Swim Levels and Skill Development

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Liberty Lake believes swimming is one of the most important life skills a child can learn. That is why we have has developed an innovative swim program designed to teach swimming technique, and instill confidence in the water. Each Liberty Lake swim level has been modeled after the Red Cross’s program, but has been divided into smaller levels and has been expanded to include an advanced swimmer program. This gives campers the ability to complete a level within a week or two. By doing this, it gives children confidence, while making them more comfortable in the water.

Liberty Lake’s swim lessons are in small groups with trained instructors. Each class is a fun experience with teaching and games. There is no pressure put on the campers to achieve, only to try.  At the end of each week, families receive a swim card via email, showing the progress of their camper through the swim program. Campers grades Pre-K through 4th grade get swim instruction every day. 5th graders and older can choose swim instruction as one of their electives.

Swim Levels

Shrimp: Blow bubbles • Float on back aided • Flutter Kick properly • Wet body completely • Duck head underwater • Enter the water unaided • Bob up and down neck deep • Proper use of a kick-board • Learn importance and use of lifejacket • Aided jump into shallow (chest to neck level) water

Guppy: Learn how to get help • Use kickboard (15 yards) • Front and back float aided • Front and back glide aided • Freestyle stroke mechanism • Hold breath underwater (3-5 seconds) • Shallow water bobbing 5 times, fully underwater • Unaided jump into shallow (chest to neck level) water

Sailfish:  Survival float • Front and back float unaided • Front and back glide unaided • Whip kick on front and back • Independent swimming 5-10 feet • Rhythmic/rotary breathing at side of pool • Learn where and when it is safe to swim • Mechanics of treading water (5-10 seconds) • Aided jump into deep (over head) water

Grouper: Can swim 5-10 yards independently * Can do an unaided roll from front to back float (at least 5 seconds on each side) * Can jump unaided into deep (overhead) water and resurface * Can tread water for at least 5-10 seconds (keep going beyond if possible)

Swordfish:  Survival float • Tread water (15 sec) • Unaided jump into deep water and resurface • Retrieve objects from bottom • Intro to elementary backstroke • Shallow water bobbing 10 times • Hold breath underwater (5-10 sec) • Independent swimming with face in 5-10 yards • Learn H.E.L.P. and huddle position • Exit pool without ladder

Marlin: Learn seated dive • Perform reach assists • Introduce backstroke • Tread water (30 seconds) • Underwater swim (3-5 yards) • Coordinate elementary backstroke • Deep water bobbing (5 times) • Introduce breast stroke arms and timing • Coordinate front crawl with rotary breathing • Learn how (and where) to perform a chain rescue.

Seal: Freestyle is coordinated with rotary breathing (ONLY turning head to side, NEVER facing front, arms continuous) * Demonstrates some knowledge of backstroke * Coordinated breaststroke * Coordinated elementary backstroke

Shark: Sculling on back • Learn kneeling dive • Perform throwing assists • Tread water (45 seconds) • Deep water bobbing (10 times) • Elementary backstroke (15 yards) • Coordinate breaststroke • Coordinate Backstroke • Full front crawl with rotary breathing (15 yards)

Dolphin: Freestyle 25 yards • Backstroke 25 yards • Introduce sidestroke • Open Turns at wall • Feet first surface dive • Head first surface dive • Breaststroke 25 yards • Tread water (1 minute) • Elementary backstroke 25 yards • Introduce butterfly body motion

Sting Ray: Shallow dive • Front crawl 50 yards • Backstroke 50 yards • Breast stroke 50 yards • Learn circle swimming • Tread water (2 minutes) • Retrieve objects from bottom in deep end • Side Stroke (both sides) 25 yards • Elementary backstroke 50 yards • Introduce butterfly arms

Barracuda: Tread water (3 minutes) • Front crawl (75 yards) • Backstroke (75 yards) • Breast stroke (75 yards) • Sidestroke (50 yards) • Elementary Backstroke (75 yards) • Coordinate butterfly (10 yards) • Swim underwater 5-10 yards • Perform an in water assist

Kingfish: Tread water (4 minutes) • Front crawl 100 yards • Perform an in water rescue • Elementary backstroke 100 yards • Backstroke 100 yards • Breast stroke 100 yards • Butterfly 25 yards • Sidestroke 100 yards • Introduce Freestyle flip turn • Review shallow dives

Neptune: Review surface dives • Butterfly 50 yards • Sidestroke 125 yards • Backstroke 125 yards • Breast stroke 125 yards • Front crawl 125 yards • Backstroke 125 yards • Tread water (5 minutes) • Coordinate open turns with breaststroke and butterfly swim • Coordinate flip turn with freestyle swim • Signs of choking/conscious choking rescue

Junior Varsity: Backstroke 150 yards • Breaststroke 150 yards • 25 yard swim with clothes • 100 yard Individual Medley • Introduce backstroke flip turn • Tread water with clothes 3 mins • Retrieve diving brick from deep end • Introduce breaststroke open turn w/ pullout • Freestyle 150 yard w/ at least 3 flip turns • Butterfly 50 yards with open turn

Varsity: Racing starts • Learn Check-Call-Care • Butterfly 75 yards with turns • 200 yard Individual Medley • Freestyle 200 yards with flips • Coordinate flip with backstroke •  Heat and cold related emergencies • Backstroke 200 yards flip w/ at least 3 flip turns • Breaststroke 200 yards w/ at least 3 pullout turns • Introduce backstroke to breaststroke transition flip turn

Collegiate: 25 yard lifeguard style brick tow • Brick tread circle • Freestyle 200 yards w/all flip turns • Backstroke 200 yards w/all flip turns • Breaststroke 200 yards w/all pullout turns • Butterfly 75 yards w/turns • Relay transitions • 200 yard individual medley w/all turns • Scull in 4 directions • Learn S.A.M.P.L.E.

Masters: The masters swim level focuses on real swim team readiness. There are no “skills taught” as campers who reach this level are expected to already have exceptional swimming ability. Each day, the campers in this level are coached through a pre-planned workout which will focus on one of the following: Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke, Butterfly, Endurance, Sprinting, or Starts and Turns. They are also given the opportunity to have their times for various swims recorded so that they can track their own progress.

For questions regarding swim programs, contact us!