Competitive Start Awards

The Swim England Competitive Start Awards continue Swim England’s emphasis on learner safety in the water. These are a progression from our Learn to Swim Programme and are often taught at club level. Although, some learners may begin these Awards in the later stages of the Aquatic Skills (Stages 8-10) Framework.

Shallow diving can cause serious injuries if not done properly and by securing these Awards your children will show they have the competence to dive in water 1.35 metres deep. This is a standard demanded for competitions under Swim England rules.

Coaches and teachers who have any of the following qualifications are able to teach and assess the Competitive Start Awards:

• A Swim England Coach or Senior Coach (or equivalent version as per the swim mark matrix)

Or

• A Level 2 Swimming Teacher who has also completed the Competitive Starts CPD.
• A PE teacher with the Teacher of School Swimming certificate and completed a Competitive Starts CPD.

All personnel teaching/assessing this award, should carry out a risk assessment at the site, prior to the assessment and follow the Swim England Guidance on Water Depths and Diving Entries and Competitive starts.

Teaching for the first Award in the series, the Preliminary Competitive Start Award, starts in deep water before moving to the side of the pool and shallower water.

Once this Award has been secured learners work towards the Competitive Start Award to learn safe race dives from a starter block. Below are the Swim England objectives (required outcomes) of the Competitive Start Awards:

Preliminary Competitive Start Award outcomes

Section 1
From the poolside at the deep end of the pool.
Minimum water depth 1.5 metres, maximum freeboard 0.38 metres.

Under normal starting conditions:

1. Perform a shallow dive followed by a glide of at least 5 metres.
2. Perform a shallow dive followed by a front crawl leg kick to the surface.
3. Perform a shallow dive followed by a dolphin leg kick to the surface.
4. Perform a shallow dive followed by a breaststroke arm pull and leg kick to the surface.
5. Perform a backstroke start using the side/rail followed by a backstroke kick to the surface.

Section 2
From a starting block at the deep end of the pool.
Minimum water depth 1.5 metres, recommended height of starting block from the water 0.5 metres, maximum height of starting block from the water 0.75 metres.

Under normal starting conditions:

6. Perform a shallow dive followed by a glide of 5 metres.
7. Perform one grab start and one track start followed by a front crawl leg kick to the surface.
8. Perform one grab start and one track start followed by a dolphin leg kick to the surface.
9. Perform one grab start and one track start followed by a breaststroke arm pull and leg kick to the surface.
10. Perform a wind up start for a stroke decided by the examiner.
11. Perform a backstroke start using the starting block followed by a backstroke kick to the surface.

Note: The swimmer is not allowed to do the remaining sections of this Award until they have gained the preceding skills.

Section 3
From the poolside.
Minimum water depth 1.35 metres, maximum freeboard 0.38 metres.

Under normal starting conditions:

12. Perform a shallow dive followed by a glide of at least 5 metres decided by the examiner.
13. Perform one grab start and one track start followed by a front crawl leg kick to the surface.
14. Perform one grab start and one track start followed by a dolphin leg kick to the surface.
15. Perform one grab start and one track start followed by a breaststroke arm pull and leg kick to the surface.
16. Perform a wind up start for a stroke as decided by the examiner.
17. Perform a backstroke start using the side/rail followed by a backstroke kick to the surface.

Competitive Start Award outcomes

Section 1
From the poolside.
Minimum depth 1.35 metres, maximum freeboard 0.38 metres.

Under normal starting conditions:

1. Perform a track start followed by a glide of at least 5 metres.
2. Perform a backstroke start followed by a dolphin leg kick to the surface.

Section 2
From a starting block on poolside.
Minimum depth 1.35 metres, recommended height of the starting block from the water 0.5 metres, maximum height of the starting block from the water 0.75 metres.

3. Perform a shallow dive followed by a glide of at least 5 metres.
4. Perform a wind up start with a glide of at least 5 metres.
5. Perform a grab start with a glide of at least 5 metres.
6. Perform a track start with a glide of at least 5 metres.
7. Perform a backstroke start using a starting block followed by a dolphin leg kick to the surface.
8. Perform a minimum of three additional starts, under normal starting conditions, as decided by the examiner, showing the appropriate transition into the swimming stroke. One of the starts included must be for the breaststroke.