AquaGO! program information

AquaGO! is the nation-wide grassroots foundation program for artistic swimming in Canada and is the launching pad for all other programs delivered by Canada Artistic Swimming. This new program reflects the current science behind long-term athlete development (LTAD) in the sport of artistic swimming, thus focusing on developing aquatic literacy as well as providing an introduction to the sport.

Led by certified instructors, the program is designed to meet the needs of children who will find the content fun to learn while participating in a safe and welcoming environment that incorporates a variety of basic physical and athletic skills in and out of the water. Children may use their new acquired skills to advance further in the sport of artistic swimming or may transfer them to other aquatic and land-based activities.

AquaGO! benefits participants by

Introducing new ways to move in and out of the water
Developing physical and aquatic literacy
Being accessible and inclusive – AquaGO! welcomes all abilities, skill levels and participants
Providing fitness and health benefits and the opportunity to participate for life
Developing teamwork skills

AquaGO! Program Objectives

To provide participants and families with a safe, welcoming and inclusive first experience in the sport of artistic swimming
To provide participants the opportunity to learn through exploration and to progressively develop skills through the learning phases of introduction, development, consolidation and accomplishment.
To focus on the identified 4 program pillars of Swimming Fundamentals, Artistic Swimming Skills, Athletic Abilities and Flexibility, to lay the foundation for potential success in artistic swimming.
To foster personal achievement and satisfaction through skill acquisition, rewards and recognition.
To inspire a love of the water and an interest in life-long participation in artistic swimming and other aquatic activities.

The AquaGO! program is based on four program pillars and is delivered via a 6-level progression:

Artistic Swimming Skills

Participants will be introduced to fundamental artistic swimming skills which will be developed and acquired throughout the AquaGO! program.

Swimming Fundamentals

Acquiring fundamental swimming skills is an essential component to developing the artistic swimmer. Participants will develop and strengthen their aquatic literacy at every level of the program.

Athletic Abilities

The development of fundamental movement skills (both on land and in the water), speed, strength and stamina are important for all children and for the development of the artistic swimmer. These athletic abilities are included at all levels of the AquaGO! program to ensure the balanced development of the participant.

Flexibility

Flexibility is a priority skill to the development of the artistic swimmer, and essential suppleness skills are included at all levels of the program to ensure the participant gains important flexibility skills for success in and out of the water.

Each of the 6 levels of the AquaGO! program includes selected skills from the 4 program pillars that are aligned with Canada Artistic Swimming’s athlete development framework.

Levels 1-2 have been specifically designed for children aged 5-6 and levels 3-6 have been designed for children aged 6-9.

Participants progress through the AquaGO! Program as follows:

To earn an AquaGO! level and award (swim cap), participants must complete the Swimming Fundamentals, Artistic Swimming Skills, Athletic Abilities and Flexibility required skills in the AquaGO! level they are challenging.
Participants are evaluated over the course their session by their instructor and will receive a mid-session feedback form after lesson 5 or 6 and a progress report at the end of the session.
To receive a AquaGO! swim cap, a swimmer must accomplish all program pillars (Swimming Fundamentals, Artistic Swimming Skills, Athletic Abilities, and Flexbility) from the corresponding level.
The skill requirements for each program pillar are indicated on the mid-sesson feedback form and progress report.