Name

Keeping the Line

Core Skill

Front Glide with Face in the Water

Who

Level 2 or Level 3 swimmers in a lane

What

A team game where swimmers push off the wall holding a pool noodle and try to keep it straight until they reach the flags. About 5 yards.

How

• Give each lane one pool noodle and divide the swimmers into teams of 2 or 3.
• Each team holds the edge of the wall with one hand and has two feet on the wall. With their free hand they hold the pool noodle equally spaced out along the line. The pool noodle is horizontal or parallel to the wall, and perpendicular to the lane lines.
• On the count of 3, the swimmers let go of the wall, hold the noodle with both hands, and put their face in the water. They push off together and do a streamline or front glide with their face in the water to the flags.
• The team of 2 or 3 that get to the flags with the straightest pool noodle line wins.
• If someone goes too fast or slow the noodle will get wobbly or bendy and disqualifies the team. The swimmers must “keep the line” of the noodle parallel to the wall they pushed off of.
• Repeat until everyone has participated and choose a winner based on who “keeps the line” the best.

Difficulties an instructor might face

• Some swimmers might not be able to hold their breath for the whole distance or keep their face in the water.
• Some swimmers might not be able to push off with enough force or maintain a good body position in the water.
• Some swimmers might not cooperate with their teammates or try to sabotage other teams.
• Some swimmers might not understand the rules or the objective of the game.

**Note the following picture is cool, but the noodles should be turned 90 degrees so that they are in alignment with the wall.