Shadow Partner Swim
One swimmer leads with changes of direction and stops; the partner shadows them a metre away – like marking a player in a game.
- Stages
- Water Polo – Stage 8, Water Polo – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Water Polo Movement, Game Awareness
- Equipment
- None
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 2–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2, Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- No contact: hands off opponents at all times.
- Pairs spread out across the pool.
What it develops
- Stop, start and change direction quickly
- Basic defending without holding
How to run it
- Pairs face the same way, one leader and one shadow.
- The leader swims head-up, changing direction, stopping and treading.
- The shadow stays about a metre away and copies – no touching.
- Swap roles after 30–45 seconds.
Teaching cues
- Watch their shoulders to see where they'll go.
- Stay close, never grab.
- Quick feet – eggbeater to stop.
Make it easier
- Leader moves slowly and only left or right.
Make it harder
- Leader tries to lose the shadow in a marked area.
- Add a ball for the leader to push.
Common faults
- Shadow falls far behind.
- Shadow reaches out to hold.
Corrections
- 'Mirror them, don't chase them.'
- 'Hands stay off – arm's length away.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Partner any swimmer without a pair, moving at a speed the teacher sets, and remind shadows to keep their hands off.