Stop and Go Squares
Swimmers move around a marked square, stopping to tread on command and sprinting off again in a new direction – builds the stop-start movement of water polo.
- Stages
- Water Polo – Stage 8, Water Polo – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Treading Water, Head-Up Swimming, Water Polo Movement
- Equipment
- Float
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 3–14 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Deep water only for swimmers who can tread independently; a rescue aid on poolside.
- Limit numbers in the square so swimmers have space.
What it develops
- Stop, start and change direction quickly
- Eggbeater to stay high and stable
How to run it
- Mark a square with floats or lane lines in deep water.
- Swimmers swim head-up around the inside of the square.
- On 'stop', they tread water upright with hands up; on 'go', they swim to a corner the teacher names.
- Keep everyone moving in the same direction around the square to start.
Teaching cues
- Stop by sitting up and kicking.
- Go by leaning forward and kicking hard.
- Eyes up the whole time.
Make it easier
- Shallower water where swimmers can stand on 'stop'.
Make it harder
- Hold one hand up on 'stop' as if asking for the ball.
- Change direction on 'switch'.
Common faults
- Slow to stop – swimmers drift.
- Losing height when stopping.
Corrections
- 'Sit in a chair to stop.'
- 'Kick your legs round to stay up.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stay on poolside beside the deep corner with a float ready to pass and call out if two swimmers are about to collide.