Water Safety Check

Water Safety Check: Swimmers will be allowed to rest on the lane ropes, but will not be allowed to pull themselves along or touch the bottom of the pool. We cannot accept swimmers who are unable to meet the time standards established with these conditions, as we want all swimmers to be safe in our pool at all times.

6-Under Age Group - must demonstrate his/her ability to swim 25 yards (1 length across the pool), unassisted, in less than 90 seconds. Demonstrate either some freestyle or backstroke form (not just doggy paddle). Face in the water, blowing bubbles.

7-8 Age Group - must demonstrate his/her ability to swim 25 yards (1 length across the pool), unassisted, in less than 75 seconds.  Swimmer must show some ability to perform the freestyle stroke. 

9-10 Age Group - must demonstrate his/her ability to swim 25 yards (1 length across the pool), unassisted, in less than 60 seconds.  Swimmers must show the ability to perform the freestyle stroke with side breathing.

11-12 Age Group - must demonstrate his/her ability to swim 50 yards (2 lengths of the pool), unassisted, in less than 90 seconds.  Swimmers must show the ability to swim the freestyle stroke with side breathing.

13-14 Age Group - must demonstrate his/her ability to swim 50 yards (2 lengths of the pool), unassisted, in less than 75 seconds.  Swimmers must show the ability to swim the freestyle stroke with side breathing.

15-18 Age Group - must demonstrate his/her ability to swim 50 yards (2 lengths of the pool), unassisted, in less than 60 seconds.  Swimmers must show the ability to swim the freestyle stroke with side breathing.   

The Water Safety Test is assessed by coaches and designated team personnel.  Their assessment is final, there will not be any re-do tests (no exceptions) .  Please respect their decision since it is for the safety of your kids.  

Please understand that any swimmer new to the team who does NOT pass a Water Safety Check will NOT receive a spot on the swim team or cannot attend practices and those spots will go to waitlisted swimmers who pass. Waitlisted swimmers who do not attend the Safety Check automatically give up their chance of earning a spot on the 2025 swim team.

We realize new swimmers develop the ability to swim at different paces or have set backs in their ability to safely swim so if needed, and at the coach’s discretion, swimmers may be placed in a special developmental practice group according to their ability.  If a swimmer passes the Water Safety Check but does not demonstrate they are safe in the pool during the practices, they may be asked to vacate their spot on the team or transfer to our Junior Otters Program (if under the age of 6) until they have demonstrated they can safely swim. We have skilled coaches teaching swim technique, so we want their focus to be on improving technique and not on one swimmer who is unsafe in the water.

The Water Safety Check is scheduled for March 5, 2025, 4:00pm – 6:30pm at the Steve Miklos Aquatic Center pool. The pool is heated so the Water Safety Check will take place rain or shine. Please bring goggles, a towel, and some warm clothes to change into afterwards. More information about the team will be available during the Water Safety Check. We will be allowing families to SIGN UP for a time slot to attend the water safety, please ensure you attend your time slot.

Any new swimmers who previously swam for USA swim teams, High School teams, and/or a different team in previous seasons may be allowed to bypass our Water Safety Check upon verification and approval by team personnel. Please provide this information to our registrar ([email protected]) during the registration process, and they will forward the information to the appropriate person for confirmation.