Ottawa, February 28, 2025 – Canada Artistic Swimming (CAS) is proud to introduce the We All Swim Together initiative, a grassroots program developed in collaboration with the Canadian Olympic Committee, Generation Safe, and INclusion INcorporated. This initiative empowers athletes, coaches, and club administrators with practical tools to create supportive, respectful, and inclusive environments within the sport of artistic swimming.
Building on the success of CAS’s Rise Up action plan, which culminated in the final report, We All Swim Together reinforces CAS’s commitment to promoting a safe and inclusive sport for all. While Rise Up focused much of its efforts on creating a safer and more inclusive environment for the senior national team, We All Swim Together expands these efforts to equip the entire artistic swimming community with essential resources aimed at fostering positive peer-to-peer interactions, reducing conflicts, and preventing bullying.
Empowering Athletes, Coaches, and Club Administrators
At the core of We All Swim Together is a series of targeted resources for athletes, coaches, and administrators that help them build positive team environments. The program provides actionable tools to create and sustain a healthy, collaborative culture within clubs and teams.
Steve Wallace, CEO of Canada Artistic Swimming, explains, “The background behind We All Swim Together is rooted in the challenges of bullying in sport across Canada, and the insights from our annual community feedback surveys. While 72% of our community feels welcome, 32% of respondents believe that peer-to-peer interpersonal conflicts that could lead to bullying are an issue, and 23% still identify bullying as a concern. This highlights the need for continued focus on bullying prevention and mental well-being to help us build a positive, inclusive culture within Canada Artistic Swimming.”
Key Program Elements
- For Athletes: Elevating Ourselves and Our Teammates
Athletes are encouraged to create positive, inclusive environments by being good teammates, respecting differences, and standing up for others when it matters. - For Coaches: Establishing Boundaries
Coaches are equipped with tools to set clear expectations, maintain professional boundaries, and encourage open communication with athletes and caregivers. - For Sport Leaders: Ripples to Resolutions
Sport leaders are provided with a structured approach for resolving conflicts constructively and promoting mutual respect and collaboration. - For Club Administrators: Setting Up Our Clubs for Success
Club administrators receive strategies to assess and strengthen club culture, set clear expectations for all members, and support coaches in creating a unified, positive environment.
A Commitment to Positive Cultural Change
We All Swim Together is part of CAS’s ongoing effort to promote a culture grounded in respect, inclusivity, and collaboration within artistic swimming. By providing these essential tools and resources, CAS continues to lead the way in creating positive environments that benefit all participants in the sport.
Lindsay Duncan, Chair of the Rise Up Action Committee and CAS Board Vice-President, shares, “Over the past four years, the Rise Up committee and CAS have worked tirelessly to improve our culture with a human-centered approach. As we wrap up Rise Up, our work is far from over. A safe, welcoming, and inclusive sport remains a pillar in our 2024-2028 CAS strategic plan, and We All Swim Together will create a ripple effect throughout the entire artistic swimming community.”
Allison Forsythe, two-time Olympian and founder of Generation Safe, adds, “I am thrilled to contribute to the development of this program. We know that when we show kindness and respect, both in and out of the pool, everyone not only swims together but we win together.”
Andrea Carey, Chief Inclusion Officer at INclusion INcorporated, states, “We have worked with Canada Artistic Swimming for many years and have seen the continuous progress in creating a safer, more inclusive, and positive experience for both the national team and the broader community.”
Discover More About We All Swim Together
Visit our Culture webpage to explore resources designed to help athletes, coaches, and administrators build safe, inclusive, and collaborative environments in artistic swimming.
About Canada Artistic Swimming
Canada Artistic Swimming (CAS) is the national governing body for the sport of artistic swimming in Canada. CAS is committed to promoting respect, inclusivity, and collaboration at every level of the sport. Through programs like We All Swim Together and Rise Up, CAS provides essential resources to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all participants.
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Contact:
Steve Wallace
Chief Executive Officer
steve@artisticswimming.ca