Common questions

FAQ

The questions parents ask us most, before a first season and during it.

Getting started

What is artistic swimming?: Artistic swimming — once called synchronized swimming — combines swimming, dance and gymnastics into routines performed in the water, solo or as a team. Swimmers build strength, flexibility, breath control and timing, and perform to music.
How old does my swimmer need to be?: Our Recreational programs are open from age 5 and up. Competitive streams start from roughly age 8 and are grouped by age and experience. Adults are welcome too — see Masters, which is open to anyone 18 and above.
Does my swimmer need experience first?: For Recreational they need to be comfortable in the water with some basic swimming skills — no artistic swimming experience required. Coaches build the sport’s skills from the ground up: floating and breathing, water entries, sculling, body positions, and the strength and flexibility that underpin them.
Which stream should we choose?: Most swimmers start in Recreational and move up when a coach thinks they are ready. If you are weighing two options, email registrar@bcaquasonics.com with your swimmer’s age and experience and we will point you at the right one. The programs page lists the training hours for each.

Where do you train?: Two pools: the City Centre Aquatic Complex in Coquitlam and the Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex. Same club, same coaches, same programs — pick whichever is closer. Addresses and maps are on the home page.
When does the season run?: Competitive streams run a full year from September to May. Recreational runs in two multi-week sessions: winter from October to December, and spring from January to April. Summer programs run May to August.
How much of a time commitment is it?: It varies enormously by stream — from 1–4 hours a week in Recreational, up to 15–22 hours a week across 3–5 sessions in High Performance. Each program page states its hours, and the training calendars show the actual practice times for every group.
How much does it cost?: Fees depend on the stream and are confirmed at registration. Financial assistance is available — if cost is a barrier, email registrar@bcaquasonics.com and we will talk it through. We would rather find a way than lose a swimmer.

Will my swimmer have to compete?: No. Athletes in Recreational are not expected to attend competitions at all. Competitive streams do compete: Introduction to Competition swims one or two invitationals in BC, the Competitive stream adds two events requiring travel outside BC, and High Performance competes four to six times a year including international events.
What happens beyond competitions?: Every stream performs. Recreational swimmers perform once per session, and the other streams take part in two club watershows — one at the holidays and one at the end of the year. There are also club socials through the season, including the kick-off event, a Halloween party and the end-of-year party.
Do we need to buy club gear?: Club gear is optional in Recreational and Masters. Club competition gear is required in the Competitive and High Performance streams. Details come with registration.
How do I register?: Through the club’s registration form — it takes a few minutes and you do not need to contact us first. If you are unsure which stream to pick, choose the one closest and we will sort it out with you afterwards.

We are a volunteer-run club and we would rather answer a question than have you guess. Email us and a real person will reply.