Spring Camps!

Exciting changes are happening at the Aquatics Holiday Camps. Now you can drop the kids off at The Zone at 9:00 a.m. and we'll keep them until 3:00 p.m. We'll take them over to the Sports Lifestyle Centre so they can swim and have lunch. Then we'll bring them back to The Club for some quiet time in The Zone before you pick them up at 3:00 p.m. Click here to sign up for Swim Camp for SwimAmerica Stations 5-10 and here for Training Camp for Swim Team level swimmers. Please click here for information on Camp overviews. We're looking forward to seeing all our swimmers over the Spring break and helping them all to improve their swimming!

Aquatics Sub-Committee

We’re looking for volunteers for our newly formed Aquatics Sub-Committee! This is a perfect opportunity to help the Aquatics Department reach its full potential and be able to offer the best possible service to our Members. Representing swimmers of all ages and levels, the mission of the Aquatics Sub-Committee (ASC) is to act as an advisory body and a sounding board for The Club's Aquatics staff, to support them in their objective of enhancing and expanding the swimming activities and educational and competitive programs offered at the Club, as well as to maintain and enhance The Club’s aquatics reputation within the swim community in Singapore. To volunteer, please click here to email Aquatics Manager Elspeth. 

Shooting Stars Swim Team

It's been a busy two weeks for the Swim Team with swimmers representing The Club at the the 48th China Life Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships. We had three swimmers in the Junior competition and one in the Senior category, all of whom performed at their peaks across the two times trials held in January and February and then at the finals. They practiced and put to good use the skills that they have been working on during training, learning the adjustments necessary to improve their strokes, dive starts, turns and underwater kicking. We are extremely proud of the results that each swimmer achieved with particular focus on their improved techniques. Congratulations to our swimmers!
 
10-years-old age group: Maile Sullivan
11-years-old age group: Avery Bretting
12-years-old age group: Liam Blakney
13-years-old age group: Megan Eyring
 
Save the date! The next Merlion League Swim Meet will be hosted by Marsden Swim School on Sunday, May 7.

Masters Swim Team

It's not just our younger swimmers who have competitive genes in them! Our best Masters Swimmers will be competing at the South East Asia Pacific Championships at the Chinese Swimming Club on Saturday, April 1. They'll be ready to showcase their speed and skills, so come along and cheer them on!

1. Controlled kicks - By simply placing your child on their tummy and bringing their arms around your neck (cuddling you) and placing your thumbs on their calf muscles, you can gently manipulate fast little kicks on the top of the water. 
2. Back floating - Set small goals as they become more fearless and confident, give them a goal of three seconds to start with. Increase this as confidence grows.
3. Monkeys on the wall - It is important that your child has mastered a strong hold on the wall; this can be at a pool with a deck level wall or on a high wall, as no two pools are generally ever the same. 
4. Turn arounds - Give the trigger cue “name ready go”, lift and lower your child under the water and turn them back towards you, encouraging them to reach for your shirt.
5. Independent and explorative play - By giving children the opportunity to independently sit, play and explore in shallow water, you will not only provide them with self-control but more importantly teach them a respect and love of the water as they learn the difference between deep and shallow.
6. Swim arounds - As they master this with your assistance, start to encourage them to come off the ledge by themselves and kick and paddle around you. Remember to practice to both sides.
7. Jumping from the side - As with all pool and aquatic environments, please stress to your child that they only practice this skill when a guardian is present in the water with them and they are invited to do so.
8. Independent paddles and kicks - Lots of manipulation for kicking legs and paddle arms is mandatory to achieve good muscle memory for independent swimming. 
9. Swimming in varying depth for objects - Assist your child in these processes by gently guiding them. As they become more confident, increase the depth gradually and guide your child to the toy by placing your hand between their shoulder blades. You should always guide them down at an angle rather than pushing them straight down vertically. 
10. Climbing out of the pool - Don’t forget to take the differences into account when you visit a different pool and always use the verbal cue of “elbow, elbow, tummy, knee” when your child is climbing out of the pool.