Lessons and Programs

Baby Fit

Enjoy a full body workout and some fun with your little one (6 to 20 months) during our Baby Fit aqua fitness class. Meet other parents/caregivers and their babies. Classes include a mixture of cardio, core and muscular endurance while incorporating your baby. There will be a floatie for each baby.  All fitness levels are welcome. Limited spots available.

Aqua Cycle

This is an indoor cycling class in the pool. Participants use a stationary bike in 3 to 4 feet of water. The water’s buoyancy provides support to working muscles and joints benefitting those with limited mobility or recovering from an injury. This is a low impact program has a focus on strength and cardio fitness. Water shoes or clean running shoes are required.

Deep Water Running

Deep Water Running is one of the best cardio workouts for injured runners as well as an excellent form of cross training for healthy runners.  Deep water running is a great way to decrease risk of running related injuries.  Enjoy 45 minutes of jogging without the stressors of dry land training.

Deep Water Noodle

Deep Water Aqua Noodle is one of the best pool workouts you can get without swimming laps.  We will use resistance exercises with the support of a basic foam noodle.  Keep in shape with this 45-minute pool noodle workout!

Aquafit Boot Camp

A high intensity workout will put you through the paces with a fun and interactive water workout. The program allows you to work towards your goals at a pace that’s comfortable to you.  Drop-ins are welcome if spots are available. Registration is recommended.

Intro to Swimming: Adult Level 1

Are you new to swimming? Never taken lessons, or a beginner swimmer, this is the program for you. We start from the beginning and learn the basics of swimming. We will work on floats, glides and proper breathing when in the water. Our goal is to complete a 10m swim with comfort and ease.

Learn to Swim: Adult Level 2

Level 2 is for our swimmers who have already mastered the basics of floats and glides and are looking to further develop their swimming skills. In this program we will introduce and develop basic strokes such as front crawl and back crawl. We will aim for 25 to 50m swims of the core strokes by the end of the session.

Stroke Improvement: Adult Level 3

This program is for our swimmer’s who are comfortable in the water looking to improve endurance and stroke technique with fitness and technical drills.  Swimmers should be confident swimming multiple lengths in one or more of the three core strokes: front crawl, back crawl and/or breaststroke.

Power Swim: Adult Level 4

This swim program is great for swimmers interested in building their endurance and technique through drills and pace/time swims.  Swimmers will learn how to read a swim set and will monitor their own progress throughout each set.  This is an excellent program for swimmers training for their first triathlon, looking to improve their endurance or swimmers getting back into a fitness routine.

Yes. Each level builds on the skills developed from the level before. Progressing through each level builds swimmer's confidence and their ability to be successful.

If a young swimmer (under 6 years) has completed all Preschool levels, we are testing a new program called Splash Big E to keep kids in the water until they can move up to the Swimmer levels.

Attending public swims or swimming in the lake (weather permitting) are great ways to help your child become more comfortable around water. Check out our pool schedule for drop-in swim times. 

Fun Swims, Family Swims or Parent and Tot Swims are great programs for spending time in the water.

Private lessons are best suited for swimmers that need extra support on 1 or 2 specific skills to move onto the next level. 

Preschoolers that are struggling with fear of swimming by themselves or putting their faces in the water and being comfortable, privates are an option to work on those fears and tailor the class to overcoming those obstacles and not focusing on all the skills to complete to the next level but improving comfort in the water, so they are ready to join a group class.

Parent and Tot 1 (4 to 12 months)

With a caregiver the child will explore the water through buoyancy, movement skills, PFDs and entries. Learn how to help your child play in the water with comfort and confidence.

Parent and Tot 2 (1 to 2.5 years)

With a caregiver the child will perform assisted front and back floats, learn how to travel at the surface by kicking and introduce entries with a PFD. This level teaches children how to get their face wet and blow bubbles.

Tots 3 (2.5 to 3.5 years)

With a caregiver, for up to 5 classes, the child will have fun jumping into the water with assistance. They learn to hold their breath and open their eyes under water. Kicking on front and back provides the building blocks for orientation and stroke development.

Preschool Prep (3 to up to 6 years)

Swimmers and caregivers work with the Instructor to promote and improve independence in the water, with the goal to have caregivers out of the water by the end of session. Preschool Prep is an ideal lesson for those who have aged out of Tots 3 level and are not quite ready to be alone in the pool. Children learn to float, glide and kick providing crucial building blocks for water comfort and stroke development. Swimmers will work towards a 1-meter unassisted swim.

Preschool A

Jump into chest-deep water assisted, float on their front and back, glide with assistance for 3 seconds, move in the shallow water wearing a PFD. Unassisted swim, 1 to 2 metres.

Preschool B

Jump into chest-deep water, climb in and out wearing a PFD, submerge and exhale underwater, glide on front and back 3 metres and flutter kick on back with a buoyant aid for 5 metres. Unassisted swim, 2 to 4 metres.

Preschool C

Jump and side roll into deep water wearing a PFD, recover objects from the bottom in waist-deep water, work on kicking and gliding in the water on front and back unassisted. Unassisted swim, 5 to 7 metres.

Preschool D

Jump into deep water, recover objects from the bottom in chest-deep water and are introduced to front crawl for 2 to 3 metres. Unassisted swim, 7 to 9 metres.

Preschool E

Demonstrate a forward roll entry into deep water with PFD, practice holding breath underwater for up to 10 seconds and are introduced to interval training and whip kick. Unassisted swim, 10 to 12 metres.

Splash Big E (5 up to 6 years)

This pilot program is for those advanced young swimmers that have successfully completed Preschool E multiple times while waiting to turn 6 years of age and move up. Swimmers must be 5 years of age and confident swimming a width of the pool (12 metres) where they cannot touch on their front and back, and with no assistance from buoyant aids or instructors. Swimmers will work on front and back crawl, entries into water and breath control.

Swimmer 1

Beginners become comfortable jumping into water with and without a PFD, open their eyes, exhale and hold their breath underwater and work on floats, glides and kicking. Length of swim, 5 to 7 metres.

Swimmer 2

Jump into deeper water and become comfortable falling sideways wearing a PFD, support themselves at the surface without an aid and recover an object in chest-deep water. Length of swim, 10 to 15 metres.

Swimmer 3

Develop front and back crawl strokes and explore whip kick in a vertical position, tread water for up to 30 seconds, and learn to transition from front to back flutter kick. Length of swim, 20 to 25 metres.

Swimmer 4

Work on stride and standing dives into deep water, improve front crawl, back crawl and whip kick and are introduced to a 3 metre underwater swim. Length of swim, 50 metres.

Swimmer 5

Shallow dive into deep water and perform in-water back somersaults, roll into deep water, tread for 1 minute and swim 50 metres. Improve front and back crawl and learn breaststroke skills. Length of swim, 100 metres.

Swimmer 6

Increase efficiency of front and back crawl including sprints for endurance, work on breaststroke skills and learn stride entries, scissor kick and vertical dolphin kick. Length of swim, 150 metres.

Swimmer 7

Master dolphin kick, diving off blocks and the eggbeater. Introduced to sculling and maximize efficiency in front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke. Length of swim, 300 metres.

Swimmer 8 (8 years and older)

Head and foot first surface dives, length swims and 25 metre obstacle swim, and first aid including assessment of conscious victims, contacting emergency services (EMS) and treatment for bleeding. Length of swim, 350 metres.

Swimmer 9 (8 years and older)

Continue stroke development with 75m swims, learn lifesaving skills and first aid including assessment of unconscious victims, treatment for shock and obstructed airway procedures. Length of swim, 500 metres.

Swimmer 10 (8 years and older)

Develop each stroke over 100 metres, build on lifesaving skills and first aid including treatment of bone and joint injuries and respiratory emergencies. Develops a strong lifesaving foundation. Length of swim, 600 metres.

Our Learn to Swim, Future Stars, Future Guards programs are specifically designed for Saugeen Shores' youth in grades 7 and 8. This free program runs on Fridays from April 4 to June 13 from 3:30-4:30pm with 3 streams of programming available based on skill level.

This is a great opportunity for youth to interact and learn with peers.

Learn to Swim

The Learn to Swim program is for those that are uncomfortable in water. Participants will learn how to float and glide while becoming more confident in the water.

Future Stars

The Future stars program is for candidates that are comfortable swimming and would like improvement in their endurance and strokes. This program will teach the basic skills that will help get candidates ready for their first step in the advanced aquatic courses that could lead them to a student job in aquatics.

Future Guards

The Bronzed Up aquatic training program includes the first courses in becoming an aquatic staff member. At the end of the program successful candidates will have earned their Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross and Standard First Aid certifications, while only paying the certification fees. The program provides a cost-effective option for adults interested in working in aquatics.

Successful Bronzed Up candidates will be able to enroll in other advanced aquatic courses this summer at no cost, with a commitment to work at the Centennial Pool for at least 6 hours a week through the 2025/2026 school year.

• When: Wednesdays, April 2 to June 18 from 10am to 2pm
• Where: Centennial Pool (classroom and in-pool instruction)
• Cost: FREE
• Prerequisites:
  • Must be 16 years of age
  • Able to swim 400 metres in 12 minutes or less
  • Tread water for 3 minutes
  • Comfortable submerging up to 2 metres under water

Interested? Register online with activity number 25095. Staff will be in contact with participants.

Standard First Aid and CPR-C (12+)

This Lifesaving Society first aid program is recognized by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and includes CPR C and Automated External Defibrillation (AED). This first aid program will train you in the following areas. Learn to deal with injuries and medical emergencies at home, work or play. 

 Bronze Star, Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross

Bronze Star

As the say goes, you are not finished swimming lessons until you're ‘bronzed.’ This pre-bronze course will get participants ready to complete their bronze medal awards. Learning includes victim simulation, minor rescues, and CPR techniques.

Participants must be 11 years of age or older.

Bronze Medallion

This course is the second step towards the lifeguarding certification in Canada. The award is part of the Lifesaving Society's Bronze series of awards and includes water safety, rescues, resuscitation, and an introduction to spinal injury management. To participate in this program you must have the Bronze Medallion Manual and if not you can purchase one when registering.

Participants must be 13 years of age or older. Participants may be under 13 years if they hold a Bronze Star award.

Bronze Cross

Designed for lifesavers who want the challenge of more advanced training including an introduction to safe supervision in aquatic facilities. Bronze Cross is a prerequisite for all advanced training programs including National Lifeguard and Instructor certification. Includes a timed 400 m swim.

Participants must be 14 years of age or older and have Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid.

 Lifesaving Assistant Instructor

Through classroom learning and in-water practice, this course will prepare you to assist instructors with swim lessons. This course provides an introduction to swimming instruction and will focus on key learning such as safety, swimming skills and stroke mechanics, as well as, communication and learning strategies. This course includes up to 20hrs of apprentice teaching which at this time will be dependent on Covid-19 restrictions.

Participants must have a Bronze Cross certification or higher to take this course.

 Lifesaving Swim Instructor

This course prepares the instructor to teach and evaluate the swimming strokes and related skills found in the Lifesaving Society Swim for Life program. Candidates acquire proven teaching methods, planning skills, and a variety of stroke development drills and correction techniques.

Participants must be 15 years of age or older and have a valid Assistant Instructor certification. 100% attendance is required to complete this course.

 NL - Pool (National Lifeguard)

This intensive 40 hour course will train participants in advance water rescue, emergency care and aquatic supervision. Emphasis will be on accident prevention, leadership, teamwork and communication. NL is the standard lifeguarding certification across Canada. 100% attendance is mandatory to complete this course.

Participants must be 15 years of age or older and have a valid Standard First Aid and Bronze Cross certification.

 Mini-Breakers: Learn to Swim like a Breaker

This session-based, twice per week program is an introduction to competitive swimming. The focus is on fun, learning new strokes and team building. Targeted for swimmers 6 to 10 years old and coached by certified Breakers Swim Team coaches. Swimmers must be able to complete 25 metres non-stop of Freestyle or Backstroke.

Session 1 runs September 25 to January 26. Session 2 runs February 5 to June 1.

 Master's Swim Team

The Breakers Masters program is designed for adult swimmers with a wide range of skills. Masters swimmers join the program to stay fit, improve their skills, train for triathlons, and compete in sanctioned masters swim competitions. All workouts are coached by NCCP certified Breakers coaches. Masters swimming is both social and supportive. Some masters swimmers have gone on to become coaches, officials, and helpers working with our youth.

Programs start September 16.