The first year of the Friends and Families of McCauley Society’s kid’s swim club has been a great success! The program started in September of 2014 and ran until the pool closed for the FIFA tournament at the end of May 2015. We had between 10 and 15 kids over this period with 10 of them coming consistently. Kids attended swim meets with Penguin Swimming and did well. This year, Penguin will not be providing the coaching, so swim meets will not be a part of the program, but we have hired an excellent coach who is looking forward to getting started.

The club will start up again in mid-September and carry on until the end of June 2016.

Our swim team, like other organized sport, foremost promotes self-esteem, positive self-worth, long-lasting friendships, and a sense of belonging and accomplishment. Along with these qualities, our team fosters a life skill, exercise, and positive healthy choices.

If you know of kids in the neighbourhood who would like to attend, here are the details:

• We have room for 15 kids at a time ((there are three sessions: Sept-Dec., Jan-March, and April-June).
• The program takes place at Commonwealth pool in two of the lanes in the deep pool.
• For safety, participants must be between the ages of 6 and 14 and must be able to swim 25 metres independently (no resting, no lifejacket, no touching the bottom).
• The program takes place Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• This is not a drop-in program: families and kids must commit to attending a minimum of two times per week for at least one full session.
• Sessions are from September to December, January to March, and April to June.
• Programming will include a mix of laps, games, and diving (off the edge).
• This program is available to all families within the McCauley boundaries. If the program is not full, we will consider registering kids from adjacent neighbourhoods (Boyle Street, Alberta Avenue, Parkdale/Cromdale).
• This program is free of cost to families.
• Transportation to and from the pool is the responsibility of families/kids.

Funding for this club has been generously provided by the Friends and Families of McCauley Society, McCauley Revitalization, ATB Financial, and Continental Group. Financial donations from community groups, businesses, and individuals to keep this program going are gratefully accepted. To register, please visit our website at www.mccauleyfriends.com. See you at the pool!