Go Swimming
Have fun in the water
Swimming is a great physical activity that may produce Aquaman like powers such as breathing underwater and talking to fish!
Who Can Participate?
All youth in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Venturing as well as adults
are eligible to participate in swimming activities if they've passed one of the following BSA swim classification tests.
BSA Swim Classification Test
All participants are designated as swimmers,
beginners, or non-swimmers based results from the
standardized BSA swim classification tests. Each swim group (Swimmer,
Beginner, and Nonswimmer) is assigned a specific swim area with depths
matching those abilities. The classification tests should
be renewed early in the season each year.
- Swimmers pass this test:Jump
feet-first into water deep enough to go over your head. Level off and swim 75
yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following strokes:
sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using
an easy resting stroke. The 100 yards must be completed in one swim
without stops and must include at least one sharp turn. After
completing the swim, rest by floating. The designated swimmer area may
be up to 12 feet in depth in clear water and should be defined by
floats or other markers.
- Beginners pass this test:
Jump feet-first into water over the head in depth, level off, and
swim 25 feet on the surface. Stop, turn sharply, resume swimming and
return to the start place. The designated beginner area must be
enclosed by physical boundaries and should contain water of standing
depths but may extend to depths just over the head.
- Nonswimmers: For those
that are unable to pass the beginners swim test, the designated area
will be no more than waist deep and should be enclosed by boundaries
such as a shore, a pier, or lines.
Swimming Safety
At least one adult leader that is 21 or over must supervise the
activity and be trained in BSA Safe Swim Defense (an online training
that takes about 1 hour to complete) with another adult to provide
two-deep leadership that's required for all Scouting activities.
Each participant must complete the BSA swim classification test within the past year.
Where To Go Swimming
An official council summer camp is the perfect place to go swimming.
Trained staff supervise, allowing adult volunteers to
swim too, with trained lifeguards present.
Local swimming pools are a good place to have
swimming activities because of the controlled environment with lifeguards
on duty.
If you plan to swim at an unsupervised (no lifeguard on duty)
location, then BSA Safe Swim Defense training and principles must be
followed.