Competitive Swimming

Welcome to the Port Moody Aquarians Competitive Summer Swim Club!

PMA has introduced area kids to the love of summer swimming since 1970. We are a competitive swim club run entirely by a volunteer Executive Committee. Our coaches serve as positive role models and leaders while they guide and instruct our swimmers from young beginners to teenage provincial-level competitors and beyond.

Our mission is to capitalize on a community feeling; enabling our swimmers to feel comfortable and supported so they may enjoy being healthy and active while improving their swim skills. With this in mind, we aim to support as many swimmers as we can to achieve the best times, and individual and team goals and send a strong group to the Regional and Provincial swim meets.

We recognize that the definition of “fun” changes as swimmers get older and/or improve their skills. We encourage our swimmers to reach their goals and, in recent years, have adjusted the structure of our practices to allow coaches to focus on skill development by organizing our groups with this in mind.

Volunteerism is required for all members.  Participation by parent volunteers is a key aspect of swimming life and fundamental to a successful Aquarians season.  Parents are needed to volunteer in varied positions to run the swim program for our athletes. 

The swim season cannot run without a commitment from all families to this crucial aspect of our Club.  Expect to receive communication from the Club regarding volunteerism throughout the season.

Here is an overview of our swim programs:

Requirements to Join Swim Club

  • All new swimmers, returning minis and select return development swimmers will be assessed by our head coach and swim director in late March or early April. Swimmer families needing assessment will be contacted with details closer to the assessment date.
  • How well do you have to swim to join the PMA Summer Swim Club? Swimmers who are able to swim one length (25 metres) of the pool unassisted are ready to join PMA. We coach swimmers’ proper technique and give them opportunities to compete. If your child is not able to swim 25 metres of the pool unassisted, they are encouraged to take community swim lessons and pass Swim for Life – Swimmer 4. Swimmer families needing assessment will be contacted with details closer to the assessment date.

  • A schedule of specific group swim practices and meets will be provided at the beginning of the season
  • Practices for this group are generally scheduled for 5 to 7 times per week.
  • All practices are rain or shine
  • PMA swim practice schedule is opposite of the Port Moody public swim schedule, with general practice windows occurring Monday to Friday for 45-90 minutes; Mini Aquarian practices are 60 minutes between:
    • May to mid-June: 6-7:30 a.m. & 4-8:30 pm
    • Late June to August: 6-8:30 a.m., 5-6 pm & 8-9:30 pm
  • Swim meets are 2-day weekend events, occurring over most weekends between June to the beginning of August
  • Development swim meets are generally Friday afternoons/evenings

  • Please note that our exact times and pool location depends on group placement and pool availability – we will know this after discussion with the City of Port Moody Recreation in April
  • Group hours per week vary from the start to end of season 
  • All swim practices include activation/dryland and water times
  • Swimmers are encouraged but not required to attend every practice
  • Group placements are NOT based on swim meet divisions. For your swimmer’s competitive division, see the current Swim Age Locator.
  • All swimmers and families are welcome to join any of the PMA team-building activities held while enrolled in a program

Currently, Port Moody does not have a Winter Maintenance Program. Winter Maintenance is for S category swimmers who want to maintain skill and endurance. To remain an S category swimmer, from September 1st to April 30th, swimmers may participate in speed swimming training and/or meets provided they DO NOT exceed a total of 2 hrs within a calendar week.

    • Swim meets are considered 1 hr of activity per day of meet
    • Proceeding the summer season, S – category swimmers may engage in accredited and certified water safety or swim program delivered by a recreation program or school
    • From September 1st to November 30th, S – category swimmers may engage in secondary school swimming programs

Our core swim program – consists of 4 swim groups: (Development, Junior, Intermediate & Senior) 

Development: Swimmers in the development group have minimal or no competitive skills or experience but can swim one length (25 meters) of the pool unassisted. The emphasis in the Development group is on stroke improvement. Swimmers also learn about being part of a team, the fundamentals of competitive swimming and have the opportunity to participate in swim meets. The region will host a couple of “Development Only” swim meets, however, these swimmers are welcome to all swim meets.

All Development swimmers will be assessed by our Head Coach and Swim Director in late March or early April. Details will be provided closer to the start of the season.

Practices for this group are generally scheduled for 4 to 5 times per week.

Junior: This group is designed for swimmers with some competitive swimming skills or older swimmers new to competitive swimming. Emphasis is on stroke and skill development. These swimmers generally compete in the weekend 2 day meets.

Practices for this group are generally scheduled for 5 to 6 times per week.

Intermediate/Senior: Swimmers in these groups have more competitive swimming skills and experience. The emphasis shifts more toward training and stroke correction. Some older swimmers with less competitive swimming experience may also be placed in this group.

Practices for this group are generally scheduled for 5 to 7 times per week.

O Category Swimmers: Swimmers who participate in organized aquatic activities over 2 hrs between September 1st to April 30th.
***Organized aquatics includes speed swimming, diving, water polo and/or artistic swimming ***

Alumni PMA swimmers in the O category (O-Cat) will join either the Intermediate or Senior group and are welcome to join as many of these groups’ practices as they can. O-Cat swimmers, like other PMA programs, are invited to join any social event and are welcome to attend the Red vs Black Meet, the Dual Meet and the Golden Spike Meet.  If they wish to participate in other additional meets they will be responsible for the meet fees.

The Mini-Aquarians Program provides a strong start for our youngest swimmers.

Swimmers must be 5 years old by the end of the corresponding swim season year (December 31st), have completed Preschool 3 (Sunfish) or Swim for Life Orca, be comfortable in the water and able to follow directions. 

All potential Mini Aquarians will be assessed by our Head Coach and Swim Director in late March or early April. Details will be provided closer to the start of the season.

Practices for this group are 3x per week for 1 hr.

These swimmers are invited to attend the PMA Golden Spike meet and swim our Turtle Race. Swimmers may also be invited to participate in development swim meets.

The PMA Masters Swim Program is for S category swimmers who are 20+ years of age or O category swimmers who are 17+ years of age who are swimming for fitness, competition or to complement other training and want to receive valuable feedback from coaches. Masters may attend up to 3 practices per week within the provided practice schedule.