Before you begin the lifeguard course material, we need to ensure your swimming skills are strong enough to ensure your safety and the safety of your classmates. A swim test and skills assessment will be administered on the first day of class.
There are several parts to the swim test:
1. Swim 300 yards continuously demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing. Candidates may swim using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both but swimming on the back or side is not allowed. Swim goggles may be used. There is no time requirement.
2. Tread for 2 minutes using only the legs. Participant should place their hands under their armpits.
3. Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke, surface dive 12 feet deep, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface, swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object and exit the water without using a ladder or steps, within 1 minute, 40 seconds. The participant may not use goggles for this skill. NOTE: When returning to the starting point, the participant must hold the 10-pound object with both hands, placing the brick on his or her chest, and must keep his or her face above the water. The participant can swim on his or her back using an elementary backstroke kick, flutter kick or a rotary kick. The participant must exit the water using her or her own strength. The time is complete once the participant has exited the water and is standing up on the pool deck.