​Author:   Tiahna Sortwell  - Pool Deck supervisor and Competitive Coach