ORCAS

Killer Whales (ages 5 to 7)

The Killer Whales squad is for young swimmers who have an interest in improving their swimming abilities by increasing the depth and distance of the water that they are comfortable in, while also being introduced to some aspects of Lifesaving Sport skills.

Beginner Rec (ages 8 to11)

The Beginner Rec squad further improves upon the swimming and lifesaving skills that were introduced in the Killer Whales squad. They will also be introduced to some basic water safety and first aid skills.

Advanced Rec (ages 12 to 15)

The Advanced Rec squad focuses on the further development of swimming skills while going deeper into the understanding of basic first aid and water safety techniques. This is a good squad to choose if your swimmer is one day interested in becoming a lifeguard.

Swimmers focus on Lifesaving Sport and will encourage swimmers to build on existing swimming skills and their spirit of competition. Swimmers are encouraged to attend most/all swim meets.

Competitive 2 Day Group A and B

The Competitive 2 Day squad is geared to those who are just starting in Lifesaving Sport and would like to participate in some but not necessarily all competitions during the season. This squad has two options to register for. Group A runs on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Group B runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Swimmers in this squad will swim alongside swimmers in the 4 Day squad.

Competitive 4 Day

The Competitive 4 Day squad swims four days per week and will focus on the development of proper swimming and Lifesaving Sport techniques for use in competitions. Daily attendance is an important part of this squad to achieve this goal. Swimmers in this squad are encouraged to attend the majority of competitions during the season, including Provincials.

Focus Plus

The Focus Plus squad is for older swimmers who enjoy the challenge of Lifesaving Sport. Swimmers will train with more intensity for the purpose of going beyond the Provincial level and being successful at the National level and possibly the International level of Lifesaving Sport Competition.

Focus Plus Nationals

Focus Plus Nationals allows swimmers who are competing at the National level to continue to train with the team, after the regular Orca season has concluded and until the National event.

Members at Large

The Members at Large squad is meant for swimmers who live outside of the Wetaskiwin community and cannot commit fully to the day-to-day training of our regularly scheduled practices, but have chosen to register and compete with the Wetaskiwin Orcas Lifesaving Club.

Junior Coaching

This is a volunteer program designed for those who have an interest in becoming a Lifesaving Sport Coach. Junior Coaches are paired with senior coaches. They will assist the senior coaches in making day-to-day lesson plans, along with giving instructions to the swimmers. The goal of this program is to teach the instructional skills to better prepare potential candidates for the Lifesaving Society Lifesaving Instructor course as well as the Lifesaving Sport Coach Course.

Bronze Medallion and Cross Courses

We encourage all swimmers to take the opportunity to achieve the Lifesaving Society’s Bronze Medallion and Cross Courses. We will be offering the Bronze Medal Awards during the Orca season. Separate registration for these courses will be taken at the pool or online. All Orca members will receive a 10 per cent discount on their registration for these courses during the season. It is highly recommended that all Orca members over the age of 13 take these courses, especially if you are interested in becoming a lifeguard or an Orca Coach.

These courses develop the fitness, skills, and knowledge to perform a water-related rescue and respond to a non-aquatic emergency. Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross are prerequisites for the National Lifeguard (NL) award.

A Swimmer wanting to compete in SERC events must hold a current Bronze Cross certification or higher to be allowed to compete in these events.

The Manluk Centre will be hosting multiple Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross courses throughout the Orca season. When registration becomes available for these courses, it will be relayed to all Orca members via the Monthly Parent Newsletter, which is sent through email and posted on the Orca Facebook Page.

 All Forms are be filled out and returned to the Manluk Centre to start the process of registering for the program.

• Registration Form 
• Swimmer and Parent Code of Conduct
• Photo Release Form
• Lifesaving Code of Conduct for Competitive Squads 

Orcas Member Handbook

Competitive Squads 

Recreation Squads 

ORCA Sizing Chart

ORCAS 2026 Parent Calendar (January April)

Parent Meeting Presentation 

Concussion Guide for Parents and Caregivers