Level 1 Stroke Performance Criteria

STROKE PERFORMANCE CHART Level 1 Stroke Performance Criteria

Swim on Front Swim on Back Component (Combined Stroke Using Any Type of Arm or Leg Action) (Combined Stroke Using Any Type of Arm or Leg Action)

Legs Alternating or simultaneous kicking action Alternating or simultaneous kicking action

Arms Alternating or simultaneous propulsive and recovery actions Alternating or simultaneous propulsive and recovery actions

Swim on Front Swim on Back Component (Combined Arm or Leg Action) (Combined Arm or Leg Action) Body Position Trunk and legs may be horizontal to 45 degrees from Trunk and legs may be horizontal to 45 degrees from surface; face in water surface Legs—Alternating Alternate kicking action; rudimentary flutter or bicycle Alternate kicking action; rudimentary flutter or bicycling action action Legs—Simultaneous Simultaneous kicking action; rudimentary dolphin or Simultaneous kicking action; rudimentary dolphin or breaststroke action elementary backstroke action Arms—Alternating Alternate propulsive and recovery action; downward Alternate propulsive and recovery action; underwater arm or slightly outward motion acceptable; underwater arm recovery acceptable; hand moving downward with minimal recovery acceptable backward action acceptable Arms—Simultaneous Simultaneous propulsive and recovery actions; downward Simultaneous propulsive and recovery actions; underwater and outward motion acceptable; underwater arm recovery arm recovery acceptable acceptable

Component Front Crawl Breaststroke Elementary Backstroke Sidestroke Body Position Trunk horizontal to 30 degrees Trunk horizontal to Trunk horizontal to 30 degrees Body in a side-lying position from surface; rudimentary body 30 degrees from surface from surface; hips may be bent; about 30 degrees from roll; some side-to-side motion of during glide chin tucked; ears may be out of surface; hips may roll away trunk and legs acceptable water from midline; bottom ear may be out of water with head raised

Legs Continuous kicking; occasional Legs bend at the knees Knees may break the surface Elements of breaststroke or bicycling action acceptable; legs bringing heels toward of the water during recovery; flutter kick acceptable; legs bent at the hips or knees during buttocks; knees may be knees may be wider than may separate slightly as knees downbeat acceptable; feet may wider than hips and ankles; hips and ankles; ankles may bend in recovery; any type break surface of water heels may break surface be bent throughout power of foot and ankle position of water; ankles may bend phase; occasional scissors acceptable; legs may bend at throughout power phase; kick acceptable; legs may be the knees and be held loosely occasional scissors kick partially bent at knee at the end together during glide or flutter kick acceptable; of the power phase; legs apart legs may be partially bent at with occasional flutter kick the knees at the end of the during glide acceptable power phase; occasional flutter kick during glide position acceptable; legs may not completely finish together in a closed position in the glide

Arms Above-water arm recovery; Both arms extended Hands may break water Bottom arm extended underwater recovery or arm overhead surface during recovery; arms overhead; top arm against the straight at elbow acceptable; extending above or below side hand enters at or above the shoulder level acceptable; level of the head; arm straight power phase finishing at waist at the elbow during power level acceptable phase acceptable; power phase finishing at hip level acceptable

Breathing and Face in water and breathes Any type of breathing pattern Occasional breath-holding Any type of breathing pattern Timing consistently to the side; acceptable acceptable; arms and legs with occasional breath-holding occasional head lift acceptable; move simultaneously; minimal acceptable arms and legs show general glide with some forward alternating pattern motion acceptable; little or no hesitation before beginning recovery

Elementary Component Front Crawl Breaststroke Butterfly Backstroke Back Crawl Sidestroke Body Body horizontal Trunk horizontal to Trunk may be Body horizontal to 15 Trunk horizontal to Trunk horizontal to Position to 15 degrees 30 degrees from horizontal to degrees from surface; 30 degrees from 30 degrees from from surface; surface during glide 30 degrees from the trunk and legs are surface; ears may surface; hips may performs body roll; surface; face in water aligned; slight chin be out of water, chin roll away from occasional side- tuck; ears near or on chest; hips may midline; bottom ear to-side motion below the surface be bent; rudimentary may be out of water of trunk and legs body roll; slight with head raised acceptable side-to-side motion between shoulders and hips acceptable

Legs Continuous kicking Legs bend at the Legs may be partially Knees remain below Continuous kicking; Scissors kick; that starts from the knees bringing extended at the the surface of the occasional bicycling legs may separate hips; ankles and heels toward knee during the water; knees and hips action acceptable; slightly as knees knees extended buttocks; knees downbeat; minimal aligned; knees may legs bent at knee bend in recovery; but not rigid; feet may occasionally movement of the hip be wider than ankles; acceptable; feet any type of foot remain below the be wider than during the downbeat heels drop by bending may break surface and ankle position surface—moderate hips and ankles; acceptable; legs may knees; ankles rotate of water acceptable; legs splash acceptable heels may break bend at the knees outward with toes may bend at the surface of water; during upbeat— wider than the heel of knees and be held ankles may bend feet may break the the foot; lower legs loosely together throughout power surface; some flutter move symmetrically in during glide phase; legs may be action acceptable a circular pattern as partially bent at the knees return to a fully knees at the end of extended position; the power phase; legs together, toes legs together during pointed with minimal glide position movement

©2014 | Level 4 Stroke Performance Chart | 1 Elementary Component Front Crawl Breaststroke Butterfly Backstroke Back Crawl Sidestroke Arms Above-water Hands may begin Above-water arm Hands remain under Above-water arm Leading arm: hand recovery with arm catch wider than recovery—arms the surface and recovery—elbows may break surface bent at elbow— shoulder width; may contact the recover near or at the below surface of the water; elbow arm straight at arm bend at elbow water; hands may side of the body; arms acceptable; hands may be straight elbow acceptable; increases as hand enter wider than the may extend at or be may enter at or during catch; hand hands enter above moves toward shoulders; arms may above shoulder level; above shoulder may continue past the level of the waist—hands be straight at elbow arms nearly straight at level; arm straight at upper chest head, fingertips may be level or during recovery and elbow at beginning of elbow during power Trailing arm: hand first in front of slightly deeper than catch actions; palms catch; arms partially phase acceptable may break surface the shoulder; arm elbows; hands may face backwards bent at elbow during of the water; elbow extends fully after sweep beyond the throughout pull; extension—wrists may may remain close entry; arm bent shoulder, but not power phase finishing be bent; power phase to body; hand at elbow during beyond waist at waist acceptable; ends at the level of may pass by thigh power phase; arms may be bent at the hips and recover past power phase elbow during finish shoulder of leading finishes beyond hip arm; arm may be partially bent at elbow

Breathing and Face in water; Rudimentary Arms pull and recover Relaxed rhythmic Occasional Rhythmic breathing Timing breathing to the form of pull- with minimal leg kick; breathing pattern; breath-holding pattern; arms and side; exhales breathe-kick-glide arms may hesitate at arms and legs begin acceptable; arms legs may move underwater on sequence; minimal side before recovery recovery at same in opposition— simultaneously; each breath; glide with some time; some glide hesitation at finish arm action may be arms alternate— forward motion occurs at end of acceptable continuous; some slight hesitation acceptable power phase glide occurs at end during breathing of power phase acceptable

Elementary Component Front Crawl Breaststroke Butterfly Backstroke Back Crawl Sidestroke Body Position Body is nearly Trunk horizontal to Trunk horizontal to Body is nearly Body horizontal Trunk horizontal horizontal to 15 degrees from 15 degrees from horizontal to surface to 15 degrees to 30 degrees from the surface in surface during glide; the surface; head, with arms at side from surface; surface; hips may roll a streamlined body incline should trunk and legs are during glide; chin head back with away from midline; position; body become more level aligned with minimal up, ears in the water ears submerged; bottom ear may be roll is a fluid following kick movement to the left rudimentary body out of water with head motion—head, or right of the midline roll; trunk and legs raised trunk and legs should be aligned are aligned

Legs Continuous Legs bend at the Legs may separate Heels drop by Continuous kicking Scissors kick on kicking that knees bringing heels slightly at knees bending knees; that starts from the both sides; legs may starts from the toward buttocks— during kick with ankles bend to hips; legs slightly separate slightly as hips and propels legs bending slightly minimal flutter action; 90 degrees and bent at the knee knees bend in recovery; swimmer at hips; knees and single kick action rotate outward with during upward ankle of top leg begins forward using hips should be acceptable; hips flex toes wider than kick and straight the power phase in a a 2- to 6-beat aligned—knees do and knees extended; heels of the feet; at knee with toes bent position, may not kick; heels not separate beyond knees slightly bent; knees and ankles pointed during the extend fully as the leg just break the hip width; ankles hips raise as legs fully extending downward kick; extends and returns to surface bend and rotate extend at the end of the feet remain below the glide position; ankle outward with toes power phase the surface— of the bottom leg may wider than the heel moderate splashing not extend; with the of foot; knees and acceptable toes pointed throughout ankles extend at the the power phase; legs end of the power may bend at the knees phase—legs partially and be held loosely bent at the knees and together during glide ankles acceptable

©2014 | Level 5 Stroke Performance Chart | 1 Elementary Component Front Crawl Breaststroke Butterfly Backstroke Back Crawl Sidestroke Arms Above-water Palms begin Above-water arm Arms extend at Above-water Leading arm: hand recovery with moving outward at recovery—straight or slightly above recovery—arm may remains below the arm bent at or narrower than elbow, occasional shoulder level with be partially bent surface; elbow may be elbow; arm shoulder width— arm contact with hands no further at elbow; hands straight during catch; relaxed as hand arms slightly bent; in the water than top of head; exit thumb-side or hand may continue moves toward the mid-pull, sweeps acceptable; hands fingers lead arm little-finger first; past upper chest; pull the head; arm hands downward should enter at extension; palms hands enter little- ends at upper chest; extends fully in and inward; bend at shoulder width, with face toward feet; finger first about arm is parallel to and coordination elbow increases as fingertips facing elbows extend shoulder-width below the surface, in with body roll; hands move toward down; arms partially as palms push apart; arm partially line with head, trunk elbow and chest—hands deeper bent at elbows; arms backward and bent at elbow during and legs hand move than elbows by start wide then move inward, stopping at power phase; hand Trailing arm: hand just outside end of pull; hands to inside the width of the hips and forearm finish remains below the the shoulders should not sweep body at waist; hands beyond hip surface of the water; as the arm beyond the upper press back toward elbow may remain travels straight chest area; sweeps the feet past the hips close to body; hand backward; palm hands back together may pass by thigh; presses toward so that hands travel forearm travels along feet until arm along the midline the midline close reaches full underneath the body to the body during extension during to a streamlined recovery finish position

©2014 | Level 5 Stroke Performance Chart | 2 Elementary Component Front Crawl Breaststroke Butterfly Backstroke Back Crawl Sidestroke Breathing and Exhales Pull-breathe-kick- Face-forward head Rhythmic breathing Relaxed rhythmic Rhythmic breathing Timing underwater glide sequence; lift begins at start pattern—inhales breathing pattern; pattern; arms and before the next rhythmic breathing of catch; head during recovery arms in opposition— legs may move breath during with each cycle; glide re-enters the water and exhales during slight hesitation at simultaneously; some the power after recovery with after taking breath power phase; arm finish acceptable glide occurs at end of phase; head arms extended; slight and hands pull recovery begins power phase remains in line hesitation before toward waist; one slightly before of the body— recovery acceptable leg kick paired with leg recovery; arm minimal head each arm cycle at and leg power movement; a minimum; arms phases begin alternate side should recover simultaneously; breathing directly from the extended glide after preferred finish—minimal delay power phase before recovery acceptable

Elementary Component Front Crawl Backstroke Back Crawl Breaststroke Sidestroke Butterfly

Body Same as Level 5 Same as Level 5 Body is nearly Body is nearly Body is nearly horizontal Body is nearly Position horizontal to surface horizontal to to the surface and horizontal to in a streamlined the surface and streamlined during the the surface in a position; head is streamlined during glide position; hips streamlined position still and aligned with the glide position and shoulders aligned; body, no side-to-side bottom ear and lower movement; body roll face in water is a fluid motion— head, trunk and legs are aligned

Legs Same as Level 5 Same as Level 5 Continuous kicking Heels drawn toward Scissors kick on both Legs can separate that starts from the buttocks; heels sides; knees and hips slightly at knees hips and propels remain underwater; bend, pulling heels during kick—no swimmer forward ankles rotate toward buttocks; legs flutter kick motion; using a 2- to 6-beat outward with toes remain close together two dolphin kicks; kick; feet remain wider than heels; as knees bend; ankle legs extend during below the surface knees and ankles of top leg begins the downbeat; legs fully extend at end power phase in a bent straighten with of power phase position and extends as ankles relaxed the leg returns to the during upbeat; glide position; ankle of heels just break the the bottom leg remains surface extended with the toes pointed throughout the power phase

Arms Same as Level 5 Same as Level 5 Above-water Arms sweep Leading arm: hand Above-water arm recovery—arm outward from the remains below the recovery—little straight at elbow; glide position (arms surface; palms angled or no bend in the hand enters just extended narrower down and slightly elbows; hands outside shoulder in than shoulder outward; elbow bends enter thumb-side coordination with width); bend at and hand sweeps first in front of or body roll; hand elbows increases slightly downward slightly outside the enters little finger as hands move and slightly backward shoulders; arms first, reaching toward chest; toward the feet; pull extend and hands downward with elbows remain high ends at upper chest; accelerate and elbow bent; throughout the shoulder rotates and press back past fingertips point away pull; hands come elbow drops; fingers hips from the body to the together at the lead arm extension as side; hand follows a midline under the the hand passes the ear, straight path toward chin; arms extend and the arm rotates so the feet; arm fully forward to a glide palm faces down; arm extended at elbow position is parallel to and below for the finish the surface, in line with head, trunk and legs. Trailing arm: hand remains below the surface of the water; palm presses downward and slightly backward at the beginning of the catch and continues backward throughout the pull; forearm travels along the midline close to the body during the recovery

Breathing Same as Level 5 Same as Level 5 Rhythmic breathing No delay from finish Regular rhythmic Forward rhythmic and Timing pattern—inhales as into recovery; face breathing pattern— breathing pattern on one arm recovers and head submerge inhales during leg stroke each cycle; and exhales as the during arm recovery, recovery and exhales inhales during face other arm recovers; kick and glide; during power phase of lift and arm recovery arms in continuous exhales underwater the kick; arms alternate; and exhales during opposition—no recovery phase of kick underwater arm hesitation at finish occurs during leading pull; forward and arm pull and trailing arm upward followed recovery; extended glide by forward and after power phase downward body action paired with arm action and dolphin kicks; face exits water before the arms and re-enters the water before the arms