How to Register & FAQ's for new Members
We are so excited by your interest in joining the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club - one the top sports clubs in Alberta with a long history of teaching young swimmers and top performers alike.
Registering with a new sport can be intimidating. We are patient and happy to help you at any time. And, to help you with some of the more common question please read on below for instructions on how to register and a few Frequently Asked Questions.
How to Register...
If you are ready to register, then please follow these simple steps:
- Click Sign In on the top right side of the screen. Here you will Create an Account with Keyano.
- Add a payment method to your account. Payments are automatically charged to the credit card on your account.
- Add a swimmer. Once you have an account, please Add your swimmer's name and DOB exactly, as this will be an important part of their insurance / sport registration.
- Click Register Now on the top left side of the screen. Here you will select your group (eg: Bronze) and a location / schedule that works for you.
- Answer / check all questions on the following screens and submit - you are now registered!
What you need to know before joining:
- Can your child swim at least 25m unassisted without stopping?
Keyano is a swim club, which is a perfect off-shoot for parents/children who have made it through lessons to the point of being safe in the water but are now looking for more 'swimming' as opposed to life saving or other activities in the water. This 25m unassisted is mandatory, however, to get the most out of the program and to take part safely.
- Which group should I register in?
In 95% of cases, swimmers who are joining out of lessons should start in the Bronze group, and the entry age in this group has always ranged from 5-6yo up to 11-12yo. We have multiple coaches at every session to sort children into groups by ability and strength, so don't worry about age too much. The key is to learn all of the basic skills and to develop stamina in the water. If your child can complete 25m unassisted, but does not yet know how to comfortably swim all 4 strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly) then Bronze is your first group.
Silver swimmers: Must swim all 4 strokes legally and will be working towards achieving provincial festival times.
If you are already a competitive swimmer that has recently moved to Edmonton or looking to transfer clubs, then you can contact our Head Age Group Coach directly for help with the group placement: Desmond Lam, 780-966-8382, dlam@eksc.com.
Everyone is welcome to register. You do not need special permission to register for our Bronze program; simply the abilities descibed above. :)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...
How many times a week is Bronze?
The Bronze groups train a total of 3 times per week.
Groups train 2 times per week at their local pool (45min each) with their primary coach. All pools have at least 2 coaches for each Bronze schedule so that we can sort swimmers by ability and strength to best challenge them to improve each day.
Groups train 1 time per week on Wednesdays at the Kinsmen Sports Centre (1hr dryland activities + 1hr swim). Wednesdays are a unique tradition at Keyano where swimmers from all locations around Edmonton come together at the same session. They get to know many new friends from across the city as well as take advantage of one of Canada's only world-class competitive swimming pools. We introduce diving and other important swimming skills that are unique to the Kinsmen environment.
What exactly happens on Wednesdays for Development Groups?
All swimmers in Gold, Silver and Bronze groups come together at the Kinsmen Sports Centre on Wednesdays, and are grouped by similar ability and age to each other for a great training environment. Approximately once per month, we even organize a mini-competition that we call our Bear Cubs series of mini-meets. At these Bear Cubs events we expose all of the Bronze and Silver swimmers to the real sounds and cues of racing, and we do it all within the comfortable company of their usual teammates. Well before any of Keyano's swimmers sign up for a sanctioned competition, they will all be well-accustomed to the entire experience so that their first real competition can be a fun one!
Can I swim at two different pools?
Unfortunately, you must choose a single schedule for your child. Learning at Keyano is progressive much like at school and switching schools every other day would not work well for a student. Each class is challenged based on their current level and may spend more or less time on a particular skill based on the swimmers' progress. Switching schedules is disruptive to the coach and students who are picking up from where they left off the previous day and is not an ideal program for your own child's learning.
Do I need to volunteer?
Swimming does rely to a great extent on the efforts of volunteers. There are two main ways in which parents volunteer at Keyano: (1) helping at competitions; (2) bingos.
When you start out at Keyano, we do not require any helping at competitions until your swimmer is ready to compete. Once they are ready to compete, there is a simple volunteer points system (Participation Points) in place which asks you to help out. The requirements can be entirely met within the meets your swimmer is encouraged to attend, so this should not impose on weekend you are not already at the swimming pool - in fact, a simple volunteer position like Timer is a good way to pass the time and watch the swimming from the pool deck.
Bingos are the main fundraiser at Keyano. They are optional, however, if you decline to participate in bingo fundraising then training fees will be a little higher (+$200 per bingo in your commitment). Volunteering at a bingo entails selling cards for $1 at a bingo event. It is easy to do; your contribution is your time for a great cause: bingos raise up to $300,000 a year for Keyano, which covers over 1/3 of our rent and coaching expenses. Every penny of this fundraising goes directly to covering program expenses that would otherwise be covered through an increase in training fees.
Can my swimmer move up groups if I register in the wrong group?
Yes, our coaches are constantly reevaluating swimmers in the program. New swimmers may have their group placement corrected (we prefer to err on the side of registering a group down so that the correction feels like a promotion to the swimmer). Existing swimmers who have met the goals of their current group may move up to a new group in the same season (the coach will always confirm with a parent so that they may agree to a the schedule and fees of the next group).
More questions? Please let me know! Email generalmanager@eksc.com and we will continue to add the most common questions to this area. :)
Go Bears!