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The Swim BC office is moving at the end of October. If you are mailing anything to the office, please use our new address moving forward.

Sport BC has developed initiative to help advocate for sport during the provincial election. They have created a tool that will send a letter on your behalf to the election candidates in your community.

Unlike the young athlete who dreams of becoming a champion, few of us grow up dreaming about joining a board of directors. Many people join a board out of a sense of duty to an organization with which they have been involved, or because they thought it time for new leadership, or were recruited for a specific professional skillset

Last week Swim BC announced that no sanctions would be available for clubs prior to October 31st.  Updating this message, we will permit Class I –Time Trials (record attempts only) prior to October 31st. 

Swim BC is currently working on the Return to Swimming: Competition Plan for our clubs.  This is a lengthy process that requires a great amount of thought and collaboration to deliver a plan that is safe and meaningful for our membership. 

Swim BC has developed a survey to determine the ‘state’ of our sport as we begin to move back into club activities. The intent is to give Swim BC accurate information to assist in our dialogue with institutions that impact our facility access such as the BCRPA and viaSport.

Congrats to BC Swimming Hall of Fame member Annamay Pierse Oldershaw for being inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame this year. You can check out her UBC Sport Hall of Fame profile here.

Congratulations Jacob Brayshaw and Renate Terpstra, from KISU, on being selected to Petro-Canada's Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence (FACE™) Program! The FACE Program supports up-and-coming athletes when they need it most: when they are striving to represent Canada at the Olympic or Paralympic Games, but don’t yet qualify for government funding.

For National Coaches Week, the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) is saying #ThanksCoach by providing several NCCP eLearning courses for FREE throughout the week.  

The North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) Council announced that the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) will be further postponed due to the ongoing situation with the global COVID-19 pandemic

viaSport and the Province of BC has announced the Local Sport Relief Fund. It is a program that was developed to provide one-time financial relief for non-profit clubs and associations who have lost revenue putting their ability to offer programming at risk. Eligible organizations are invited to apply for up to $7,500 to help offset fixed and operating costs. Funding must support administration and operational needs for an eventual return to sport.

The 6th annual National Coaches Week runs from September 19th - 27th. National Coaches Week is a time to celebrate the positive impact coaches have on athletes and their communities across Canada. Coaches are an integral part of the swimming community and we want to take the time to celebrate them this week.

Today Swim BC was notified that the Canada Games Council and the 2021 Canada Games Host Society has made the difficult decision to postpone the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games. They have been postponed until Summer 2022 to better protect the health and safety of Games participants, the Niagara community and visitors across the country.

Today Swim BC was notified that the Canada Games Council and the 2021 Canada Games Host Society has made the difficult decision to postpone the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games. They have been postponed until Summer 2022 to better protect the health and safety of Games participants, the Niagara community and visitors across the country.

The Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport (CCMHS) is hosting 60-minute virtual information sessions for parents, coaches, health practitioners, sport leaders, administrators and volunteers affiliated with local and provincial / territorial competitive sport clubs / organizations. The CCMHS is a registered charity that offers sport-informed mental health care in-person and virtually from coast to coast to coast. We invite you to come learn more about how we can support your athletes, coaches, and support staff to reach optimal levels of well-being and performance!

Active for Life has published an article outlining a recent study about what motivates kids to be active. From Active for Life "This Canadian study offers some illuminating findings for both parents and coaches. It discusses what barriers stand in our kids’ way when it comes to participating in physical activity—and it shows just how important enjoyment and confidence are for them."

CHENA Swim Club is pleased to announce that it has hired a new head coach for its competitive swim program for the 2020-2021 season. Effective immediately, Vincent Chung will assume the role of Head Coach of the club. Vincent previously served as the Senior Assistant Coach.

There were 2 excellent articles published about our very own Winskill Dolphins this week. The Winskill Dolphins have been training in the ocean at Boundary Bay since the pandemic began in March.

viaSport released their updated Phase 3 Progressively Loosening guidelines earlier this week. Swim BC is currently working on an updated version of our Return to Swimming Guidelines.

I am in my second week as the Swim BC Technical Director and have been working with our dedicated Swim BC Staff in fully understanding the Swim BC Technical program over the past number of years. I will be continuing to dive deeply into all aspects of the program to ensure that we develop the greatest opportunities for our membership.

Swim BC is excited to have the Dawson Creek Seals join as a new club this upcoming season. They are a joint Swim BC and BCSSA club, who are looking to give their swimmers more opportunities throughout the year.

While the responsibility for providing a safe and nurturing swimming environment falls largely on the shoulders of coaches, there are steps you can take as a parent to ensure your young swimmer is enjoying the most positive sport possible.

What is the best way to support your swimmer? Become an official. Swim meets require 40 to 50 volunteers and they are excellent growth opportunities not only for swimmers but also for parent volunteers. Simon Blunden, a Langley Olympians swim parent, gives us an in-depth look at his officiating experience and why you should consider getting involved.