Aquatics Coaching Guide - Special Olympics

Teaching Aquatics Skills - Stroke Development
Backstroke/Back Crawl
Practice complete stroke, increasing distance as stroke develops
Teaching Points
1. Continuous arm action.
2. Lead with the hand.
3. Hand draws an “S” on its side under the water.
4. Eyes open - look toward the ceiling (roof/sky).
Backstroke - Faults & Fixes Chart
122
Error Correction Drill/Test Reference
Knees bending too much during
kick.
Feet and hips are too low in water.
Swimmer’s body rolls in the
water.
Too much splash when hands
enter the water.
Encourage swimmer to relax
legs and ankles.
Kick from the hips.
Check swimmers body
position.
Encourage swimmer to push
hips up to top of water.
Encourage a continuous kick
with the feet making a little
splash.
Check swimmers head position.
If head is too high hips will
drop.
Swimmer is over-rotating.
Check for correct hand entry.
Check that swimmer’s hands
are not crossing over center
line of body.
Check for correct hand entry.
Encourage swimmer to enter
water with little finger first.
1. Practice kick by using
board and extending board
and arms over knees.
2. Kick short distances. Board
will help stop too much
knee bend.
1. Use of fins will encourage
the swimmer to push hips
up.
2. Practice kick with and
without kickboard.
3. Encourage the swimmer to
practice a streamlined kick.
4. Practice kick with head
tilted back, eyes to roof.
1. Practice specific drills and
encourage swimmer to
enter water with arms
straight.
2. Overexaggerate hand entry.
3. Ask swimmer to enter
shoulder-width or wider.
Practice specific hand entry drill,
thumb up/rotation of hand/little
finger in.
Special Olympics Aquatics Coaching Guide
Created: February 2004