Coaches' Tips For Water Familiarization — At-A-Glance
Tips for Practice
If a new swimmer is anxious, sit quietly beside the pool and distract him/her, talking about or looking at other things.
Make the pool environment look interesting — add floating and sinking objects.
Use a small blocked-off area rather than a large, open pool space.
Activities initially include feeling the water, walking or crawling down swim ramp, moving in shallow water, walking in water and progress through all of the initial stages until buoyancy and submersion have been conquered.
Practice walking in water, blowing "eggs" or ping-pong balls across surface of water — progress to races against other swimmers.
Train in thigh- to waist-deep water, with a peer group of competitors.
Tips for Competition
Assisted walk can be a successful activity for the swimmer who has just reached this stage.
Teach to hold wall at start and start on signal.
Train in completing distance and reaching for the finish point.
Reward all swimmers as soon as they reach the finish point to develop a sense of accomplishment.
