Bronze Program
Overview
Bronze is the Upper Canada Swim Club’s first level of competitive swimming. Swimmers in this group may have graduated from the Youth Otters group or may be entering having gained a sufficient level of skill in a different program or from their own experience. Swimmers are assessed by one of our coaches before joining to ensure the level is right for their stage of development.
In Bronze, swimmers learn to swim all four competitive strokes, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, and begin to strengthen their flip turns and starts. This level can be exciting for young swimmers as they begin to attend bigger invitational swim meets, although attendance at meets is still not mandatory.
The time commitment for Bronze is 4.5 hours per week which includes 3 hours of pool time and 1.5 hours of dry land practice. Dryland training is done in one of the YMCA Fitness areas. Dryland priorities for this group are balance and coordination exercises, paired with activities that further promote physical literacy which will help improve overall athleticism as kids grow and develop.
Please note that the Brockville and Area YMCA requires that all swimmers in the Bronze program are full YMCA members in order to access the facility. Memberships in the YMCA can be purchased at the front desk of the YMCA.
For more detailed information about UCRO programs, please refer to the Parent Handbook.
If interested in joining, please book a Try-out and introductory meeting with our Head Coach.
Requirements
*Swimmers must be in good standing with the YMCA.
Competition Requirements
Local & Regional. One meet per month.
Equipment Requirements
Fins, Swim Cap, Goggles, Pull Buoy, Snorkel
Hours per week
4.5
Weeks per session
Full Season
Session Start
September
Session End
June
Fees and Family Commitments
When registering for Bronze, a season-long session, you also a member of the swim club. Along with practices in the pool, there are other family commitments required that contribute to the health and smooth operation of the club. These also help create a sense of community within the club.
Fees – Families commit to pay the entire session fee, in full, or in instalments, regardless of whether they participate to the end of the session or not.
Governing Body Fees and Admin Fees are one-time fees paid at registration. Swim meet fees are charged separately.
Trial Period – When you register with UCRO for the first time, there is a one month trial period during which the swimmer and family can see if the program is “a good fit”. If the swimmer chooses to leave the program and the club at the end of the trial period, there are no further family commitments or financial obligations. A trial period is not available to returning UCRO swimmers.
Swimathon Fundraising – all swimmers registered in season-long (10 month) programs commit to a minimum Swimathon fundraising obligation. This includes Bronze swimmers.
Volunteering – all families with Bronze swimmers, commit to volunteering and earning parent participation points with the club.
Session Fee
| Payment Plan | 1st Swimmer | 2nd Swimmer | 3rd Swimmer |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Full | $1,055.56 | $950.01 | $897.22 |
| Instalments (10 months) | $105.56 | $95.00 | $89.72 |
– Instalment billings start in September and finish in June. You are required to have a valid credit card.
Please Note:
For more detailed information, refer to the Parent Handbook.
Admin & Governing Body Fees
Governing Body Fee – a one-time fee charged by Swim Ontario annually at registration. This covers club insurance for the swimmer. This fee is non-refundable.
Administration Fee – a one-time, UCRO fee charged annually at registration. This helps maintain the smooth operation of the club. This fee is non-refundable.
| Governing Body Fee | Fee |
|---|---|
| Competitive | $178.55 |
This fee allows the swimmer to compete at UCRO home meets and away invitational meets.
| Fee | |
|---|---|
| Admin Fee | $25.00 |
Volunteering and Parent Participation Points
Each family with one or more swimmers in a competitive program (Bronze through National) is required to earn parent participation points each season.
Each family commits to accumulate a specified number of points annually. Families with:
– 1 swimmer = 50 points
– 2 swimmers = 80 points total
– 3 or more swimmers = 100 points total
Alternatively, families choosing to participate, can ‘buy out’ their full obligation at the time of registration for $10 per point.
Otherwise, any points not earned, will be billed at $10 per point in July.
For more information about volunteering and earning participation points, refer to the UCRO Parent Handbook.
Swimathon Fundraising
Swimathon is the major fundraiser for the Club and occurs in March or April each year with swimmers completing a distance swim. Swimmers collect pledges beginning in January or February.
Swimmers in Junior and Youth Otter programs agree to raise a minimum of $250 per swimmer for Swimathon, with any amount not raised being billed to accounts in May.
For more information on Swimathon, refer to the UCRO Parent Handbook.
Swim Meet Fees
Entry Fee
As an introductory competitive program, Bronze swimmers are given the opportunity to compete in swim meets each year, which are mostly held locally. Because these are hosted by other clubs, there are entry fees associated with participation usually about $15 per event. Swimmers will generally enter 4-6 events per meet.
Coach Travel
Coach travel expenses to attend a meet are covered by fees charged back to the swimmers attending the meet. These fees are:
– UCRO hosted meets – none
– Away invitational meets – $20 flat fee
These fees are billed to accounts throughout the year as they occur.
’25/26 Practice Schedule
| Day | Swim Time | Dry Land |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 4:30 – 5:30 pm | 5:45 – 6:15 pm |
| Wednesday | 4:30 – 5:30 pm | 5:45 – 6:15 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 – 11:00 am | 11:15 – 11:45 am |