Fall 2025 Swimmers Cards

In order for fishing, boating, swimming or other water-related activities to be available for our troop, we need to make sure ALL our trailmen are certified annually with their swimmer's card!

"Participants in various swimming activities must demonstrate a minimum level of swimming ability. This competency must be documented using the Swimming Competency Test, which must be completed annually and kept on file at the Troop level. Additionally, it should be recorded in Trail Life Connect for each Trailman on their profile." - Health and Safety Guide

For our Navigators and Adventurers:

Swim Competency Test - See Below (Page 376 in Handbook) - If you are just renewing, this will be very quick.
Aquatics Badge
- Safe Aquatics Method overview. (Page 379)
- Aquatics Badge Water Requirements ( Pages 140-142)
- Some of the self-study First-Aid (p. 175-180)

For our Woodlands Trailmen

Swim Competency Test - See Below
Elective Step - Water Safety (Page 63)

For our AHG Sisters in AZ-2029

All Tenderheart Swimming Requirements (p. 190)
All Explorer Requirements (p 191)
Pioneer & Patriot - All Requirements (p. 198-199).

Participants in swimming activities must demonstrate a minimum level of swimming ability. This swimming competency should be documented on an official Trail Life record accessible for Troop leaders to view or documented by a camp in a manner specified by their policies. This test must be completed before a Trailman can participate in aquatics activities.

Swimmer:
1. Swim 100 yards without stops and with at least one sharp turn including the following:
  1. Jump feet first into water over the head, level off, and begin swimming.
  2. Swim 75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following strokes: side, breast, trudgen, or crawl.
  3. Swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke. b. Demonstrate resting by back floating long enough to demonstrate ability to rest when exhausted.
Beginner:
1. In water that he can touch the bottom in, jump in and fully submerge head.
2. Swim 25 feet on the surface without either considerable strain, touching the bottom, holding onto the wall or lane lines, etc.

Non-Swimmer:
1. Cannot complete either of above swimming tests without considerable strain, touching the bottom, holding onto wall, lane lines, etc.

Why at the beginning?

September is still hot enough that pools aren't too cold. But fishing and hiking events won't be as practical until the weather cools. We are able to plan a broader range of activities as more of our boys show their proficiency. Some proficiencies build on others -- like to go camping (gotta get many nights of camping down to earn that badge), there are important basic skills for safety (like edged-tools, fire safety, campsite safety, trail skills). We put those at the beginning so that we can plan the year from this foundation. So swimming proficiency and first aid are important foundations to open the possibilities of all we can do.

What if I can't make these dates?

For anyone concerned, if you can't make the Saturdays, we can schedule ad-hoc certifications over the next few weeks. But we want to get as many done in batches as we can over the next two weeks. We have a BIG TROOP. If you come for JUST the swim certification it will take 15 minutes at most and you will have a scheduled slot - to be communicated on Friday.

What if I am a Navigator or new New Adventurer

Doing the swim test early in the year opens up a lot more possibilities for adventure activities the rest of the year. Plus, you will get to complete most if not all your Aquatics badge requirements.

How do the Woodlands Trailmen figure in?

One of the best things about Trail Life is when Woodlands boys get to see how exciting it is to do the things the older boys get to do. So getting their swim tests, getting CPR-certified, and learning the older boys' First Aid skills is a great look-forward. But we need to balance that with the steady, consistent showing-up and learning at the meetings. So, even though they will learn a lot of things that they will also learn in the meetings - the point is reinforcement. If a boy sees their dad, their Trail Guide, and older boys in the troop pursuing something, they will want to as well. And, learning first aid skills is never a one-and-done. We want to continue to learn and grow in this area.

They can learn good skills around the Navigators/Adventurers, and participate in patrol activities that are designed for fun and relationship-building. As an added bonus, they can help others learn too!

Why are we charging for this?

We are only charging for the first aid starter kits... You can certainly come and participate in the whole thing without spending a dime.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

- Woodlands Parent - RSVP on Trail Life Connect for the Swim Day that fits your schedule.
- Navigator/Adventurer (and their parents) - RSVP for the Swim Day that fits your schedule and the First Aid day - be ready to spend some time on your advancement activities.
- Trail Guides - RSVP and encourage your trailmen's parents to RSVP and come if they can make it.

- All Trailmen - Renewals for swimmers competency are annual. So if you want to participate in water activities this year, you need to renew.

Swimmers Card Certification

What We Will Do

Certify Swimmers

First Aid / Rescue

Play

Save the Dates

What We Will Cover

What You Will Need

Competency Test Requirements

FAQs