Millard North Swim Lesson Guide
Which Level is right for my child?
Level 1 is for beginners with little or no experience in the water. To enroll into Levels 2-6, students must have completed or at least be able to confidently demonstrate the skills listed in the previous level, including the exit skill requirements
LEVEL 1: Introduction to Water Skills ages 4 & up
Purpose: Helps students develop positive attitudes, good swimming habits and safe practices around the water. Level 1 participant learns to:
- Enter and exit water safely
- Blow bubbles through mouth and nose
- Bobbing
- Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
- Front and back glides and floats
- Recover to vertical position
- Roll from front to back and back to front
- Alternating and simultaneous leg actions on front and back
- Alternating and simultaneous arm actions on front and back
- Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
- Learn how to stay safe, including recognizing an emergency and knowing how to call for help
Level 1 Exit Skills Assessment:
- Enter unassisted, move 3 body lengths,
- Bob 3 times then safety exit water;
- Glide on front 2 body lengths, roll to a back float for 3 seconds.
LEVEL 2: Fundamental Aquatics Skills
Purpose: Give students success with fundamental skills. Learn to float and recover to a vertical position.
Level 2 participants learn to:
- Enter and exit water by stepping or jumping from the side
- Fully submerge and hold breath
- Bobbing
- Open eyes under water and retrieve submerged objects
- Front, jellyfish and tuck floats
- Front and back glides and fronts
- Recover to vertical position
- Roll from front to back and back to front
- Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back
- Tread water using arm and leg actions
- Combined arm and leg actions on front and back
- Finning arm action
- Safety skills – recognizing an emergency, knowing how to call for help, pool rules
Level 2 Exit Skills Assessment:
- Step from side into water, move into a front float for 5 seconds, roll over to a back float for 5 seconds then return to vertical position.
- Push off & swim using a combination of arm and leg actions on front for 5 body lengths, roll to back, float for 15 seconds, roll to the front then continue swimming for 5 body lengths.
- Combined arm and leg action on back, 5 body lengths.
LEVEL 3: Stroke Development
Purpose: Builds on skills from Level 2 & develops strokes through additional guided practice in deeper water. Level 3 participants learn:
- Jump into deep water from the side
- Dive from sitting and kneeling positions, in water at least 9 feet deep
- Bobbing
- Rotary breathing
- Survival float
- Back float
- Change from vertical to horizontal position on front and back
- Tread water
- Flutter, scissor, dolphin and breaststroke kicks on front
- Front crawl and elementary backstroke
- Learn to look carefully before entering the water
- Learn to perform simple non-swimming assists
- Learn to recognize, prevent and respond to water emergencies
Level 3 Exit Skills Assessment:
- Jump into the water and recover to a back float position for 30 Seconds.
- Jump into the water and tread water for 30 seconds
- Jump into deep water from the side, swim front crawl for 1 width of pool (approx. 15 yards) with face in the water and rhythmic breathing pattern (to side), and maintain position by treading or floating for 30 seconds, back crawl for 1 width or 15 yards.
LEVEL 4: Stroke Improvement
Purpose: Develops confidence and strength to improve skills learned and introduces new aquatic skills.
Level 4 participants learn to:
- Diving entry from the size in compact and stride positions in at least 9 feet of water
- Swim underwater
- Perform feet first surface dive
- Survival swimming
- Front crawl and backstroke open turns
- Tread water using 2 different kicks
- Front and back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke and butterfly
- Flutter and dolphin kicks on back
- Use safe diving rules, water safety rules, perform throwing assists
- Perform compact jump a height while wearing a life jacket
- Perform the following:
- Front crawl and elementary backstroke, 25 yards
- Breaststroke & back crawl, 15 yards
- Butterfly and side sidestroke
Level 4 Exit Skills Assessment:
- Perform a feet-first entry into water, swim front crawl for 25 yards, change direction maintain position on floating on back or treading water for 1 minute in deep water - and swim elementary backstroke for 15 yards.
- Swim breaststroke for 15 yards, change direction and swim back crawl for 15 yards.
LEVEL 5: Stroke Refinement
Purpose: Provides further coordination and refinement of strokes, swimming further distances.
Level 5 participants learn to:
- Shallow-angle dive from the size then glide and begin a front stroke
- Tread water w/ two different kicks, 2 minutes
- Learn survival swimming, 2 minutes
- Survival floating, 2 minutes
- Sculling
- Water safety, non-swimming assists, calling for help, helping others
- Perform the following:
- Standing dive, Shallow dive, glide two body lengths and begin any front stroke
- Sidestroke, elementary backstroke 25 yards
- Surface dive
- Front and back flip turns
- Front and elementary backstroke, 50 yards
- Breaststroke and back crawl 25 yards
- Butterfly 15 yards
Level 5 Exit Skills Assessment:
- Perform a shallow dive into deep water, swim front crawl for 50 yards change direction and tread water and or float for 2 minutes then swim elementary backstroke for 50 yards.
- Swim breaststroke for 25 yards and swim backstroke for 25 yards.
LEVEL 6: Swimming and Skill Proficiency
Purpose: Refines the strokes so students swim them with ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances.
- Front and back crawl, 100 yards
- Breaststroke, 50 yards
- Sidestroke and butterfly, 50 yards
- Elementary backstroke, 50 yards
- Standing shallow entry dive
- All open turns and flip turns while using swimming strokes
Level 5 Exit Skills Assessment:
- Successful completion of all listed skills.
|