Those darned swim checks

[qwazse 4342]

I don't think I'd bother over goggles or masks if I'm testing just one kid. Although a boy jumping in can loose them off his head. And in a lake, that may mean taking time to find them. With camp-load of kids in line to be tested, I can see where an aquatics director might prefer to avoid the hassle.

 

"in a strong manner", but it's just a terrible test. What does that mean? How do you tell all of the leaders in your group to evaluate it in the same manner? What is the actual intent of that?

 

A lawyer/soccer ref I know who trains new kids, sometimes refers to famous test-cases by way of explaining certain difficult calls: "It's kinda like porn, you know it when you see it."

 

Some of the tell-tale signs of a "less than strong" manner:Floating partway before the end of the test.Turning yards before the edge to cut distance.Holding the edge/dock for more than a second when making a turn.Not keeping a roughly strait line. Swallowing water and sputtering part way.It's not that any one of these would make me ask the kid to come back rested and re-test. But the right combination that would give the "hair raising on the back of the neck" feeling would definitely do it.

 

When that happens, I try to take a moment and talk the boy through it. I'll ask him how he felt about it? Was he proud? Or was he worried he didn't have it in him? Was he sure he could do that again right away if he had to? Would he like to come back tomorrow practice a little and do it better without everyone rushing him?

 

Usually, it's not just your opinion. The boy knows he didn't do his best. Given the opportunity, he'll come back and try harder and be better for it.

 

 

[5scoutmom 17]

The lake at our scout camp is, IMHO, gross. It's like the lake at my camp I went to as a kid, which I hated.

 

My second son earned his swimming MB as a 10 year old first year scout in that lake and his lifesaving MB the next year.

 

My other two sons have refused to take the camp swim test because they find the lake gross and will not set foot in it. I have told them it is their choice. They are strong swimmers and will earn the swimming MB in a pool, not at camp. I am a strong swimmer and did junior lifesaving as a teen but I would never swim in a lake.

 

As for the test itself, I have seen it in practice. Second son passed it at age 7 when he went to cub scout sleepaway camp; he was the only camper allowed in the swimmer area because he was the only camper who passed the test. I think the test is fair and necessary. At our camp, kids can test any day. If they don't test, they can only go in the wading area.

 

As for falling out of a canoe, etc, all people should wear PFDs whenever they are on the water.

[JMHawkins 15]

I don't propose watering down the test. I would just propose making it less high stress by having the younger boys practice it.

 

Agreed! I might phrase it as, give the scouts an opportunity to become confident swimmers before putting them "on stage" in front of both their friends and random strangers. Self-confidence ought to be something that comes out of a good program. But real confidence will only come from the scouts proving to themselves they can do something. Practice is the only way to get there.