(604) 333-3640 | info@bcartisticswimming.ca
A high performance artistic swimmer in BC refers to an athlete that has built on their competitive foundations from previous experiences and has the skills and physical capacities necessary to deliver consistent podium performances on the national and/or international stages. Ignite Program Athletes who are members of Team BC or the Team BC Athlete Pool are considered high performance athletes, while those who are members of the Next Gen Program are on the high performance pathway.
The Ignite Provincial Program is BCAS's high performance program. Ignite identifies and trains BC athletes with the greatest potential to be members of the BCAS Provincial Team and Canada Artistic Swimming's National Teams.
The Ignite Program provides a positive, enriching and focused sport academy environment geared towards training athletes. Ignite camps focus on improving individual and routine skills, as well as club development programs.
The vision of the BC Artistic Swimming High Performance Program focuses on club-supported programming that includes Junior and Senior athlete development and BC Coach collaboration in preparation for the 2025 Canada Summer Games. BCAS will rely on clubs to develop and monitor their high-performance athletes in alignment with provincial program goals. The Ignite Provincial Program will consist of assessment, choreography and development camps, athlete monitoring within the club setting and other activities as outlined below. The goal of this three-year plan is to foster the development of strong club programs that nurture and develop artistic swimming excellence in BC.
Building on BC Artistic Swimming’s strategic priority to Aspire to Excellence, the program delivery model has been developed in collaboration with HP Consultant Biz Price and BC’s National Stream Head Coaches (referred to as “BC Coaching Group”).
After a 2 year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ignite Assessment Camp in June 2022 kicked off the new BC Artistic Swimming High Performance Plan that sets the stage for the selection of Team BC to represent the province at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John's, Newfoundland.
For more information on the program check out What to Expect in 2022-23.
Questions? Contact Tanya Magee, BCAS Director of Sport
In 2016, BC Artistic Swimming hosted its first Train to Train (T2T) camp as a three-hour session. Since then, the program has evolved each year to include athletes participating in four one-day camps, private figure training, strength & conditioning testing, tailored programming, mental training, and technical skills development. In 2019, we conducted a thorough review of our high-performance programs formalizing their symbiotic relationships and the Train to Train program was renamed Ignite Prospects.
The Ignite Prospects Program helps prepare future provincial and national team athletes for the high-performance pathway. The Ignite Prospects Program scouts the top 11-12-aged athletes in B.C. to participate in a camp focusing on basic figure and routine development.
Ignite Prospects Program Details
From time to time, athletes are unable to participate in a provincial program as planned. This may include, but is not limited to, a provincial program selection camp or a qualifying competition. To ensure consistency and fairness for all participants, BC Artistic Swimming has developed standard policies and procedures to guide its decision-making during such times.
Provincial Program Procedures
Provincial Program Age Eligibility Exemption
Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, through a partnership with the Province of BC, viaSport, the network of PacificSport centres, and BC Artistic Swimming, collaborates to deliver programs and services to place BC athletes onto National Teams and ensure athletes and coaches have every advantage to win medals for Canada. The partners work jointly to encourage sport excellence and increase podium performances in communities throughout BC.
With this purpose in mind, BC Artistic Swimming may annually nominate athletes and their coaches, who meet specific criteria, for the Canadian Sport Institute - PacificSport Athlete Support Program. Upon registering with CSI-Pacific, these targeted athletes and coaches can engage in enhanced programs, benefits, and selected support services through CSI-Pacific and the network of PacificSport regional centres.
CSI-Pacific and PacificSport athlete support is tiered across four levels based on performance, each with a slate of designated benefits.
BC Artistic Swimming has developed a set of criteria for selection to the Targeted Athlete Nomination List. There is no application process but coaches of targeted athletes and prospective targeted athletes are required to submit specific criteria and monitoring data to support athlete consideration. Once the Targeted Athlete Nomination List is compiled, it is submitted to CSI-Pacific for approval. Once approved, BCAS will receive a notification of the nomination via email.
Coaches can receive access to benefits if they currently coach an athlete selected to the Targeted Athlete Nomination List. Like the athletes, coaches will receive a notification via email. For more information about services for coaches, please visit the Canadian Sport Institute - Pacific website.
BC Artistic Swimming Targeted Athlete and Coach Nomination Criteria
I am an athlete. How do I know if I can get access? Upon approval of the BCAS Targeted Athlete Nomination List, BCAS will notify athletes and coaches of their nomination via email. BCAS will provide the necessary information to complete registration at one of the CSI centres across BC. Athletes and coaches can make an appointment at their corresponding centre to complete their intake meeting.
Why am I not on the list? If an athlete is not selected to the Targeted Athlete Nomination List, and they believe they should be, they and their personal coach are advised to contact dos@bcartisticswimming.ca. Athletes will need to demonstrate that they have acquired the minimum points required for consideration in the Target Athlete Profile. BCAS can make application to CSI-Pacific to add athletes who demonstrate achievement of the criteria at any point in the cycle.
What is the BCAS Targeted Athlete Program cycle? Starting in 2022, the BCAS Targeted Athlete Program runs on a one-year cycle from October 1 to September 30 annually. Prior to this, the cycle was from February 1 to January 31. This new cycle aligns with our sport's training and competition schedule ensuring that athletes and coaches receive support at the start of the season rather than at the mid-point. It also ensures that the most recent competition results and program participation is considered in the Target Athlete Profile.
What are the expectations of Targeted Athletes and Coaches? Targeted athletes and coaches are expected to complete their CSI-P registration as outlined in the email notifying them of their status. With the support of their coach, targeted athletes are also expected to fulfill all monitoring requirements outlined in the BCAS Athlete and Coach Nomination Criteria.
The purpose of the Target Athlete Program (TAP) Monitoring is to ensure club programming is aligned with and working towards BC Artistic Swimming’s High Performance Program goals and to track athlete progression towards provincial and national high-performance targets. Where gaps exist, BC Artistic Swimming will support clubs in shifting program development to ensure excellence is being built at all levels in our province.
In order to meet the expectations of our funders, the following athletes MUST submit BCAS Monitoring requirements:
It is recommended that the following athletes submit the BCAS Monitoring requirements:
Full program details can be found here: 2022-2023 Targeted Athlete Program Monitoring Requirements
TAP Club Monitoring Template
Ignite Program FAQ
Club Directory