THE NEED FOR AN AQUATICS PROGRAM
We started our Aquatics Program because of a need for training and certifying Scouts in aquatics throughout
the year. Running aquatics merit badges requires a facility and equipment to be available plus a very large time
commitment on the part of a counselor. Rarely, can you find a merit badge counselor on the District and Council
merit badge lists to commit to this. This means, if you want to do a canoe trip in the summer with qualified Scouts
with Swimming and Canoeing merit badges, it will be very difficult to get your Scouts trained. You generally end
up sticking around summer camp to get the aquatics merit badges rather than doing high adventure trips and/or outpost
camping. All too often, the solution becomes running quick merit badges by the troop with instructors with limited
aquatics skills. Since well qualified Scouts and Scouters are essential ingredients for great high adventure trips,
there becomes a need for a year-round quality aquatics program with quality instruction.
OUR PROGRAM
We began our Aquatics Program in the late 60's at the Onondaga Aquatic Club, which was a private swim club with
a six lane 25 yd. pool on Rt. 11 in Cicero. The program was developed by Don Augustine from Troop 117 who still
directs the program. Initially we opened this program to all of Oneida District. Later on, because of the demand
on the program, we kept it mostly to the troops in the Cicero area, which are primarily Troops 116, 117, and 333.
The Onondaga Aquatic Club went out of business in the early 70's at which time the program was moved to the North
Area YMCA, which was using the Holyrood Park Clubhouse pool off Morgan Rd. in Liverpool. The Holyrood Park Clubhouse
burned down in 1976 in the middle of our Spring program. Fortunately, we were able to move the program to Hanlon
Pool in the village of East Syracuse and finish the program. Since then, we have done our pool work primarily at
Hanlon Pool. With Hanlon Pool now under renovation, we are currently using the LeMoyne College pool.
We also run each year a high quality canoeing course using the Troop 117 canoes. Certification is given in both
Canoeing Merit Badge and Red Cross Fundamentals of Canoeing. The Red Cross certification was discontinued when
the Red Cross dropped their small craft programs. We did this evenings for a couple of years at Camp Woodland (Kibbie
Lake). One year, we ran it at Camp Twelve Pines in the summer over a one week period. These approaches involved
too much hassle transporting canoes. We then switched to running it on Oneida Lake, where we could both run the
course and store the canoes on the Mizener's lakefront property, until the 90's. The course is currently run as
a weekend course (Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday morning) in the late spring at either Camp Woodland or Camp
Talooli (Campfire Boys and Girls). The canoeing is primarily a Troop 117 program; however, we have always tried
to include Scouts from other troops when there is space.
In 2002, we added an intense two-day Wilderness First Aid course to our programs to support the high
adventure programs. We can offer either the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) course, which was formally
the National Safety Council (NSC) course, or the American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI) course. We are currently
teaching the ASHI course, which we feel is the best choice for those who do serious wilderness activities.
In addition to providing instruction, the program provides opportunities for older Scouts serving on the staff
to develop leadership and teaching skills. Many of them have used the skills they developed as staff in getting
summer jobs, getting part time jobs, and later on in life. Some have gone into teaching as a profession.
Our program is a complete Scout aquatics program with BSA trained instructors. It follows all BSA guidelines
and safety standards. In some instances when there is sufficient overlap, we have given dual certifications to
include American Red Cross. The CPR certifications are mostly American Heart Association, and the First Aid certifications
are AAOS or ASHI.
OUR COMMITMENT
One of the five objectives of aquatics in Scouting is to "help units conduct safe, year-round aquatics
programs." Our Aquatics Program addresses this. We are committed to not only taking care of our own needs,
but to also, to the extent possible, be an aquatics resource to Scouting in the District and Council. We are also
committed to supporting the unit high adventure programs by providing training in BSA Lifeguard, canoeing, First
Aid and CPR, Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, and Wilderness First Aid.
In our program, we always strive to promote the ideals of Scouting as well as teach aquatics. The first
rule is the Scout Oath and the Scout Law.