Berlin Bear-a-Cudas: Early Swimmers
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Hi everyone!
Thanks for your interest in the EARLY SWIMMERS PROGRAM of the Berlin Bear-A-Cudas. This is a chance for children to learn how to swim and also for the children who are interested in becoming competetive swimmers to start competitions as soon as they are ready!. We offer swim classes for beginner swimmers in English, starting from the age of 5. Your children will learn how to swim in the American style of training. Starting with the back-stroke and learning all four strokes. Our coaches are able to speak both English and German.
If there are questions please direct them to me at:
Thanks again for your interest in our club!
Amanda Walzer
President Berlin Bear-A-Cudas
Sunday, September 6
Info about Season 2009/2010 in Stadtbad Charlottenburg and ONLINE SIGN UP SHEET
We are now holding Early Swimmers in Stadtbad Charlottenburg, Krumme Str. 4, Berlin (not in Cole Center Huettenweg, which is closed for renovation).
Here is a preliminary schedule of classes (will depend on the final number of interested swimmers). We cannot offer any other times or days than these because this is what our Swim Club was offered by the Berliner Baeder Betriebe when we lost our pool time in Cole Sport Center which is closed since June.
TUESDAYS
2:15-3:00 3 classes: New Beginners, Beginners to Seepferdchen, Seepferdchen to bronze
3:15-4:00 3 classes: Beginners to Seepferdchen, Seepferdchen to Bronze, Bronze to Silver
THURSDAYS
2:15-3:00 2 classes: New Beginners, Seepferdchen to Bronze
3:15-4:00 3 classes: Beginners/Seepferdchen to Bronze, Bronze to Silver, Silver to Gold
Click here to go to the ONLINE SIGN UP SHEET FOR EARLY SWIMMERS CLASSES (online from Sept 6th until September 25th, 2009). When you sign up your child, please do not forget to enter a valid email adress and click OK in the confirm column. I will then send you the registration form by email.
NOTE 1: New Beginners class is meant for children who have never taken a swim class and are complete beginners. Beginners to Seepferdchen is meant for children who have some experience in water yet have not gotten their first test yet. Seepferdchen to Bronze is for children with Seepferdchen badge who want to achieve the Bronze level. Bronze to Silver etc. To see the requirements for these levels, please scroll down this page.
About Early Swimmers
As soon as your child is capable of getting around independently he will also be capable of getting into water with the risk of drowning! Therefore swimming lessons should begin as soon as possible. Very young children will not learn to swim per se but they can learn some skills to keep them SAFE. For logistic reasons the Bear-a-Cudas' Early Swimmers Program can only offer classes as of the age of five and up.
The child is taught to 'front glide', 'roll over on his/her back', 'float' and 'yell for help'. To do so, the child needs to overcome his/her fears of putting his/her face/head underwater as well as requires the skill to exhale used-air under the water and inhale new-air when above the water surface. This ability to breathe effectively not only can save lives but is the basics of learning how to swim for the rest of his life.The child will also learn other skills, for example: to glide (front and back), to jump from the side of the pool, to pick up objects from the pool floor, etc. A very young child or a child who is uneasy in the water will require more time to conquer these phases.
The next steps are more technique oriented irrelevant of the stroke chosen by the instructor (freestyle, breaststroke or backstroke) and the child will progress through every skill at his/her own pace until he/she can swim on his/her own and in good style.
Upon mastering the above the child (if he/she wishes to) will be ready to complete the first German Swimming Certification "Seepferdchen" (Sea Horse) test followed by the more advanced "Freischwimmer" Certification (Bronze, Silver, Gold). Passes and badges will be distributed upon successful completion of the testing at a cost of Euro 2,00. If you may have further questions concerning this program feel free to contact the instructors giving the courses or send an e-mail to jfk.early.swimmers@web.de
You can also read a more detailed curriculum of Early swimmers classes (what are we teaching in beginners, intermediate and advanced classes).
When are the Early swimmers classes
Starting from October 2009, the Early swimmers classes will take place at Stadtbad Charlottenburg "Neue Halle", Krumme Str. 9 in 10585 Berlin-Charlottenburg, behind Deutsche Oper.
Swimming times:
Tuesday, 2.15 to 4 pm
Thursday, 2.15 to 4 pm
Membership fees and Payment
Membership fees are deducted by direct debit from your account either quarterly or annualy. Cash payments are not possible. These fees are for weekly training.
- 1st Quarter: October, November, December: 55,- Euro
- 2nd Quarter: January, February, March: 55,- Euro
- 3rd Quarter: April, May, June: 55,- Euro
- 4th Quarter: Juli, August, September: no fees
Pool Rules
- What to bring? For your swimmer, bring Swimmers ID (you will receive this from us before the beginning of classes) large towel, swim trunks - swimsuit, shower shoes, shampoo, no floaties.
How to Register
You can register ONLINE, the sign-up sheet has the address: http://tinyurl.com/earlyswimmers2009-2010
For information, come to JFKS Info Fair on September 9th, 7 pm, John-F.-Kennedy School, Large Aula, and look for the table "Bear-a-Cudas / Early swimmers".
Email info: jfk.early.swimmers@web.de
Coaches
Early swimmers coaches 2009/2010
- Diane Eberhardt
- Erin Gross
- Natalie Ohlsen-Fueger
- Christian Northe
Swim Exams for Children (German system)
German Early Swimmer Exam "Seepferdchen" (Sea Horse)
- Jump from pool edge and swim at least 25 m
- Pick up an object from the bottom of the pool (with hands) at a water shoulder depth
Exam Bronze: Deutsches Jugendschwimmabzeichen - Bronze
- Jump from pool edge and swim at least 200 m in less than 15 minutes
- Dive from water surface and pick up and object from 2m depth
- Jump from 1m diving board or starting block
- Knowledge of swimming rules
Exam Silver: Deutsches Jugendschwimmabzeichen - Silber
- Start dive and swim at least 400 m in less than 25 min (300 m front stroke and 100 m on back)
- dive twice from water surface and pick up object from 2m depth swim underwater for a length of 10m
- jump from 3m
- knowledge of swimming rules and self rescue techniques
Exam Gold: Deutsches Jugendschwimmabzeichen - Gold
- must be at least 9 years old
- swim 600 m in less than 24 minutes
- swim 50 m breaststroke in less than 70 sec
- swim 25 m crawl
- swim 50 m backstroke with breaststroke kick without use of arms or 50 m normal backstroke
- dive from water surface to pick up 3 rings from 2 m depth in 3 attempts within 3 min)
- swim underwater for a length of 15 m
- jump from 3 m 50 m transport swimming: pushing or towing another swimmer on his back
- knowledge of swimming rules knowledge about helping in cases of swimming, boat and ice accidents (self rescue and simple rescue of another person)