BSLSC SWIM TIMES
NIPPERS/YOUTHDISTANCETIME
Age (before the first of January)
7 YRS 200M< 6:00
8 YRS 200M< 5:30
9 YRS 400M< 12:00
10 YRS 400M< 11:15
11 YRS 400M< 10:30
12 YRS 400M< 9:45
13 YRS 400M<9:00
14 YRS 400M<8:15
15 YRS 400M<7:30
16 YRS 400M<7:30
Are these swim times for entry new?
The club has, for sometime now, been checking assessment of swim times for entry into the club. The training team wanted to try to explain why we feel these swim times are so important and how, as parents you can help your children in having a positive assessment process.
Why do we have swim requirements?
There are some fundamental safety and enjoyment reasons for why we assess children's swim competency and although times are measured, we are also looking for confidence and endurance ability. This is because swimming in the sea is difficult! It is far more difficult than swimming in a pool; because it's colder, the water is moving, you feel more vulnerable, perspective on your speed is altered and wetsuits make it more tiring.
Therefore, based on a number of years experience and risk assessment processes; in order for us to take a group of children safely into the sea, for them to enjoy the experience & grow in confidence it is imperative that children have an initial good strong basic swimming ability and confidence to keep going. Without this we run the risk of having disparate abilities, which are hard to safely manage and children who are fearful of completing tasks in the water, which may put them off all together; something we really do not want.
Looking further ahead the main purpose of the club is to train in lifesaving skills and many members become future lifeguards. As well as taking the qualification to become a lifeguard you need to be able to show fitness for swimming by reaching set pool swim times. Therefore swim fitness underpins all of our training and we therefore need to establish this from the start.
What can you do to prepare your child for assessment?
We really want to be able to accept every child that is assessed because if we send them away they may not come back to us.
Here are a few bullet points which you should consider before assessment to give your child every chance of reaching the required standards:
Just keep swimming!
NIPPERS/YOUTHDISTANCETIME
Age (before the first of January)
7 YRS 200M< 6:00
8 YRS 200M< 5:30
9 YRS 400M< 12:00
10 YRS 400M< 11:15
11 YRS 400M< 10:30
12 YRS 400M< 9:45
13 YRS 400M<9:00
14 YRS 400M<8:15
15 YRS 400M<7:30
16 YRS 400M<7:30
Are these swim times for entry new?
The club has, for sometime now, been checking assessment of swim times for entry into the club. The training team wanted to try to explain why we feel these swim times are so important and how, as parents you can help your children in having a positive assessment process.
Why do we have swim requirements?
There are some fundamental safety and enjoyment reasons for why we assess children's swim competency and although times are measured, we are also looking for confidence and endurance ability. This is because swimming in the sea is difficult! It is far more difficult than swimming in a pool; because it's colder, the water is moving, you feel more vulnerable, perspective on your speed is altered and wetsuits make it more tiring.
Therefore, based on a number of years experience and risk assessment processes; in order for us to take a group of children safely into the sea, for them to enjoy the experience & grow in confidence it is imperative that children have an initial good strong basic swimming ability and confidence to keep going. Without this we run the risk of having disparate abilities, which are hard to safely manage and children who are fearful of completing tasks in the water, which may put them off all together; something we really do not want.
Looking further ahead the main purpose of the club is to train in lifesaving skills and many members become future lifeguards. As well as taking the qualification to become a lifeguard you need to be able to show fitness for swimming by reaching set pool swim times. Therefore swim fitness underpins all of our training and we therefore need to establish this from the start.
What can you do to prepare your child for assessment?
We really want to be able to accept every child that is assessed because if we send them away they may not come back to us.
Here are a few bullet points which you should consider before assessment to give your child every chance of reaching the required standards:
- Consider how much swimming your child has done; if they have not done much other than leisure swimming it may be worth having lessons or joining a swim club.
- Look at the required swim times & distances with your child. Go to the pool and complete a couple of timed sessions to see how your child fairs against the required times. If necessary, work out a plan to improve those times.
- During the summer spend time in the sea (between the red and yellow flags on a life guarded beach) with your child to increase their confidence in waves, getting their faces in the water and swimming within their depth.
- Make sure your child wants to do it! Their enjoyment & motivation is what will help them to succeed. If they are not keen, forcing them will not make them more so, best to step back bring them to the beach to see what we get up to and try again the next year!
Just keep swimming!
