Technique Relay
A team relay where points are awarded for technique points the teacher calls – fast swimmers with poor technique don't win.
- Stages
- Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Front Crawl, Backstroke, Coordination
- Equipment
- None, Float
- Age
- 7–16 years
- Group size
- 6–20 swimmers
- Time
- About 8 minutes
- In a lesson
- Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- One team per lane; changeovers at the wall only when the swimmer has touched.
What it develops
- Build continuous swimming distance
- Swim with fewer, longer strokes
- Swim continuously at a steady pace
- Swim further with pace awareness
- Improve stroke efficiency on all strokes
- Swim continuously with controlled pace
- Keep technique and stroke count as distance increases
How to run it
- Teams of three or four; teacher names the technique focus (e.g. 'side breathing').
- Each swimmer swims a width.
- Judges award 2 points for the focus done well, 1 for finishing.
- Change the focus each round.
Teaching cues
- Swim it well.
- Remember the focus.
- Cheer good technique.
Make it easier
- Kick-only legs with a float.
- Shorter distance.
Make it harder
- Two technique points per leg.
- Include a turn.
Common faults
- Rushing and losing the focus.
- Teammates only cheering the fastest.
Corrections
- Technique points outweigh finishing points.
- Change teams to balance ability.
Assistant / L1 role
- Judge one lane consistently on the named focus.