Swim test requirements (Form 20-290)

[Gunny2862]

perdidochas - Ditto, although a back float is fine too. Where they get resting backstroke from though... Maybe with a BC and some fins...

[Eagle92]

Gunny,

 

You ain't joking about staff taking the swim test. At my old camp, everyone, including all the lifeguards on the aquatics staff, had to take their swim test. I don't remember if all Aquatic Directors took the test or not, but I know one did to set the example.

[Eagle732]

Some thoughts on '92's comments.

1) 'SM or other person conducting the test is under pressure to have the scout pass the test and signs it off. Only when the scout takes Swimming MB at camp afew weeks after taking the test with the unit, he cannot pass the swim test,let alone do requirements for the MB ( told that happened a lot and why my council wants a copy of the cert attached to their form AND the AD has the right to reject the form).'

 

Camps retest anyway.

 

2) SM or other person conducting the test cannot recognize a "strong manner" and thinks the person who barely makes it has passed when someone who is trained can tell the person is on the verge of drowning.

 

If the SM can't recognize proper strokes and technique he shouldn't be testing. A SM who doesn't know first aid shouldn't be teaching that either.

 

3) Lawsuits have arisen and national wants certified folks doing these tests for legal reasons.

The most probable explanation but then why not require a professional signature for the First Class swimming requirement?

 

[Gunny2862]

True, whether the Scout is a swimmer or not applies no pressure to me as a Scoutmaster.

 

If the Scout needs additional work then, I may be available or the parents may need to enroll him in a swim class or they may just need to spend some quality time at the pool with him.

All Scoutmasters are supposed to do is provide opportunity, not eliminate naturally occurring obstacles - those are what the boys are supposed to encounter and deal with, building character along the way.

 

Now I might give a little guidance or help someone along with advice or some extra encouragement, but not by removing or lowering the standard.

 

Thus no extra stress on the Scoutmaster.

[shortridge]

My unit and OA chapter sometimes offered swim tests, but they were always conducted by the CC/chapter adviser (same guy), a BSA Lifeguard. I don't ever remember the SM or associate adviser taking a role in that.

[qwazse]

Since I'm certified, I offered to pretest one year, but some boys weren't present so I had to catch them later. I think we still wound taking a few boys to the lake at camp for testing. I concluded it wasn't worth my hours of free time just so the troop could have an hour more to puttz around at camp.

 

My time was better spent

1. helping those boys who couldn't pass in previous years work out the kinks so they could swim well.

2. Prior to a canoe trip, Testing those few boys who didn't make it to camp in the past year, and

3. Checking my rescue gear to make sure we could forestall death should the need arise.