Learn to Swim Level 1 (5 1/2 - 12 years)

INTRODUCTION TO WATER SKILLS

This level orients participants to the aquatic environment and helps them gain basic aquatic skills and develop positive attitudes and safe practices around water.  There are no skills prerequisites for this level.  

• Enter & exit the water using the ladder, steps, side

• Blow bubbles, 3 seconds

• Bobbing, 5 times

• Open eye underwater and retrieve object, shallow water, 2 times

• Front & back glide, 2 body lengths, with assistance

• Back float, 5 seconds, with assistance

• Recover from front glide to vertical position, with assistance

• Recover from back float / glide to vertical position, with assistance

• Roll from front to back & back to front, with assistance

• Explore treading arm & leg actions, with assistance in chest deep water

• Alternating arm & leg action on front & back, 2 body lengths, with assistance

• Simultaneous arm & leg action on front & back, 2 body lengths, with assistance

• Combined arm & leg action on front & back, 2 body lengths, with assistance

• Enter water independently, travel 5 yards (can walk or "swim), bob 5 times, exit water independently

• Front glide 2 body lengths, roll to back float 5 seconds, recover to vertical position (with assistance)

• Various water safety topics

Learn to Swim Level 2 (5 1/2 - 12 years)

FUNDAMENTAL AQUATIC SKILLS

This level builds on basic aquatic skills and water safety concepts learned in LTS Level 1.  Participants must be able to successfully complete all of the LTS Level 1 exit skills requirements.  Participants will begin to perform aquatic skills independently in Learn to Swim Level 2.

• Enter & exit the water using ladder, steps, side in chest / shoulder deep water
• Fully submerge & hold breath, 10 seconds

• Bobbing, 10 times in chest deep water

• Open eyes underwater and retrieve object, chest deep water, 3 times

• Rotary breathing, 5 times

• Front & back glide, 2 body lengths

• Front float, 10 seconds (jellyfish, tuck)

• Back float, 15 seconds

• Recover from front float / glide & back float / glide to vertical position, in chest deep water

• Roll from front to back & back to front

• Change direction of travel while swimming on front or back

• Tread water, 15 seconds using arm & leg actions

• Swim independently on front & back using arms & legs, 5 body lengths 

• Finning arm action on back, 5 body lengths

• Step in to chest deep water, push off bottom, tread / float 15 seconds, swim on front & / or back 5 body lengths, exit water

• Back float 15 seconds, roll to front, recover to vertical position

• Push off wall, swim 5 body lengths on front using arms & legs, roll to back, float 15 seconds, roll to front, continue swimming 5 body lengths

• Various water safety topics

Learn to Swim Level 3 (6 - 12 years)

STROKE DEVELOPMENT

This level builds on skills learned in LTS Levels 1 & 2 and helps participants achieve basic water competency in a pool environment.  Participants must be able to successfully complete all of the LTS Level 2 exit skills requirements.

• Jump in to deep water, submerge, recover, swim back to side

• Headfirst entry from sitting position

• Headfirst entry from kneeling position

• Bobbing while moving to safety, 15 times

• Rotary breathing, 15 times

• Survival float on front, deep water, 30 seconds

• Back float, deep water, 1 minute

• Change from vertical to horizontal position on front & back, deep water

• Rotate full turn in vertical position, deep water

• Tread water, 1 minute

• Push off, streamline 3-5 body lengths, with flutter kick

• Push off, streamline 3-5 body lengths, with dolphin kick

• Front crawl, 15 yards

• Breaststroke kick, 15 yards

• Elementary backstroke, 15 yards

• Scissor kick, 15 yards

• Jump in to deep water, recover, float / tread 1 minute, rotate 1 full turn, swim front crawl or elementary backstroke 25 yards, exit water

• Push off streamlined, front crawl 15 yards, change position / direction, elementary backstroke 15 yards, exit water

• Various water safety topics

Learn to Swim Level 4 (6 - 12 years)

STROKE IMPROVEMENT

This level improves participant's proficiency in performing the swimming strokes that were introduced in LTS Level 3.  Participants must be able to successfully complete all of the LTS Level 3 exit skills requirements.

• Headfirst entry from compact position

• Headfirst entry from stride position

• Swim underwater 3-5 body lengths

• Feet first surface dive

• Survival swimming, 1 minute in deep water

• Front crawl open turn

• Back crawl open turn

• Tread water, 2 minutes

• Front crawl, 25 yards

• Breaststroke, 15 yards

• Butterfly, 15 yards

• Elementary backstroke, 25 yards

• Back crawl, 15 yards

• Sidestroke, 15 yards

• Push off on back, streamline 3-5 body lengths, with flutter kick

• Push off on back, streamline 3-5 body lengths, with dolphin kick

• Feet first entry in to deep water, front crawl 25 yards, change direction / position, elementary backstroke 25 yards

• Breaststroke 15 yards, change direction / position, back crawl 15 yards

• Submerge, swim 3-5 body lengths underwater, return to surface, exit water

• Various water safety topics

Learn to Swim Level 5 (6 - 12 years)

STROKE REFINEMENT

This level will help participants refine their performance of all six swimming strokes (i.e., front crawl, back crawl, butterfly, breaststroke, elementary backstroke, and sidestroke).  Participants must be able to successfully complete all of the LTS Level 4 exit skills requirements.

• Shallow angle dive from side, glide 2-3 body lengths, begin any front stroke

• Tuck & pike surface dives

• Front flip turn

• Back flip turn

• Tread water, 5 minutes

• Tread water with legs only, 2 minutes

• Front crawl, 50 yards

• Breaststroke, 25 yards

• Butterfly, 25 yards

• Elementary backstroke, 50 yards

• Back crawl, 25 yards

• Scull, 30 seconds

• Sidestroke, 25 yards

• Shallow angle dive, front crawl 50 yards, elementary backstroke 50 yards, using turns throughout

• Breaststroke 25 yards, change direction of travel, back crawl 25 yards, using turns throughout

• Various water safety topics

Learn to Swim Level 6 (6 - 12 years)

SWIM TEAM READINESS

In this level, participants will work to refine strokes so that they can swim with greater efficiency and effectiveness over longer distances.  Fitness swimming elements are also introduced.  Participants who successfully complete this level are ready to join a swim team.  Participants must be able to successfully complete all of the LTS Level 5 exit skills requirements.

• Front crawl, 100 yards

• Elementary backstroke, 100 yards

• Back crawl, 50 yards

• Breaststroke, 50 yards

• Sidestroke, 50 yards

• Butterfly, 50 yards

• Front & back crawl open turns, demo while swimming

• Front crawl & backstroke flip turns, demo while swimming

• Sidestroke open turn

• Butterfly turn

• Breaststroke turn

• Diving from the starting block

• Circle Swimming

• How to use a pace clock

• Swimming with a pull buoy

• Swimming with fins and paddles

• Calculating your heart rate

• Surface dive (feet first, tuck, pike) and retrieve an object from the bottom in 7-10 feet of water

• Swim 500 yards continuously using any 3 strokes, swimming at least 50 yards of each stroke

• Jump in to deep water, survival float 5 minutes, roll on to back, back float 5 minutes

• HELP & huddle position, 2 minutes

• Feet first surface dive, retrieve object in 7-10 feet of water, return to surface starting point
•  

• Various water safety topics