Open Water Swim Training - Shawnee Mission Park Beach

SMP Beach Open Water Swim Training Heading 2
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Open Water Swim Training

Looking to train for an upcoming triathlon or want to change up your swim workout? Johnson County Park & Recreation District offers open water swim trainings on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Shawnee Mission Park Beach. 

  • Participants must be pre-registered online to participate. 
  • Tow Buoy Float Required: Participants must have their own and wear tow buoy float at all times while in the water. 
    (See below for more information about tow buoy floats and requirements) 

Training Dates/Times

June 6th - August 3rd
Tuesdays & Thursdays
5:30 pm -6:15 pm
Each training will be limited to 35 participants to help maintain a safe training environment. 

Ages

These trainings are for adults 18 years of age and older. 

Prerequisites

  • All swimmers should be able to swim 500 meters freestyle and have endurance to swim in open water conditions. 
  • All participants must have their own and wear their tow buoy float at all times while in the water. (See below for more information about tow buoy floats) 

Registration

All participants must be pre-registered by 10:00 am of the day of the open water swim training. A minimum number of participants must be registered, or the practice will be canceled due to low enrollment. If a participant is registered for a practice that is canceled, the participant will receive a full refund. 

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Tow Float Bouy Required

SMP Beach - Tow Bouy FloatTo increase the safety of all, open water swim training participants are required to have their own tow float buoy and wear it entire time while in the water. If participant does not have a tow float buoy, they will not be allowed to participate in open water swim training and fee will not be refunded.


SMP Beach - Tow Bouy Float 2

There are a variety of different tow float buoys available online. When purchasing please consider the following items: 

  • High Visibility: Most importantly, select a float buoy that is brightly colored. They come in a large selection of technicolor rainbow hues. Aim for a model that is a neon for fluorescent shade for maximum visibility. 
  • Comfort: Staying as comfortable as possible is also a huge consideration. Many buoys are lighter than ever before and feature a waist strap to fasten it around your midsection. Find an item that has a comfortable strap that won't burn or chafe your skin. There are numerous different styles and options available. 

The Shawnee Mission Beach does have limited supply of tow float buoys for sale. This item is not guaranteed to be in stock.


Swim Course

SMP Beach - Open Water Swim Course
  • Check-In / Check-Out: For your safety, we ask that all participants check-in and out with staff when exiting.  
  • Swim Direction: All swimmers will swim in a counterclockwise triangle. 
  • 5-Minute Warning:  When 5-minutes is left in the swim time, lifeguard staff will sound 3 long whistle blasts. Please start making your way towards the beach at this time. 
  • Tow Float Bouy: Participants must have their own tow float buoy and wear it at all times while in the water. If participant does not have a tow float buoy, they will not be allowed to participate in open water swim training and fee will not be refunded. 
  • Lifeguards: Lifeguards will be in the water during the swim. If at any time you become fatigued while swimming, please locate the nearest lifeguard to hang onto rescue board or get assistance to the beach. 
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