SWIMMING POOL GAMES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1937, Page 12 (Supplement)

SWIMMING POOL GAMES

Tunnel Swimming: Four or six girls tread water, one in front of the other. Their legs should be held widely apart —a sculling of the hands will help to make this position easy. Then the rear player dives down from the surface, with open eyes, and swims along under the tunnel" formed by the legs of her companions. On passing under the front player she comes up and so takes her place at the head of the line, while the girl who is now at the back goes down for her tunnel swim. Breast-stroke serves best for this sort of under-water swimming, though the arms should be given a slight upward slant—enough to keep the body down. The head needs to be kept up so that the tunnel can be clearly seen. A clever swimmer can use .1 crawl leg-flutter for this underwater work, helping it by a strong sculling of the hands down by the sides of the body. Steering will then be managed by twisting of the head and the body. It is not good to stay under water if you feel the slightest strain, but sensible practice will make you able to pass under four or five companions quite easily. Always take a good breath before you go down. Foot Tag: Ordinary tag, or touch, can make a splendid water game, but foot tag is greater fun still. One girl is it, and chases the other players, but instead of being allowed to touch them anyhow she can only Ug them on the feet-—using her hands for the purpose, as in the ordinary game. You will soon find that this game becomes more and more exciting as you put into it twists, and somersaults, and surface dives. Follow the Leader: You can play this just as you would on land—the leader doing just as she likes. She can swim, dive, turn somersaults, climb out of the water, jump in again, and so on, all those following doing just the same. They should also copy all the strokes she swims—if they can. Don't play this game too fast, or you will not be able to keep it up for long.

Plank Gliding: This is a most interesting game for two swimmers. Let mo call them Anne and Joan. They both float on their backs, forming a straight lino. Their hands are stretched beyond their heads, and Joan's feet are touching the lingers of Anne. Still water, of course, must Anno grips Joan's ankles and, letting her own head sink, pulls Joan over the top of her. Joan thus comes gliding along the surface, above Anne, with body still straight, and thumbs locked together beyond the head. Anne has bent her head forward and is watching her friend-as she glides. Then, when Joan's hands arc just passing over her companion's feet, Anne hooks her toes inside the hands of Joan—and so stops her progress. And now it is the turn of Joan to drop beneath the surface, while she draws Anne along, above her. When this game can be played neatly, and without any pauses, it is very graceful and most interesting for those looking on. Tug and Liner: One of the two in this game should be able to float fairly well, or at any rate he used to back-swimming. This one will be the liner. The tug swims an ordinary breaststroke, towing her companion along behind her. Instead of the tug holding the liner, the liner grips the sides of her friend's head with her feet, and thus floats face upwards and is drawn along. If the liner is a good floater she can hold her arms extended beyond her head, with hands palms upward, but if not they can be folded or can even paddle gently down by the sides of the body. Sculling Home: Two of you again float on your backs in a straight line, feet to feet. Having got your balance, with your hands sculling at your sides, "you lock your feet together. Then you both "start sculling haul, trying to drive iilong head first. It thus bocomes a sort of tug-of-war, as you both try fo get '■home" by dragging the oilier along bv her feet. Take care to keep flat along the ■surface for this game.

Happy Hours For Those Who Can Swim

I * •j; Not only will you bring much more enjoyment into your bathe by playing ||; * water games, but your all-round ability and case will be greatly increased. £ * The games here described can be played in the swimming bath or the f J open pool, or, excepting just one or two, in the sea. One of the most J :|: useful things about them is that they encourage undcr-water swimming, :!: * which is of great value. Try some of them with a few friends next time * ':£ you go for a bathe. Deep water is best. $ :js *

Tandem Swimming: You, with a friend, may <lo this in sovern 1 ways. - A craw] or trudjreon-tandem is probably most enjoyable. Suppose you lend. Your companion will swim behind you, near enough to allow your feet to be tucked beneath her armpits. 'Jims von are able to use arms alone while" she uses arms and lops, timing her stroke by you. For a backstroke tandem you both lie side by side, face upward*. Your inside arms may be hooked together or passed each' beneath tliq other's u-aist. It makes the tandem still neater if the inside legs are lightly fastened together—a handkerchief will serve. Then you both keep quite Hat along the surface and the outer legs and arms are used for swimming. A back-crawl tandem can also bo arranged. For this the leading swimmer hooks her feet beneath the armpits of her friend. The time is then set by the second player, who is able to use all her limbs. Pearl Divir.g: You and a. friend tread water, about a yard apart, and facing each other. Having taken a good breath, you cease your kick,- raise your arms straight up out of the water, and so go gliding straight down. Keep your eyes open as you descend, and watcli your friend's'body. Jf you do not sink fast enough you can drive yourself down by sculling with your hands, which" are still above your head. When your hands are down to the level of your companion's feet, slope them forward and give a couple of kicks. Thus you will come darting up to the surface behind your friend; and she will then turn inwards, and. go down like a pearl diver herself. This game is splendid for giving confidence and calm when you are under water. Arm-in-Ann: This is a form of tandem swimming, but it is so enjoyable that it is worth mentioning separately. Two of you lie on your backs "arm-in-arm," and then you simply swim along head first by fluttering the logs, just as in hack-crawl. Who'll you are practised you will be able to get quite a good pace.