Swimming Lessons
The City of Medicine Hat proudly offers swim instruction and water safety lessons for all ages, at both the Big Marble Go Centre (BMGC) and Crestwood Recreation Centre (CRC), as well as outdoor pools in the summer months. Below, you can learn about our youth programs, private lessons, and even leadership training to become a lifeguard.

Starfish Swimming Canada
The Starfish Swimming curriculum is designed for students aged 6-months to adult. Benchmarks are established at each stage in the program that combine both swimming and safety skills. Students participate in experiential learning activities that allow them to explore the water in a creative and comfortable environment. Correct swimming techniques are taught from the very beginning, providing an easy transition to swim team.
If unsure what class to register your child in for swimming lessons, we do swim assessments free of charge.
If you are registering a swimmer that requires adaptations or specialized services, please contact us. We look forward to working with you and your swimmer to create a positive experience.
Private lessons
Private lessons are a great way to acquire those last few skills needed to pass a swim level or introduce a reluctant swimmer to the water. Our qualified instructors will assess skill level and provide personalized instruction to help you achieve your goals. These lessons are not intended to complete a full lesson set and there is no guarantee that you will have the same instructor when booking more than one private session.
Because of water depth, different pools have different minimum age requirements for private lessons to ensure success:
- Crestwood Recreation Centre – 8 years old
- Big Marble Go Centre – 5 years old
Frequently asked questions
What do the Starfish Swimming programs look like? |
There are three categories of lessons in Starfish Swimming Canada:
Parented has two levels based on age, Swim School has four different lesson types (White/Red, Yellow, Blue and Green) and Stroke School has five different lesson types (Freestyle/Backstroke, Resting Strokes, Butterfly, Breaststroke and Endurance). |
What are the teacher/student ratios? |
Student to teacher ratios will be appropriate based on safety and skill level. |
What level should I put my child into? |
If you have taken lessons through another company, we have a conversion guide to help with placement. See conversion chart or book an assessment online. |
Can a swimmer skip a level in Swim School or Stroke School? |
The program is designed to complete one lesson at a time in the order recommended by Starfish Swimming Canada. If you are not sure what lesson to register in, please use the conversion chart or call 403-502-8566 to book an assessment. |
What happens if someone registers in the wrong lesson? |
Swimmers will be accommodated to the best of our availability. We are unable to guarantee that we will be able to switch a swimmer’s lesson based on registering for the wrong lesson. |
How does swim assessment work? |
Swim assessments are released weekly to book online. An instructor will then ask to see skills to suggest the appropriate level to book into. This is not a private lesson and improvements on skills will not be made. |
How are swimmers evaluated? |
Swimmers are evaluated by their instructor as they currently are with the use of a hard copy report card. When they meet the benchmarks within the lessons, they will be ready to move to the next level. |
What are the benefits of using Starfish Swimming Canada? |
The skills taught by Starfish Swimming Canada focus more on benchmark evaluations rather than skill proficiency. It is beneficial developmentally for swimmers. We are able to place more swimmers in lessons (approximately 100 more swimmers per set). Swimmers will have the opportunity to learn and master stroke skills such as elementary backstroke, sidestroke, and butterfly. |