UPDATE June 17, 2021
Information regarding the Return to Competition during Phase 2 of the BC Reopening Plan has been updated in the newsletter. Additional information is coming THIS week from ViaSport. Please keep an eye on their website and ours for this information.

The latest edition of the Wavelength newsletter is now available.

Inside you will find information about the Provincial Restart Plan and how it affects swimming and other sports, how to apply for scholarships and bursaries, coaching tips & tricks, virtual competition details and dates, news from the Board, and of course the latest on #CelebrateBCSSA2021.

Copies have been emailed to Regional Directors and affiliated clubs today. It will be emailed to our general email list on Thursday morning.

Or you can download your copy at the bottom of this announcement.

Questions? Contact BCSSA office at office@bcsummerswimming.com

#CelebrateBCSSA2021

We are thankful that many of our summer swimmers are back in the pools.

We are thankful for our 63 years as the BC Summer Swimming Association.

We are thankful for all of the BCSSA volunteers, parents, athletes, supporters and sponsors who have contributed to BCSSA’s history.

We want to celebrate BC Summer Swimming this summer and we want to hear from you!

The Challenge

Submit a short video to social media using the hashtag #CelebrateBCSSA2021. Invite your friends, club members, and family to “Watch”, “Like”, and “Share” your videos. The videos with the highest combined total across all specified social media platforms of “Views”, “Likes” and “Shares” will be determined the winner.

Deadlines & Dates

Videos must be posted & publicly viewable by 4 PM PDT on 15 July 2021.

Winners will be announced by 31 July 2021.

Win Cash Prizes

Each Region will award the following prizes:

1st Place: $300
2nd Place: $200
3rd Place: $100
(A total maximum of 8 X 1st place, 8 X 2nd place, and 8 X 3rd place prizes will be awarded)

Note: There must be a minimum of 15 unique entries from your region to qualify for the prize money. **
BONUS ROUND:

Earn the title of “BCSSA 2021 Provincial Celebration Champion” as well as CASH PRIZES for you AND your BCSSA Club!

1st Place: $300 for individual, $300 to their BCSSA home club
2nd Place: $200 for individual, $200 to their BCSSA home club
3rd Place: $100 for individual, $100 to their BCSSA home club

For more information & complete contest rules visit www.bcsummerswimming.com

As Monday May 24 is a holiday there will be no practice.

Have a great long weekend.

It’s that time of the year again folks! Group A’s and B’s please return your goal sheets by Friday May 14th. If you have lost your original one, there’s extra’s attached HERE

April 27, 2021

BCSSA is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with the Swimmingly App for 2021 .

We will be working together to support BCSSA clubs in delivery of virtual competitions for our swimmers this upcoming season, as Provincial Health Orders allow.

Over the past 12 months, BCSSA’s Return to Competition committee has been working hard to find solutions for the challenges facing our sport with the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly as it relates to Provincial level competitions. Under the leadership of Sean Cauley, Director of Competitions, they released the BCSSA Return to Competition guidelines in February 2021. (https://bcsummerswimming.com/clubs/6594/documents/538670)

While these guidelines provide an outline of requirements necessary to host various types of competitions (from single cohort to multi-cohorts) in person, we recognized that large person gatherings were unlikely again this summer and therefore a solution was needed to allow for competition to take place outside of a single-club/cohort scenario.

“With no in-person Provincials possible for the second year in a row, being able to host virtual competitions and to provincially rank our competitors is an exciting step in the right direction. I cannot wait to experience results coming in as soon as we are given the go-ahead by the PHO! It will mean kids are back in the water swimming, and improving their own personal bests!” Penny Bartel, BCSSA Provincial Manager.

Sean Cauley echoed that sentiment, ”The kids love to train, but they also need the chance to compete – against themselves and also against their peers. Swimmingly makes it that much easier for us to offer competitions which are as close to ‘normal’ as possible, but still safe.”

Swimmingly has proven to be a great option with flexibility for competitive strategies this year and beyond. They have provided us with an incredible entry-level price-point which will allow our swim clubs to purchase a “Starter Kit” and start hosting virtual competitions, as soon as the Provincial Health Officer loosens restrictions around competitions. Swimmingly is the brainchild of US Olympian Charlie Houchin (CEO) and Hayes Johnson (President), who both had their swimming start in summer swimming clubs, and has grassroots clubs in mind with an easy to learn and use platform, low price-point, and a streamlined process for parent volunteers. The platform interfaces well with the ACTIVE Hytek platform, which was an important consideration for our clubs.

Clubs can purchase a “Starter Kit” directly from Swimmingly for a discounted rate of $300 USD (regularly $400), as well as highly discounted parent access . These are limited time introductory offers that are available only until August 2021. In order to receive the discounted price, clubs should use the discount code BCSSA2021 at checkout. Only BCSSA affiliated clubs will be eligible to receive this discounted rate.

In the words of Swimmingly President Hayes Johnson, “Swimmingly is honored to serve the clubs of BCSSA, particularly given the great leadership, positive energy, and excitement from clubs around “what’s next?” with summer swimming moving towards a post-Covid era. 2021 will prove to be a fantastic year for forward-thinking swimming organizations to spotlight all the benefits of our sport for families everywhere – you don’t have to look any further than the partnership of BCSSA and Swimmingly as the shining example!"

If you have questions about ordering Swimmingly and the partnership with BCSSA, please contact our office at office@bcsummerswimming.com