Name

Jumping off the Blocks

Core Skill

This game helps swimmers practice their jumping or diving skills from the blocks, as well as their underwater swimming and wall exit.

Who

This game is suitable for swimmers on a developmental swim team or in level 4, who have some experience with jumping or diving from the blocks and can swim at least 25 yards.

What

This game challenges swimmers to jump or dive off the blocks in different ways, such as making a small or big splash, going high or far, or being goofy. The game also requires swimmers to swim past the flags, move over to the wall, and exit the pool quickly. The game can be done individually or in teams, with points awarded for the best jumps.

How

To play this game, you will need a pool with blocks, flags, and a wall. You will also need a coach or a timer to keep track of the time and the points. Here are the steps to play this game:

1. Swimmers line up behind one of the blocks.
2. The coach or timer starts a stopwatch and announces the start of the game.
3. Swimmers take turns jumping or diving off the blocks, one at a time. After they jump or dive in, they must swim past the flags, then move over to the wall and exit. They must walk around the flag poles and the coach to return to their lane.
4. The coach or timer assigns points for each jump or dive based on the following criteria:
   • The first jump should be super short with a teeny tiny splash. (1 point)
   • The second jump should be as high as possible with knees and feet pulled up to the chest. (2 points)
   • The third jump must be as far as possible. (3 points)
   • The fourth jump must be as far and as high as possible. (4 points)
   • The fifth jump must be as far as possible but as low, or horizontal as possible. (5 points)
   • The sixth jump is a goofy jump. (6 points)
5. The game ends after 10 minutes or when all swimmers have completed six jumps, whichever comes first.
6. The coach or timer adds up the points for each swimmer or team and announces the winner.

Challenges coaches may face

Some challenges that coaches may face when running this game are:

• Ensuring safety and supervision of all swimmers, especially when they are jumping or diving off the blocks.
• Providing clear instructions and feedback for each jump or dive, and enforcing the rules of the game.
• Keeping track of the time and the points for each swimmer or team.
• Motivating and encouraging swimmers to try different jumps or dives and have fun.