<p>Hey,
I had a question in gerenal about swimming. </p>
<p>Do we need to know how to swim when we come to the Naval academy? </p>
<p>I am attending the CVW on 16-18 April and a candidate for class of 2013 and it said to bring swimming gear but I have no clue about swimming. </p>
<p>Thanks alot</p>
<p>Please take no offense to this, but I wounder how you got into wanting the Navy. It just seems odd that someone wants to live on a boat, but never learned to swim.</p>
<p>I know some people are landlocked and that would be a reason, I just think it is curious that's all.</p>
<p>Actually not all that uncommon - I have a friend who loves to sail and doesn't swim a bit, does not like it and never learned.</p>
<p>My son had a roommate Plebe summer that sank like a rock. You better believe that he is learning. </p>
<p>There are required swimming classes unless you validate</p>
<p>I thought they had required swimming b/c the AFA does and that just wouldn't make sense that USNA didn't.</p>
<p>I had a good friend in college and we laughed everytime he got in the pool because he too sank like a rock. I think it was because he had absolutely no body fat to help him float.</p>
<p>Swimming is a requirement at USNA-
as such, while it is not absolutely necessary that you know how to swim before you get there, it sure does help if you can nail the basics down before you come! </p>
<p>It might be worth your time and effort to look into a YMCA, school, gym, or other facility that offers swimming lessons, where you can learn at your own pace. While getting proficient at it, and building endurance, comes with practice, practice, and more practice, that you will get plenty of on the yard.</p>
<p>swimming is a safety issue in the fleet. think about the number of officers and enlisted on ships and in subs they have to be able to get off the ship and survive in the case of an emergency. pilots also spend lots of time flying over water. seems too risky to me for them to not be able to swim.</p>
<p>Actually for pilots they will have to do water survival and take refresher courses to be recertified every few yrs.</p>
<p>The REAL challenge for a non-swimmer is the high platform jump requirement.<br>
Son has a distant cousin who separated before 2/c year because he couldn't [wouldn't?] complete the jump off the 10m platform.
He was a poor swimmer.
So, if you are uncomfortable or unsure in the water, you should practice a high jump or two.</p>
<p>Scuttlebutt has it they have done away with that.....
it is on my list of "things to ask!"</p>
<p>
[quote]
seems too risky to me for them to not be able to swim
[/quote]
</p>
<p>By the time they graduate they will all be fine....
the 40-year swim is still alive and well for the 2C's, and not passing is not an option! ;)</p>
<p>40 year swim?</p>
<p>Seems pretty crazy for NAVY folks to not be able to swim. And swim well. And far. It's the Navy, OF COURSE they need to be able to swim!</p>
<p>"40 year swim" = Jump into pool in khakis, and swim 40 minutes without touching anything but water (can't touch lane markers, the bottom, pool walls, etc.) Shoes are not required, and goggles are allowed. You must cover a minimum distance (1000 m), so you can't just tread water.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The REAL challenge for a non-swimmer is the high platform jump requirement.
Son has a distant cousin who separated before 2/c year because he couldn't [wouldn't?] complete the jump off the 10m platform. He was a poor swimmer. So, if you are uncomfortable or unsure in the water, you should practice a high jump or two.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Wow! It's hard to believe that someone's fear of jumping would overcome his desire to stay at USNA. I don't mean this as a criticism -- fear can be an overpowering emotion. I know b/c I experienced that very fear. What finally did it for me was that the swim coach (I'd been a manager for the varsity swim team for 3 yrs so he knew me) saw me standing up there and yelled up, "[my name], for G--sakes jump!" I jumped. Right then & there. </p>
<p>As for swimming, as has been posted before, if you are not comfortable in the water, it is time well spent to take a swimming course at your local Y or wherever you can find one. Things you want to be able to do -- swim freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and sidestroke. Tread water for 15-20 minutes. Swim underwater for 20 yards w/o taking a breath. Not panic when you're in a pool swimming around a bunch of other people (the "40-year swim"). </p>
<p>As also noted, if you don't know how to swim, USNA will teach you. But, just like being in good physical shape will help you during PEP and plebe summer, having spent some time in swim class will help you for your entire 4 years.</p>
<p>
[quote]
You must cover a minimum distance (1000 m), so you can't just tread water.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And your grade depends on the distance you cover. Some elements of swimming are P/F (the tower jump, treading water, underwater swim). Others are graded based on your speed (most elements) or distance (40-yr swim). This is why someone who has taken swimming and can do the strokes with ease will generally do ok and why someone who isn't a natural swimmer and/or has never done some of the required strokes can have problems getting a decent grade. </p>
<p>One final point, you do NOT have to be a competitive swimmer to do OK at USNA. However, unless they've changed the requirements, it's very hard to get an "A" in swimming if you've never swum competitively because most people don't have the technique/endurance/skill to get "A" times in the speed elements.</p>
<p>When son was home, we practiced treading water for extended periods.</p>
<p>I don't think this was part of the swimming grade, but treading water with your arms raised out of the water was particularly challenging. Try it. First with just elbows in water then with hands completely above head. Repeat! Repeat!</p>
<p>He said that a more difficult aspect was just bumping into people as they swam.</p>
<p>I'm sure there were other aspects to the story that have not been shared [re: jumping off the platform] but that was themost notable part that is told w/in the family.</p>
<p>In hopes of encouraging poor swimmers, I offer the following. My daughter never had swim lessons for various reasons. A year or so before applying for USNA, she could swim ~50 yds freestyle at a time- very slowly. She could not do any other stroke. We joined the local YMCA (they have special student rates, and they offer scholarships to those who need it), and she started swimming regularly. The only time to fit it in was 6-7 AM, but she did it. About a month prior to I-day, she tried doing the "40 year swim," wearing heavy cotton slacks. She made it (over 1200 yds). She even came pretty close to validating out of Plebe swimming. So, to echo others, between now and I-day, do what you can to prepare in this area, too!</p>
<p>good news for current mids (or any members of the military) --
the YMCA allows you to use their facility without being a member, just show your military ID. at least ours does, i think it's a standard policy.
so if you are active duty, and midshipmen are, you can practice your swimming during leave.</p>
<p>And quite anecdotally but potentially pertinent to the issue of swimming @ USNA ...and others will know the specifics ...</p>
<p>Should one wish to become a SEAL, well as part of the screener you'll be swimming in the stinky Severn in bitter cold late fall for miles in gear of some kind ...and then they might take you into the pool to "warm up" ...only they've turned the temp down to just above freezing ...</p>
<p>You're getting the point. Yes you must swim.</p>
<p>btw, re: the tower jump ...I know they did it last plebe year, was not mandatory, but several did it when volunteers were sought. My understanding was that indeed it was still necessary for completion. Others know?</p>
<p>My mid was just talking to me about this. The jump is required, and they have already done the 5m board. They will have to master the next two higher ones as well.</p>
<p>This was kind of mildly hanging over my mid's head at the beginning of the ac year, then his platoon went on a spirit mission for the Navy/Airforce game that involved jumping off a bridge into the Severn in the middle of the night.</p>
<p>There was no way my mid was going to be left standing on that bridge with everyone else in the water. His fear of the high board was quickly vanquished.</p>
<p>the jump from the high tower is no longer required for graduation. Midshipmen will, however, be required to jump from the lower platform.</p>
<p>I am surprised your Mid did not tell you that- it has been the buzz around Bancroft since last July-</p>
<p>Bingo! what I tell ya! I knew there were some informed experts here who'd know for absolute, 100% sure! Thanks a bunch.</p>
<p>Still, I 've seen a bumper sticker that notes ...</p>
<p>"Real Mids can do it from 40 feet!" :eek:</p>