New Athlete Assessment
Before Registering for an Assessment
WGB is a competitive swim club, rather than a learn-to-swim program. Athletes must already have basic swimming ability, water confidence, and water-safety skills before being considered for membership. WGB programs are not designed to teach foundational swimming or lifesaving skills.
General Information:
When space becomes available in our programs, WGB may offer New Athlete Assessment sessions for swimmers interested in joining the club.
Assessments give swimmers an opportunity to meet our coaching team, get in the water, and demonstrate their current swimming skills. Our coaches use the assessment to determine which WGB roster group, if any, is the best fit for each athlete based on their age, swimming ability, readiness, and stage of development.
Important Considerations:
-
Assessments take place in the Main Lap Pool.
-
Life jackets and other flotation devices are not used during assessments.
-
Swimmers must be comfortable participating in the water independently with a coach.
-
All new athletes must complete an assessment before registering with WGB.
-
An assessment does not guarantee placement or registration. Placement is dependent on the swimmer's readiness as well as available space within the appropriate roster group.
WGB programs have limited capacity, and we often receive more interest than we have available spaces. We appreciate families' understanding as we work to provide a safe, positive, and appropriate training environment for every athlete.
What to Expect:
Assessments are approximately 15 minutes and are completed in small groups. Swimmers are grouped by age, with a WGB coach assigned to assess and support each group. Our goal is to create a comfortable and encouraging environment where swimmers can simply show us what they can do. Athletes do not need to be proficient in every skill listed below.
What Will Coaches Look For?
Our coaches will consider each swimmer's overall comfort and confidence in the water, body position, coordination, and current swimming skills. Athletes may be asked to demonstrate:
-
Streamlines on their front and back
-
Kicking on their front, back, and side
-
Freestyle (front crawl)
-
Backstroke
-
Breaststroke kick and/or swim (if capable)
-
Dolphin kick (if capable)
What Happens After the Assessment?
Following the assessment, families will be advised of their swimmer's recommended roster placement and whether space is currently available in that group. If a suitable space is available, families will receive information about the next steps for registration.
If space is not available, or if our coaches feel that an athlete would benefit from developing additional swimming skills before joining WGB, families will be advised accordingly.
Is My Child Ready for an Assessment?
Your child may be ready for a WGB assessment if they are comfortable and confident swimming independently without a flotation device, able to follow a coach’s instructions in the pool, and have some familiarity with freestyle and backstroke.
Families are encouraged to review the program details for each WGB roster group before registering for an assessment. These descriptions provide additional information about the skills, abilities, and expectations for each group and can help you determine where your swimmer may be in their development.
