All of our policies are located here!

We do not have levels at H2O. Instead, all of our classes are age-based! Within our age based classes we have two streams: splash and shark. All new H2O clients must sign up for a Splash class within your age group. Our Shark classes have certain pre-requisites that must be met prior to registration. We not only place a heavy emphasis on a student's physical abilities, but their comfort and understanding of each skill as well. Our benchmarks must be confirmed in a Splash class by one of our teachers prior to registering for a Shark program. Check out all of our class descriptions here

At H2O Academy, all students aged 3+ must enroll in our unparented Mini Splash. It is natural to be nervous about your student swimming on their own for the first time, but it is our job to ease your worries! Here are some tips & tricks to help your little one gain confidence in their first unparented class. 

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1. Go to the pool!

Any exposure to the pool environment will help your student become more comfortable in their lessons. Familiarity with the pool will give your student confidence to participate in class. You can practice skills you've learned in class or simply play in the water to show them that swimming is fun!

2. Talk about swimming!

It is always best to enter a new situation with some background knowledge, and this goes for kiddos too! Let them know that they are swimming on their own now, and that you will be able to watch them from our viewing lounge. Go over some of the skills they will work on in class, and once you've met your teacher, talk about them too! Your student will know what to expect and can mentally prepare for this new experience.

3. Be confident!

Little ones pick up on everything, including your words and feelings! Keep conversation around swimming positive, encouraging, and calm. 

Great question, and a common misconception! While deep water can feel more challenging, swimming is actually a horizontal activity. You don’t need depth to build strong technique, endurance, or water confidence.

At H2O, we’re intentional about developing these skills in shallow water. This allows swimmers to focus on body position, breathing, and stroke mechanics without the added pressure of deep water. It also helps build confidence at a much faster rate. Once mastered, these skills transfer seamlessly to any aquatic environment - shallow or deep.

We also teach proper eggbeater technique which is the most efficient way to tread water. It allows even tall swimmers to stay elevated without touching the bottom. With correct form (high knees and wide legs), treading water becomes comfortable, efficient, and effective.

It’s all part of our goal to help swimmers become safe, strong, and confident — no matter what pool they’re in.

Long story short is you learn properly and quicker in the end! Swimming is a process that takes time and requires repetition to learn proper technique. For details, watch this short video!

Yes! Our new facility at 400 Fort Whyte Way only has family style changerooms! Our universal locker-room is designed to accommodate people of all genders. The washrooms are all single stall locked doors and there are private lockable changing stalls. It allows parents to bring students of all genders into the common room and still have a private cubicle.

Yes! It is a common myth that you must achieve all of the levels in traditional types of lessons (e.g. Red Cross, YMCA) in order to become a lifeguard. WRONG! The first step to becoming certified as a lifeguard in Canada is the Lifesaving Society’s course called Bronze Medallion. The only prerequisites for Bronze Medallion are that you need to be 13 years of age. The H2O Academy prepares students’ with the technical skills to complete the pool requirements of the Bronze Medallion pool test (e.g. eggbeater, timed swims, retrievals, floating, kicking, strokes, etc.). The Bronze Medallion course will prepare those students with the lifesaving knowledge and skills.

No, we are not a licensed childcare centre. For safety reasons all children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult in our new facility. It is not the lifeguard's or swim teacher's responsibility to supervise children who are not actively participating in a class.

The parking lot is close to our front door and our facility is small, so we recommend that you bring your baby into the facility either by carrying them in your arms or in a car seat. We have ample storage for car seats in the locker room. Please do not bring strollers inside facility as we do not have storage for them, and they track a lot of dirt into the facility.

Our pool water is kept consistently at 88°F year-round, which is an ideal temperature for comfort and safety. However, how the water feels can vary depending on the air temperature and what your body is used to. In the winter, when the air is cold and you’ve been bundled up, the pool can feel warmer by contrast. In the summer, coming in from the heat, that same water might feel cooler. This perceived “fluctuation” is totally normal — it’s all about perception — but rest assured, the water temperature itself stays consistent and carefully controlled every day of the year.