Aquatics Coaching Guide - Special Olympics

Teaching Aquatics Skills - Stroke Development
Swimming Turns
Coaching Tips
164
Tell the swimmer to swim either breaststroke turn or butterfly to the wall.
Encourage swimmer to keep his/her face in the water after the last stroke until both hands have left the wall.
Remind swimmer that the push off is on the side, with the body rotating into a prone position.
Practice Butterfly and Breaststroke Turns after Swimming 15 Meters
Teaching Points
1. Stand in chest-deep water 15 meters from wall.
2. Swim either stroke to edge of the water.
3. Touch the edge of the pool with both hands, keeping shoulders level.
4. Keep the face in the water.
5. Bend knees slightly and rotate body in either direction.
6. Tuck legs underneath hips.
7. Take one hand off the wall.
8. Bring the other hand over the head.
9. Extend both arms over the head.
10. Push off wall.
Coaching Tips
Encourage swimmer to keep his/her face in the water after the last stroke until both hands have left the water.
Remind swimmer that the push off is on the side, with the body rotating into a prone position.
For breaststroke, the swimmer is allowed one pull down and one kick under the water, the split stroke or 1.5
strokes under water. Swimmer needs to make their body as streamlined as possible when performing a split
stroke.
For butterfly, the swimmer begins the kick as soon as the feet leave the wall.
Special Olympics Aquatics Coaching Guide
Created: February 2004