Junior Squad Criteria and Progression

1. Water confidence: Perform three different controlled jumps into the water safely from the poolside.
2. Water confidence: Submerge with eyes open and retrieve an object from the pool floor confidently, using both hands.
3. Breathing: Blow bubbles rhythmically at least three times with the nose and mouth submerged.
4. Body position: Float flat on the front and back and return to standing independently.
5. Body position: Hold a tucked floating position for approximately 3-6 seconds.
6. Water confidence: Tread water confidently in standing depth for approximately 20 seconds.
7. Streamline: Push and glide on the front and back with arms extended in a long, controlled body position.
8. Rotation: Perform controlled log rolls from front to back and back to front.
9. Turn foundation: Perform an independent forward roll with the chin tucked; begin approaching the wall confidently without stopping early.
10. Butterfly foundation: Dolphin kick 10-15m on the front, experience the action on the back, and introduce basic butterfly arms with a two-hand finish.
11. Front crawl: Kick 10-15m with the movement coming mainly from the hips and using the whole leg.
12. Front crawl: Swim 10-15m with continuous arm action, a developing regular breathing pattern and a controlled wall touch.
13. Backstroke: Swim 10-15m with continuous arm action, a high body position and finish while remaining on the back.
14. Breaststroke: Swim 5-10m with recognisable arm and leg actions, no screw kick, and finish with a simultaneous two-hand touch.

The Aquanauts supports the Swim England Club Award One.

1. Training skills: Use the pace clock or coach instruction to leave at a simple agreed interval.
2. Body position: Hold front and back X, Y and I (streamlined) float positions for approximately 5 seconds.
3. Streamline: Demonstrate a correct streamlined position on land using a simple top-to-toe checklist.
4. Streamline: Push from the wall into controlled front and back streamlined positions underwater.
5. Equipment: Name at least four common training items, explain their use and demonstrate how to use them correctly.
6. Kick: Kick 25m front crawl with arms by the side.
7. Kick: Kick 25m backstroke with arms by the side.
8. Kick: Develop butterfly kick over 12.5-25m with correct technique, progressing towards the full 25m Club Award outcome.
9. Kick: Develop breaststroke kick over 12.5-25m with correct technique, progressing towards the full 25m Club Award outcome.
10. Starts: Perform a controlled sitting dive from poolside and a basic back dive from a standing position in the water.
11. Front crawl: Swim 25m continuously with developing breathing, body position and rhythm.
12. Backstroke: Swim 25m continuously with developing body position and rhythm.
13. Breaststroke: Swim 15-25m with developing timing and legal leg action, progressing towards a continuous 25m.
14. Butterfly: Swim 5-12.5m full stroke with simultaneous arms and developing rhythm; technique takes priority over distance.
15. Turn preparation: Front crawl: perform a forward roll close to the wall, progressing to feet on wall and push away. Backstroke: use flags, begin stroke counting and practise rotation.
16. Turn preparation: Breaststroke / butterfly: use a simultaneous two-hand touch, then develop touch - tuck - rotate - streamlined push away.

1. Training skills: Complete a short set such as 8 x 25m on a suitable turnaround and leave at the prescribed interval.
2. Underwater: Push off in a front streamline and dolphin kick, developing towards a minimum of 5m.
3. Underwater: Perform the basic breaststroke underwater pull-out sequence from a streamlined push-off.
4. Underwater: Push off in a back streamline and dolphin kick, developing towards a minimum of 5m.
5. Training habits: Demonstrate good hydration habits and understand what and when to eat around training.
6. Drill: Perform front crawl single-arm drill correctly over 12.5-25m, progressing to the full 25m Award outcome.
7. Drill: Perform backstroke single-arm drill correctly over 12.5-25m, progressing to the full 25m Award outcome.
8. Drill: Perform butterfly 3-scull / 1-swim drill correctly over 12.5-25m, progressing to the full 25m Award outcome.
9. Drill: Perform breaststroke 2-kicks / 1-pull drill correctly over 12.5-25m, progressing to the full 25m Award outcome.
10. Stroke: Maintain recognisable technique over 25m front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke; begin counting strokes on front crawl and backstroke.
11. Butterfly: Swim 12.5-25m full stroke with simultaneous arms, developing rhythm and breathing, and a legal two-hand finish.
12. Front crawl turn: Perform a developing tumble turn: approach - rotation - feet on wall - streamlined push-off.
13. Backstroke turn: Use flags and a developing stroke count to perform a recognisable backstroke tumble turn and streamlined push-off.
14. Breaststroke turn: Perform a developing legal turn using a simultaneous two-hand touch, rotation and streamlined push-off.
15. Butterfly turn: Perform a developing legal turn using a simultaneous two-hand touch, rotation and streamlined push-off.
16. Starts: Perform a controlled kneeling or standing dive from poolside and a developing backstroke start from the wall.

1. Warm-up: Understand the four RMAP phases and perform one suitable exercise from each section.
2. Recovery: Understand effective stretching and perform at least two appropriate stretches.
3. Training skills: Complete 8 x 25m on a set turnaround, use the pace clock to estimate swim time and leave at the prescribed interval.
4. Front crawl: Front streamline - minimum 5m dolphin kick - controlled surface transition - at least five front crawl strokes.
5. Butterfly: Front streamline - minimum 5m dolphin kick - controlled surface transition - at least five butterfly strokes.
6. Breaststroke: Streamlined push-off - breaststroke pull-out - controlled surface transition - at least five breaststroke strokes.
7. Backstroke: Back streamline - minimum 5m dolphin kick - controlled surface transition - at least five backstroke strokes.
8. Goals and awareness: Understand and set a simple process goal; continue developing stroke-count and swim-time awareness.
9. Front crawl: Swim 25m full stroke with connected rotation, breathing and limb actions from push-off through breakout.
10. Backstroke: Swim 25m full stroke with connected rotation and limb actions from push-off through breakout.
11. Butterfly: Swim a consistent 25m full stroke with symmetrical actions, rhythm and a legal finish.
12. Breaststroke: Swim 25m full stroke with symmetrical actions, developing rhythm and a legal finish.
13. Turns: For each stroke, connect approach - turn - push-off - underwater - breakout - first strokes; continue backstroke stroke-count awareness.
14. Start: Perform a standing dive from poolside or block into a streamlined underwater position.
15. Start: Perform a backstroke start from the wall or block into a streamlined underwater position.
16. Relay: Perform a simulated single-step relay takeover with a coordinated arm swing on poolside.

1. Warm-up: Warm up using at least two Raise, Mobilise or Activate exercises and one Prime exercise.
2. Recovery: Perform a post-swim stretching routine using at least four key stretches.
3. Training skills: Complete a short set such as 8 x 25m on a turnaround, aiming for a set pace and consistent rest.
4. Goals and efficiency: Set one process goal linked to stroke technique and begin using stroke count and swim time to consider efficiency.
5. Stroke: Swim 50m front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke with effective breathing and timing; swim an effective 25m butterfly and experience progressing towards 50m.
6. Individual medley: Swim 100m IM in the correct order with legal transitions, correct push-offs, underwaters and breakouts; experience the back-to-breast crossover turn.
7. Turns: Perform legal and effective turns on all four strokes with streamline, underwater phase and breakout, progressing towards 10m-in / 10m-out efficiency.
8. IM turns: Perform legal and effective sequences for all three IM transition turns.
9. Start: Perform a developing track start from a starting block with controlled entry, streamline and breakout.
10. Start: Perform a developing backstroke start from a starting block with controlled entry, streamline and breakout.
11. Relay: Perform a relay takeover arm swing and step from poolside.
12. Relay: Perform a single-step relay takeover from poolside or block into 25m front crawl.

1. Warm-up: Complete an appropriate pre-pool warm-up using 3-4 Raise, Mobilise or Activate exercises plus one Prime exercise.
2. Recovery: Complete an appropriate post-swim routine using approximately 6-8 key stretches.
3. Pacing and efficiency: Complete paced sets from 8 x 50m progressing towards 8 x 100m, aiming for consistent pace and rest; record kick and stroke counts and, when ready, use swim time to understand Stroke Efficiency Index.
4. Process goals: Set and review a process goal linked to a start, turn, finish, IM transition, relay takeover or other race skill.
5. Stroke quality: For each stroke, complete repeated full-stroke swims (4-8 x 50m; butterfly 4 x 25m progressing towards 4 x 50m) while maintaining consistent underwater kick and stroke counts.
6. Individual medley: Swim 100m IM from a track start with legal and effective transition turns, push-offs, underwaters and breakouts, progressing towards race-speed execution and an effective crossover turn.
7. Stroke turns: Perform legal and efficient turns on all four strokes at race speed from approximately 10m in to 10m out.
8. IM turns: Perform legal and efficient IM transition turns with effective push-offs and breakouts, progressing to 10m-in / 10m-out race-speed execution.
9. Track start: Follow competition starting procedures and perform an effective track start: set position, take-off, flight, entry, underwater and breakout; progress towards a timed 15m race start.
10. Backstroke start: Follow competition starting procedures and perform an effective backstroke start: set position, take-off, flight, entry, underwater and breakout; progress towards a timed 15m race start.
11. Finishes: Perform legal and effective finishes on all four strokes, progressing to race-speed finishes from approximately 10-15m into the wall.
12. Relay takeover: Perform a single-step relay takeover from the starting block into 25-50m front crawl at simulated or race speed.
13. Relay takeover: Perform a single-step relay takeover from the starting block, taking over from an incoming swimmer into 25-50m front crawl at race speed.