Archive for the ‘Swim Lessons’ Category:
The Lifesaving Society’s recommended Swim Test:
- The Swim Test is performed as a sequence of skills:
- Safe entry into shallow water;
- Swim 25 meters without stopping or resting any style;
- Exit the pool from deeper water;
- Jump (foot first entry) into deep water; and
- Recover, and tread water for 30 seconds, maintaining mouth and nose above the water at all times
The Lifesaving Society’s recommended Swim Test can be used as a screening tool to determine
who can use certain amenities or equipment and participate in specific programs. The Swim Test
can also be used as a screening tool for school or rental groups, or as a part of the facility’s
admission criteria.
BACKGROUND:
- Since 2001, the Lifesaving Society has asserted that all public swimming pools should have established admission policies through its Public Aquatic Facility Safety Standards publication.
- NLS Lifeguards and Swim & Lifesaving Instructors use Swim Tests to evaluate skill, comfort, confidence and competency. This practice increases safety and allows for effective supervision.
- Currently facilities use a wide variety of means to establish swimming skill competency. Research indicates that Lifesaving Society affiliates are seeking very clear guidance on admission policies and/or Swim Tests.
- In the past the Lifesaving Society has recommended the Swim to Survive® standard. It is clear that this is most applicable in “unsupervised or minimally supervised” situations. Affiliates have requested a Swim Test suitable for lifeguard supervised environments.
RATIONALE:
The Lifesaving Society recommends that all aquatic facilities in Alberta and the Northwest
Territories implement the Society’s Swim Test as a means to establish a common industry practice in regards to swimming skill competency and admission criteria.
The Lifesaving Society’s recommended Swim Test may be implemented according to each facility’s unique needs. While testing the swimming ability of specific age groups is common practice, it is not the only determining factor for effective incident prevention. Before implementing a Swim Test, it is recommended that the risk factors for each individual facility be analyzed along with current risk management processes. Clear guidelines must be provided to staff if there is to be any flexibility permitted when following the facility’s policies.
Lifesaving Society – Alberta & North West Territories Branch
11759 Groat Road, AB T5M 3K6
Telephone 780.415.1755 Fax: 780.427.9334
E-mail: experts@lifesaving.org
Web: www.lifesaving.org
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Elementary (6-12yrs old)
Space Requirements:
Supply List: 6 Buckets, 6 Balls
Description:
You have 6 buckets in a square an 12 players. 6 players have to put balls into their buckets and 6 others have to remove the balls, and the one with the most at the end wins. But the people who are removing the balls have to go round in a square and are not allowed to turn around.
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Elementary (6-12yrs old)
Space Requirements:
Supply List:
Description:
What you’ll need for this indoor/out door active game are two or more Frisbees, two chairs, two cones (or two-liter soda bottles), two teams and a pillow polo stick or rolled-up newspaper for each player. At each end of the playing area, place a chair with a cone off the chair with a Frisbee. Points are awarded for each knock down. Team members pass the Frisbees to each other as they work their way down the field. No one is allowed to run with the Frisbee – they can only pass it. Team members hold a pillow polo stick or newspaper in one hand, which is used for knocking down the opponent’s Frisbee, and they use their other hand to catch and throw their team’s Frisbee. To play the game, teams must attempt to score on offense and at the same time maneuver around on defense to swat the opponent’s Frisbee out of the air.
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Elementary (6-12yrs old)
Space Requirements:
Supply List:
Description:
Any number of players may participate. The players are assemble on the playing field in a scattered positions. By using a soccer ball the object is for the two “it’s” working together and using only the feet, to pass, dribble, or kick the ball so it will hit one of the players. Anyone touched by the ball becomes also becomes “it” and work together with the other “it’s” to get more people.
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Elementary (6-12yrs old)
Space Requirements:
Supply List:
Description:
Establish goal lines by placin gthe jump roap 50 feet apart. set three cups one foot apart in front of each jump rope. lay the bandannas in the center of the playing area. Form team A and B and direct them to stand on opposite side of the bandannas. Say: This game is called football because we’ll only use our feet to play. I’ll role the playground ball down the center of the playing area. Use your feet to roll and kick the ball to knock over the cups on your opponents side. IF you use your hands, you must joint the other group. Stay on your own side of the center area. We’ll play until one side has all their cups knocked down.
For older groups, dispense with the bandannas and let players move over the entire field.
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Elementary (6-12yrs old)
Space Requirements:
Supply List:
Description:
Rules:
- Only the blindfolded member of the pair can make physical contact with the ball. The sighted member can only offer verbal directions.
- Members of the pair of groups of pairs are not allowed to purposefully touch one another. Normal game contact is OK as long as the touching is not of a directional type: i.e., pushing a blindfolded player toward the ball.
- There are no goalies. This rule will make sense once the action begins. The word goal and redundant in this case are synonymous.
- If a ball is kicked beyond the sidelines, a referee will kick the ball back into play.
- Do not allow the constantly warn against high kicks. NO one knows when a kick is coming, so encourage a side-of-the-foot putting movement. Limiting high kicks is essential to safe play. If the players do not comply, stop the game: someone will get hurt otherwise.
- Heavy boots are not allowed as instruments of shin destruction.
Consideration:
- There are two balls in play, which means that either ball can produce a goal. If the group is particularly large, use 3 balls as this tends to keep the players separated.
- After one sightless group has stumbled around the filed for a few minutes or after a goal is scored as the players to trade roles. Give the new pair a chance to try out their command/reaction functions before starting again.
- Teach the “bumpers up” position so that the blindfolded players have protection fro the upper ventral part of their body. It’s hands and arms up so that the palms are forward and at about face height. Keep reminding the ‘blind’ players to maintain the position.
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Elementary (6-12yrs old)
Space Requirements:
Supply List:
Description:
Playgrounds are the perfect venue for this fun game of skill because the assortment of playground equipment makes for a challenging variety of “holes.” Before play begins, the group should plot out a course of six or eight holes by having players agree on a series of objects or sites at which the Frisbee disc will be aimed. The first hole might be the second swing on the swing set; the next, the highest chin-up bar; the third, the tetherball pole; and so on. Once the course is decided, players take turns attempting to hit the targets with the Frisbee. Having one Frisbee for each player helps to avoid quarrels over where the player’s last throw fell. Players must keep track of how many throws they take to get the target; the player who completes the course in the fewest number of throws wins the day. Advanced players might want to make up par values for each hole and score themselves accordingly.
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Elementary (6-12yrs old)
Space Requirements:
Supply List:
Description:
Game is played as in softball, except there is no pitcher. That position remains as an extra infielder, to field short throws.
Batter stands adjacent to home plate and uses the cross-chest throw of the Frisbee into the playing field. He then runs the bases as in softball.
In the addition to the regular softball outs, two foul throws by a batter in succession will constitute an out. Leading off base is also an out.
Variation of game:
For skilled players, the pitcher may be reinstated. The batter then would catch and return the Frisbee to the field in one single motion. Other play would remain the same
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Youth (13 – 17yrs old)
Space Requirements: indoors or outdoors
Supply List: ball, beanbag or any small object that can be used to toss
Description:
Divide group into four teams, 5-10 per team. Each team lines up along the sides of the square facing the respective captains who are standing in the center. On signal “Go” Captains throw ball to each team member and the team player throws back to the Captain. When ball reaches last player on team, that player says “Corner Spry” and runs with the ball to Captain’s place in center. Captain runs to head of line. Each new Captain passes the ball in the same way. Winner is team which first gets all players back into original positions. Note: any kind of ball beanbag may be used for this game. Certain kinds of throws may be specified by teacher or group.
Length: 30 mins
Age Range: Youth (13 – 17yrs old)
Space Requirements: indoor or outdoor playing space divided into 2 “courts” separated by a strip of neutral ground
Supply List: ball
Description:
Divide group into 2 teams, each team in 1 court. Neutral ground is between the 2 courts. Each team has a prison at one side of its court. Ball is started by a player on one team who calls name of a player on opposite team and throws ball across neutral ground into opponent’s court. Opponents must catch ball before it hits the ground in their court, or player whose name was called must go to prison. Any player on the team may catch the ball. If it is caught, the catcher calls an opponent’s name and throws it into the other team’s court. A team may free a prisoner by calling the prisoners name as the ball is thrown into the opponents court. If ball is not caught by opponents, the prisoner may return to his own team. If ball lands in neutral ground it is dead. Team opposite the thrower recovers the ball. Game continues for 10 minutes. At end of this time, team with most prisoners is winner.
Benefits: throwing and catching skills; learning to play strategic games with complex rules
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