Messiah Aquatics: Skill Level Requirements
The American Red Cross has recently updated all swimming levels. Please read the descriptions of each level before registering your child for swim school. Registering at the appropriate level will enable your child to achieve some level of success!

Parent/Child Aquatics: Water exploration alongside the parent - Learn how to enter and exit water safely - feel comfortable in the water - submerge - change positions in the water - learn buoyancy on front and back position - Activities and parent-child interaction help the child become adapted to the water.

Preschool: Introduction to the water through use of toys, games and songs - develop comfort level for jumping off the side to instructor, getting their face wet, and blowing bubbles. Understand that a fear of the water is normal and that parent encouragement and practice outside of class will be highly beneficial - parents' presence in the pool area is not requested during the class time. Parents may observe on the deck for the final class - recommended time for children under the age of five in the water is 30 minutes.

SKILLS REQUIRED TO PASS LEVELS 1-6

Level 1: Fully submerge face - Blow Bubbles - Supported float on front and back - Enter and exit water independently (ladder, side, etc.) - Supported swimming on front and back - Supported treading - Change direction of travel while walking or paddling and roll over from front to back and back to front (with support) - General and personal water safety - Enter unassisted, move 5 yards, bob 5 times to chin level and safely exit the water. (They can walk, travel along the gutter or "swim") - Float on front with support for 3 seconds, roll to back (with assistance) and float on back with support for 3 seconds.

Level 2: Water entry and exit (independently) - Submerge head (5 seconds) - Bob 5 times - Front float and glide (without support) - Back float and glide (without support) - Change direction - Treading (unsupported) - Swim on Front (15ft) - Swim on Back (fining and sculling) (15 ft) - Roll over - Move in the water while wearing a life jacket - Recognize a swimmer in distress - Know how to get help - Step from side into chest-deep water, move into a front float for 5 seconds, roll over to a back float, return to standing position, then move back to a back float for 5 seconds and return to standing position - Push off and swim using a combination of arm and leg actions for 15 feet on the front; push off and swim using a combination of arm and leg actions for 15 feet on the back.

Level 3: Jump into deep water - Head-first entry from the side in sitting or kneeling position - Retrieve object from chest-deep water - Bob 5 x - Rotary breathing with body in horizontal position - Front and back float (30 sec) - Front and back glide - Front Crawl and Back Crawl (15 Yds) - Butterfly kick and body motion - Change from vertical to horizontal position on front and back - Learn Safe Diving Rules - Tread Water (30sec) - H.E.L.P position ( 1min.) - Huddle Position ( 1 min.) - Reaching Assist - Check-Call-Care - Jump into chest-deep water from the side, swim front crawl for 15 yards with face in the water and rhythmic breathing pattern (to front or side), maintain position by treading or floating for 30 seconds and swim back crawl for 15 yards.

Level 4: Swim underwater (3 body lengths) - Front and back float (1 min) - Rotary Breathing - Dive from Side of the Pool from compact or stride Position - Front Crawl and back crawl ( 25 Yds) Breaststroke, Butterfly, Sidestroke, Elementary Backstroke (15 Yds) - Open turns on front and back - Tread Water (1 min) - Throwing assist - Care for conscious choking victim - Perform a feet-first entry into chest-deep water, swim front crawl for 25 yds, maintain position on back 1 min in deep water (floating or sculling) and swim elementary backstroke for 15 yds - Swim breaststroke for 15 yds, tread water for 1 min and swim back crawl for 25 yds.

Level 5: Front float and back float (2 min) - Long Shallow Dive - Breaststroke, Sidestroke, Elementary Backstroke, Butterfly with Dolphin kick (25Yds.) - Swimming Under Water (15 yds) - Front crawl and back crawl (50 yds) - Front and Back flip turn - Rescue Breathing - Tuck and pike surface dives - Tread Water w/ Two Different Kicks (2min) - Perform a shallow dive into deep water, swim front crawl for 50 yds, maintain position on back for 2 minutes in deep water (float or scull) and swim elementary backstroke for 25 yards - Swim breaststroke for 25 yds, tread water for 2 minutes and swim back crawl for 50 yards.

Level 6: Personal Water Safety: Swim 500 yards continuously using the strokes in the following order: front crawl, 100 yards; back crawl, 100 yards; breaststroke, 50 yards; elementary backstroke, 50 yards; sidestroke, 50 yards; butterfly, 50 yards; and choice of stroke, 100 yards. Jump into deep water, perform a survival float for 5 minutes, roll onto back and perform a back float for 5 minutes. Perform a feet-first surface dive, retrieve an object from the bottom of the pool at a minimum depth of 7 feet, return to surface and return to starting point.