Test, Mark and Protect Pool Safety

At the YMCA of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, making sure our young swimmers are safe is our #1 priority. Our Test, Mark, and Protect program ensures that non-swimmers under the age of 12 stay safe and can be easily recognized by our lifeguards.

Test, Mark, and Protect

Any children 5-12 years old mustcomplete the requirements of a swim test to be allowed to swim without a parent or supervising guardian being within arm’s reach at all times.

TEST

Children ages 5-12 who would like to swim in all areas of the pool must pass the deep-water swim test. They must successfully:

• JUMP into deep water
• SWIM width of pool on front and on back
• TREAD water for 30 seconds
• FLOAT on the back for 10 seconds

MARK

• Children who successfully complete the test can swim in any area of the pool

• Non-swimmers ages 5-12 and those who have not passed the swim test, must wear a RED, YELLOW, and GREEN WRIST BAND and CAN SWIM ONLY IN SHALLOW AREAS. BLUE BANDS may swim in any zone. 

PROTECT

• Children 4 and under must stay within arm’s reach of an adult

• Children 5-12 who pass the test will have their results recorded in our system and do not have to retest

• Children 5-12 who do not pass, may re-test every 14 days. They will be measured in height to determine which zone they must remain in (chest deep).