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FUNdamentals
Active Start
- 4 years & over
FUNdamentals : Active Start
Program Descriptions & benchmark expectations
The Duncan Swim Team subscribes to the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and its Appropriate Athlete Development (AAD) model for long term development in sport and physical activity, in its entirety.
All DST Staff are trained and certified through the NCCP, are members of the Canadian Swim Coaches Association (CSCA), and meet the Swimming Canada / Swim BC coach registration requirements; including but not limited to: NCCP Making Ethical Decisions, Coaches Association of Canada’s Safe Sport Training, and Respect in Sport Coach Program, registered annually.
FUNdamentals Swim School: Stse’elhtun* Learn to Swim Program
Program Coordinator: Riley Janes riley@duncanstingrays.com
NCCP AAD phase: Active Start & FUNdamentals
Weekly Program commitment: 1 – 3 water sessions per week
Cycle 1 @ Sept 29 – Feb 22 & Cycle II @ Feb 23 – June 26
Equipment required for Stingrays’ FUNdamentals Swim School:
- Bathing suit
- Goggles
Active Start (Pre FUNdamentals)*
Prerequisite: swim 10m unassisted – in any fashion, just all by themselves = Red Cross Swim Kids 2 completed.
This program is the first step in the development of a young swimmer; typically ages 5 – 6yrs of age. Essential skills include familiarity with the water environment including the introductions to the basics of our sport in flotation, propulsion, transfer of body weight, streamlines, kicking. At the conclusion of the group, Swimmers will begin to learn the basics of Freestyle and Backstroke.
FUNdamentals program – ALL members:
Competition in our in house Time Trials “Orange & Black” is encouraged but not mandatory. Orange & Black Time Trials are held approximately every 3 months and is used as an indication for improvements. Parent volunteer as an Official is encouraged.
*While each level does have physical and technical elements as minimum and maximum prerequisites, DST Staff regularly assess the mental, emotional, social, etc sides of your Swimmer’s participation. As such, group movement is also at the coaches’ discretion when considering these and the above factors.

The Duncan Swim Team has a rich history which includes the amalgamation of the Duncan Swim Team Society and the Cowichan Stse’elhtun Swim Club Society in 2007. The DST Board of Directors have recently uncovered this hidden history.
The Cowichan Stse’elhtun Swim Club was a swimming program created by our Team’s Head Coach Leanne Sirup in partnership with Cowichan Tribes in 2004.
The Stingrays honor our Team’s history with custom artwork created for the Stse’elhtun by local Salish Artist Qwiyahwult-hw (Stuart Pagaduan) of Cowichan Tribes.
“Stse’elhtun” is a Hul’q’umi’num’ word meaning Salmon. Pronunciation: Stuh / ehl / tuhn
FUNdamentals Stage 1
- 5 years & over
FUNdamentals : FUNdamentals Stage 1
Program Descriptions & benchmark expectations
The Duncan Swim Team subscribes to the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and its Appropriate Athlete Development (AAD) model for long term development in sport and physical activity, in its entirety.
All DST Staff are trained and certified through the NCCP, are members of the Canadian Swim Coaches Association (CSCA), and meet the Swimming Canada / Swim BC coach registration requirements; including but not limited to: NCCP Making Ethical Decisions, Coaches Association of Canada’s Safe Sport Training, and Respect in Sport Coach Program, registered annually.
FUNdamentals Swim School: Stse’elhtun* Learn to Swim Program
Program Coordinator: Riley Janes riley@duncanstingrays.com
NCCP AAD phase: Active Start & FUNdamentals
Weekly Program commitment: 1 – 3 water sessions per week
Cycle 1 @ Sept 29 – Feb 22 & Cycle II @ Feb 23 – June 26
Equipment required for Stingrays’ FUNdamentals Swim School:
- Bathing suit
- Goggles
FUNdamentals Stage 1*
Prerequisite: swim 25m unassisted = Red Cross Swim Kids 4 completed.
This program is the second step in the development of the young swimmer; typically 6 – 7yrs of age. Basics of flotation/propulsion/streamlining skills are improved upon.
Swimmers will learn the basics of all 4 Swimming strokes right from the start:
- Freestyle
- Backstroke
- Breaststroke
- Butterfly
Focus for this level is learning the basics of flotation and body position. Propulsion with the legs ie "kick" is also a major component of this level of Swimming. The basics of each stroke’s turns along with the standing dive are developed.
FUNdamentals program – ALL members:
Competition in our in house Time Trials “Orange & Black” is encouraged but not mandatory. Orange & Black Time Trials are held approximately every 3 months and is used as an indication for improvements. Parent volunteer as an Official is encouraged.
*While each level does have physical and technical elements as minimum and maximum prerequisites, DST Staff regularly assess the mental, emotional, social, etc sides of your Swimmer’s participation. As such, group movement is also at the coaches’ discretion when considering these and the above factors.

The Duncan Swim Team has a rich history which includes the amalgamation of the Duncan Swim Team Society and the Cowichan Stse’elhtun Swim Club Society in 2007. The DST Board of Directors have recently uncovered this hidden history.
The Cowichan Stse’elhtun Swim Club was a swimming program created by our Team’s Head Coach Leanne Sirup in partnership with Cowichan Tribes in 2004.
The Stingrays honor our Team’s history with custom artwork created for the Stse’elhtun by local Salish Artist Qwiyahwult-hw (Stuart Pagaduan) of Cowichan Tribes.
“Stse’elhtun” is a Hul’q’umi’num’ word meaning Salmon. Pronunciation: Stuh / ehl / tuh
FUNdamentals Stage 2
- 6 years & over
FUNdamentals : FUNdamentals Stage 2
Program Descriptions & benchmark expectations
The Duncan Swim Team subscribes to the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and its Appropriate Athlete Development (AAD) model for long term development in sport and physical activity, in its entirety.
All DST Staff are trained and certified through the NCCP, are members of the Canadian Swim Coaches Association (CSCA), and meet the Swimming Canada / Swim BC coach registration requirements; including but not limited to: NCCP Making Ethical Decisions, Coaches Association of Canada’s Safe Sport Training, and Respect in Sport Coach Program, registered annually.
FUNdamentals Swim School: Stse’elhtun* Learn to Swim Program
Program Coordinator: Riley Janes riley@duncanstingrays.com
NCCP AAD phase: Active Start & FUNdamentals
Weekly Program commitment: 1 – 3 water sessions per week
Cycle 1 @ Sept 29 – Feb 22 & Cycle II @ Feb 23 – June 26
Equipment required for Stingrays’ FUNdamentals Swim School:
- Bathing suit
- Goggles
FUNdamentals Stage 2*
Prerequisite: swim 25m Freestyle, 25m Backstroke, familiarity of Breaststroke, Butterfly (kick).
This program is the third step in the development of a young swimmer; typically 7 – 8yrs of age. Skills from the previous levels are developed further. Swimmers will learn how to more efficiently connect the arms & legs to form the 4 Swimming strokes: Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly.
Focus for this level is mastering the basics of flotation, body position, and propulsion with the legs ie "kick" is also a major component of this level of Swimming. The rules for each of the Strokes in the Sport of Swimming are also expanded upon along with the of each stroke’s specific turns.
FUNdamentals program – ALL members:
Competition in our in house Time Trials “Orange & Black” is encouraged but not mandatory. Orange & Black Time Trials are held approximately every 3 months and is used as an indication for improvements. Parent volunteer as an Official is encouraged.
*While each level does have physical and technical elements as minimum and maximum prerequisites, DST Staff regularly assess the mental, emotional, social, etc sides of your Swimmer’s participation. As such, group movement is also at the coaches’ discretion when considering these and the above factors.

The Duncan Swim Team has a rich history which includes the amalgamation of the Duncan Swim Team Society and the Cowichan Stse’elhtun Swim Club Society in 2007. The DST Board of Directors have recently uncovered this hidden history.
The Cowichan Stse’elhtun Swim Club was a swimming program created by our Team’s Head Coach Leanne Sirup in partnership with Cowichan Tribes in 2004.
The Stingrays honor our Team’s history with custom artwork created for the Stse’elhtun by local Salish Artist Qwiyahwult-hw (Stuart Pagaduan) of Cowichan Tribes.
“Stse’elhtun” is a Hul’q’umi’num’ word meaning Salmon. Pronunciation: Stuh / ehl / tuhn
FUNdamentals Stage 3
- 6 years & over
FUNdamentals : FUNdamentals Stage 3
Program Descriptions & benchmark expectations
The Duncan Swim Team subscribes to the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and its Appropriate Athlete Development (AAD) model for long term development in sport and physical activity, in its entirety.
All DST Staff are trained and certified through the NCCP, are members of the Canadian Swim Coaches Association (CSCA), and meet the Swimming Canada / Swim BC coach registration requirements; including but not limited to: NCCP Making Ethical Decisions, Coaches Association of Canada’s Safe Sport Training, and Respect in Sport Coach Program, registered annually.
FUNdamentals Swim School: Stse’elhtun* Learn to Swim Program
Program Coordinator: Riley Janes riley@duncanstingrays.com
NCCP AAD phase: Active Start & FUNdamentals
Weekly Program commitment: 1 – 3 water sessions per week
Cycle 1 @ Sept 29 – Feb 22 & Cycle II @ Feb 23 – June 26
Equipment required for Stingrays’ FUNdamentals Swim School:
- Bathing suit
- Goggles
FUNdamentals Stage 3*
Prerequisite: swim 50m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 25m Breaststroke, and 25m Butterfly.
This program is the fourth step in the development of a young swimmer; typically 7 – 9yrs of age. Full strokes of Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle are developed, along with turns, underwaters, finishes, dive starts and back starts. Swimmers will also expand on their Mental Skills learned in Stage 2: counting in 25m increments, counting repetitions per set, using the pace clock starting with 25s on 1:00, then repetitions on :50, so on so forth. Practices will typically exceed 500m within a session.
The rules for each of the Strokes in the Sport of Swimming are reinforced and swimmers will work to expand their endurance.
FUNdamentals program – ALL members:
Competition in our in house Time Trials “Orange & Black” is encouraged but not mandatory. Orange & Black Time Trials are held approximately every 3 months and is used as an indication for improvements. Parent volunteer as an Official is encouraged.
*While each level does have physical and technical elements as minimum and maximum prerequisites, DST Staff regularly assess the mental, emotional, social, etc sides of your Swimmer’s participation. As such, group movement is also at the coaches’ discretion when considering these and the above factors.

The Duncan Swim Team has a rich history which includes the amalgamation of the Duncan Swim Team Society and the Cowichan Stse’elhtun Swim Club Society in 2007. The DST Board of Directors have recently uncovered this hidden history.
The Cowichan Stse’elhtun Swim Club was a swimming program created by our Team’s Head Coach Leanne Sirup in partnership with Cowichan Tribes in 2004.
The Stingrays honor our Team’s history with custom artwork created for the Stse’elhtun by local Salish Artist Qwiyahwult-hw (Stuart Pagaduan) of Cowichan Tribes.
“Stse’elhtun” is a Hul’q’umi’num’ word meaning Salmon. Pronunciation: Stuh / ehl / tuhn